Ireland’s new left-wing president Catherine Connolly is going to be “cool”, according to school children who met her after her inauguration at Dublin Castle.
Third and fourth year youngsters from the Irish capital’s Francis Street School spoke to the 68-year-old former psychologist, barrister and independent member of the Irish parliament after they watched an Air Corps flypast during the ceremony.
The victory of pro-Palestine Ms Connolly was hailed as a significant moment for the left in Ireland as opposition parties had united to back her to prevent the two major parties, Fine Gael and Fianna Fail, from winning the presidency.
But her politics put her in opposition to Irish prime minister Michael Martin: she has been a long-time critic of the European Union in one of the bloc’s most pro-EU member states, has attacked Ireland’s increased military spending and has criticised UK prime minister Sir Keir Starmer for saying Hamas should have no place in Gaza’s future after the UK recognised a Palestinian state.
The reaction of the children she spoke to suggested she was going to be popular among young people.
Luna Flynn said after meeting her: “It was amazing, I think she’s really good and great and I think she is going to be a great fit for our president.”
Declan McGuinness said the president “was really cool and kind” while another pupil, AJ Stack, referred to a popular video of Ms Connolly doing keepie-uppy with a football and said: “Obviously its her first day so she still has to get used to it. But I think she is going to be very good in the future.”
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Ms Connolly, who is from Galway, won 63% of the valid first preference votes during the election on 24 October.
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Who is Catherine Connolly, Ireland’s new left-wing president?
Ireland correspondent
In the absence of a royal family, a presidential inauguration is pretty much the closest Ireland comes to pomp and circumstance. It only happens once every seven years, so no detail was overlooked.
When we finally heard from the new president, after she had been sworn in, it was no surprise that she railed against the horror of war and genocide – topics she has always been outspoken on, although on this occasion she did not mention Israel by name.
Standing in the former seat of British power in Ireland, she spoke of Ireland’s experience of colonialism and how that gave her country a mandate to lead alternative solutions to war and conflict.
For the new holder of an ostensibly non-political office, President Connolly’s maiden speech hinted that she may just push the boundaries of accepted norms over the next seven years – possibly to the discomfort of the Irish government.
During her inauguration ceremony, she repeated the Declaration of Office in Irish, read to her by Chief Justice Donal O’Donnell, before signing the declaration and being officially proclaimed president.
A 21-gun salute was fired as Ms Connolly was handed the Seal of Office.
In her first speech as in her new role, she said Ireland faces the “inextricably linked” threats of climate change and ongoing wars.
“Unfortunately, we have all become witnesses to ongoing wars and genocide,” Ms Connolly said.
“Given our history, the normalisation of war and genocide has never been and will never be acceptable to us.
“As a sovereign independent nation with the long and cherished tradition of neutrality and an uninterrupted record of peacekeeping since 1958, Ireland is particularly well-placed to lead and articulate alternative diplomatic solutions to conflict and war.
“Indeed, our experience of colonisation and resistance of a catastrophic man-made famine and forced immigration gives us a lived understanding of dispossession, hunger and war and a mandate for Ireland to lead.”
Her predecessor, Michael D Higgins, ended his 14-year-term in office at midnight. He received a warm round of applause on his arrival at the ceremony.
Former Irish presidents Mary McAleese and Mary Robinson also attended.
Northern Ireland First Minister Michelle O’Neill was among members of the judiciary, politicians and guests from a cross section of society from the island of Ireland.
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The Irish president, while head of state, has limited constitutional powers and is seen as a mostly ceremonial role, with the Taoiseach (Irish prime minister) – currently centre-right Mr Martin – having far more influence and power.
Ms Connolly’s uniting of the majority of left-wing parties, including the largest opposition member Sinn Fein, along with the Social Democrats and Labour, was seen as a pointer to the state of Irish society and the country’s politics, with celebrity candidates like Elon Musk-backed Conor McGregor and dance star Michael Flatley falling by the wayside.
