EAST LANCASHIRE is set to welcome the Irish leader next month to mark the death of a radical humanitarian who once lived in the area.

Irish President Mary McAleese will unveil a plaque and attend an exhibition in honour of Michael Davitt in Haslingden, where he lived with his family from 1853-1867.

The visit has been organised by the Irish Heritage In Haslingden Committee to celebrate the life of Davitt renowned as a leading figure in Irish history who rose to international fame through his political connections.

And civic leaders today said they were "delighted" at the news.

Mrs McAleese will be guest of honour at a civic reception hosted by the Irish Democratic League Club in Haslingden before visiting Jesuit public school, Stonyhurst College, Hurst Green, on April 12.

She will then visit Irish communities and voluntary groups in Sheffield and Leeds the following day as part of the two-day tour, which was approved by the British cabinet this week.

The visit comes after a massive programme of events were launched in Haslingden to mark the milestone anniversary of Mr Davitt.

He was the founder of the Land League, an Irish political organisation of the late 19th century which sought to help poor tenant farmers. Its primary aim was to abolish "landlordism" in Ireland and enable tenant farmers to own the land they worked on, instead of cowing to often-brutal English landlords.

Grainne Mooney, the Irish president's spokesman, said: "The president is looking forward to the visit which will mark the death of Land League founder Michael Davitt who is a person of great historical significance in Ireland. He dedicated his life to fighting for the rights of the underprivileged.

"The plan is to visit the Haslingden Democratic League Club for a civic type reception followed by a viewing of the Davitt monument which is just opposite the club.

"Then she will go to the library to view a Davitt exhibition there. She's also visiting Stonyhurst College on the same day after receiving an invite to meet staff and pupils before heading to Sheffield the following day." A spokesperson for Rossendale Council said: "We are delighted that such a high profile person is visiting Rossendale and hope that the visit will really help to raise the profile of the area."

Raised on the edge of the nationalist Ardoyne area of Belfast, Northern Ireland, from which her family was forced to flee in the early 1970s because of paramilitary violence, Mrs McAleese attended the Queen's University of Belfast and qualified as a barrister in 1974.

She was elected as the eighth Irish President the first from Ulster in 1997.