 McAleer, uyo anobva kuBeragh, Co. Tyrone, Northern Ireland uye uyo aimbova mudzidzi weNational Council for the Training of Journalists course paBelfast Institute of Further and Higher Education, akatanga basa rake rokunyora nhau nokugamuchira nzvimbo paCrossmaglen Examiner pepanhau romunharaunda reNorthern Ireland muCo. Armagh, nzvimbo umo IRA yaishanda. McAleer ipapo akatamira kuNorthern Ireland zuva nezuva rinotengesa zvikuru, Irish News, muBelfast. Ikoko akafukidza zvinetso zveNorthern Irelanduye muitiro worugare, asati ava mupepeti wousiku. Kubva muna 1998 kusvika muna 2000, akashanda kuSunday Times yokuUnited Kingdom muhofisi yayo iri muDublin. Kubva muna 2000 kusvika muna 2003 aiva mutori wenhau muRomania neBulgaria weFinancial Times, uye akafukidzawo nyika idzodzo muThe Economist. Yaiva nzvimbo iyi pakupedzisira yakamutungamirira kuti atore mafirimu ezvinyorwa. 