Catherine Connolly Takes Office on Day of Pomp and Celebration

Catherine Connolly has vowed to reshape Ireland into a “nation that lives up to its ideals” by advocating for inclusion, the Irish language, and the legacy of decolonisation.

During her swearing-in speech, the president outlined a leftwing alternative diverging from the centre-right orthodoxy.

“We were led to believe that it was an impossible step, that our ideas were too far out – contrary to the prevailing narrative,” she remarked, referencing her decisive election win.

“Through nationwide dialogues, however, it became clear that the dominant narrative did not reflect people’s hopes and fears. Repeatedly, people spoke of how it served to silence, to other, to categorise, to shut out and to stifle critical thinking.”

On a day marked by pomp at Dublin Castle, the 68-year-old former barrister affirmed that as Ireland’s 10th president, she would ensure “all voices” were heard and would promote environmental measures, tolerance, and a Gaelic revival.

“The people have spoken and have given their president a powerful mandate to articulate their vision for a new republic, a republic true to its principles where everyone is valued and differences are celebrated, where sustainable solutions are urgently implemented, and where a housing is guaranteed for all.”

The presidential race outcome shocked the political establishment. The independent leftwing legislator brought together progressive factions, mobilised the youth, and defeated the ruling party’s candidate by winning 64% of the vote.

Though the presidency is a largely ceremonial post, the outgoing president had stretched the constraints, turning it into a voice for causes—a practice the new president will likely uphold.

In a venue filled with officials, ambassadors, and other dignitaries, Connolly expressed regret over “the normalisation of war and atrocities.”

Commending Ireland’s non-alignment—a possible point of disagreement with the government—she asserted: “Our history under foreign rule and resistance of a catastrophic man-made famine gives us a deep empathy of loss, famine, and war and a mandate for Ireland to lead.”

The president additionally praised the Good Friday agreement and cited constitutional provisions that espouses a united Ireland with agreement. One major group declined to send a representative but clarified it was not a deliberate omission.

Switching to Irish, Connolly repeated a commitment to elevate Irish in the presidential office and residence. “Irish will not be spoken in a low voice in the residence, it will have first place as a working language.”

No country can voice its aspirations if the indigenous tongue spoken by ancestors was lost, she said. “It has been relegated without sufficient respect or acknowledgement. The national spirit were dampened when they were made to stop using their own language. It’s a language that conveys emotion and meaning with each phrase.”

A 21-gun salute was fired as the new president was formally invested.