Catherine Connolly Sworn In on Day of Pomp and Celebration
Catherine Connolly has vowed to transform Ireland into a “nation that lives up to its ideals” by championing diversity, the Gaelic tongue, and the legacy of decolonisation.
During her swearing-in speech, the president presented a progressive vision diverging from the centre-right orthodoxy.
“We were led to believe that it was an impossible step, that our ideas were too radical – at odds with the dominant discourse,” she stated, pointing to her landslide victory.
“In shared conversations, however, it became clear that the mainstream message did not represent people’s hopes and fears. Repeatedly, people spoke of how it tended to suppress, to other, to label, to exclude and to stifle critical thinking.”
On a day marked by pomp at Dublin Castle, the 68-year-old former barrister declared that as Ireland’s 10th president, she would ensure “all voices” were heard and would advance climate action, tolerance, and a Gaelic revival.
“Voters have made their choice and have given their president a powerful mandate to voice shared aspirations for a new republic, a republic worthy of its name where everyone is valued and diversity is cherished, where sustainable solutions are urgently implemented, and where a housing is guaranteed for all.”
Connolly’s election shocked the political establishment. The independent leftwing legislator brought together progressive factions, energised young voters, and trounced the mainstream opponent by winning 64% of the vote.
Though the role is primarily symbolic, the previous officeholder had stretched the constraints, turning it into a voice for causes—a tradition the new president will likely uphold.
In a venue filled with officials, ambassadors, and distinguished guests, the president lamented “the normalisation of war and atrocities.”
Praising Ireland’s neutrality—a possible point of disagreement with the government—she said: “Our experience of colonisation and struggle against historic hardships gives us a lived understanding of dispossession, famine, and conflict and a call for national leadership.”
Connolly also hailed the Good Friday agreement and referenced constitutional provisions that espouses a united Ireland with consent. One major group declined to send a representative but clarified it was not a deliberate omission.
Speaking in Gaelic, Connolly reaffirmed a pledge to elevate Irish in the official home. “Irish will not be spoken in a low voice in the Áras, it will have first place as a language of business.”
No country can express its desires if the native language used forebears was lost, she commented. “It has been put in second place without due honour 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 sentiment with each phrase.”
A 21-gun salute was sounded as the new president received the seal of office.
