▁Institution , ▁Queen ’ s ▁University ▁B elf ast ▁and ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁London . ▁He ▁is ▁the ▁son ▁of ▁Max ▁( d ied ▁ 2 0 0 0 ) ▁and ▁Glad ys ▁Mac c abe ▁MB E ▁( d ied ▁ 2 0 1 8 ), ▁a ▁ren owned ▁Irish ▁artist . ▁ ▁He ▁is ▁married ▁to ▁Jen ny ▁and ▁has ▁three ▁children ▁and ▁eight ▁grand children . ▁ ▁Career ▁highlight s ▁He ▁joined ▁the ▁Northern ▁Ireland ▁Cab inet ▁Office ▁as ▁a ▁research er ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 1 ▁and ▁was ▁appointed ▁Ass istant ▁Private ▁Secretary ▁to ▁the ▁Chief ▁Minister ▁of ▁Northern ▁Ireland , ▁Brian ▁Fa ulk ner ▁in ▁December ▁ 1 9 7 3 . ▁After ▁the ▁fall ▁of ▁the ▁power ▁sharing ▁Executive ▁in ▁May ▁ 1 9 7 4 ▁he ▁served ▁as ▁Private ▁Secretary ▁to ▁success ive ▁British ▁Minister s ▁in ▁Northern ▁Ireland ▁between ▁ 1 9 7 4 ▁and ▁ 1 9 7 7 . ▁Between ▁ 1 9 8 0 ▁and ▁ 1 9 8 4 ▁he ▁was ▁Special ▁Ass istant ▁to ▁the ▁Chief ▁Const able ▁of ▁the ▁Royal ▁Ul ster ▁Const ab ul ary , ▁Sir ▁John ▁Herm on , ▁and ▁a ▁Director ▁of ▁the ▁Northern ▁Ireland ▁Pr ison ▁Service ▁from ▁ 1 9 8 8 ▁to ▁ 1 9 9 2 . ▁ ▁He ▁was ▁Head ▁of ▁the ▁Northern ▁Ireland ▁Office ’ s ▁Political ▁Affairs ▁Division ▁from ▁ 1 9 9 2 ▁to ▁ 2 0 0 0 ; ▁and ▁Political ▁Director ▁of ▁the ▁N