{"id":146080,"date":"2025-10-26T10:51:12","date_gmt":"2025-10-26T10:51:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/146080\/"},"modified":"2025-10-26T10:51:12","modified_gmt":"2025-10-26T10:51:12","slug":"catherine-connolly-rises-serenely-as-brutal-presidential-election-has-uplifting-end-the-irish-times","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/146080\/","title":{"rendered":"Catherine Connolly rises serenely as brutal presidential election has uplifting end \u2013 The Irish Times"},"content":{"rendered":"

Born in 1950s Ireland, Catherine Connolly<\/a> \u2013 from a family of 14 reared in a small council house in Galway \u2013 already had an impressive CV. <\/p>\n

On Saturday, she was elected<\/a> by a landslide to the highest office in the land. <\/p>\n

The ninth child is now the 10th president.<\/p>\n

A stunning victory in an extraordinary election. <\/p>\n

It was a race between two functioning candidates and one loose runner careering around the course and causing untold misery to his inept connections (the Taoiseach and the Minister for Public Expenditure). <\/p>\n

It was an election where people who weren\u2019t on the ballot paper generated more heat and noise than the two women contesting it. <\/p>\n

An exercise where aspiring presidents who didn\u2019t make it to or through the nomination process became a whinge chorus of the disappointed, indignant, insulted and miffed. <\/p>\n

Fine Gael<\/a> had a stinker. Fianna F\u00e1il<\/a> had a meltdown. <\/p>\n

Catherine Connolly sailed serenely through it all. <\/p>\n

Along with the clown-car moments and positive canvassing set pieces, there were nasty undertones to much of the campaign. <\/p>\n

But, as is ever the case in our increasingly brutal presidential elections, it was touching and uplifting at the very end. <\/p>\n

When battle was done, Catherine was joined on the stage in Dublin Castle by her vanquished rival, Heather Humphreys<\/a>. <\/p>\n

The two women met privately in the State Apartments before the official result was announced. There were smiles and warm handshakes and magnanimous words.<\/p>\n

In her brief speech after returning officer Barry Ryan confirmed the final figures, the president-elect said she was looking forward to having a glass of gin and elderflower tonic again soon with Heather. They had sipped some when out in RT\u00c9 for one of the campaign debates.<\/p>\n

\u201cCatherine will be my president and I wish you well,\u201d said the former deputy leader of Fine Gael, to cheers and applause from the hordes of Connolly supporters in St Patrick\u2019s Hall.<\/p>\n

The dust doesn\u2019t settle when a new president is elected. <\/p>\n

It disappears. <\/p>\n

But only for the winner \u2013 whisked away from the grubby world of politics as the panoply of high office activates like a force-field around them. The transformation from ordinary citizen to first citizen is instant.<\/p>\n

When she left Dublin Castle on Saturday evening, Catherine\u2019s close security detail was already in place. <\/p>\n

It\u2019s a non-political world now for her. <\/p>\n

She left behind simmering rancour and recrimination in two Government parties smarting from a self-inflicted election clobbering.<\/p>\n

And she left behind the rejoicing parties of the new United Left, shamelessly trying to outdo each other in claiming the credit for her overwhelming success. <\/p>\n

Labour was telling anyone who would listen that they were the first party \u201cto reach out\u201d to the others and suggest forming a united front. And this is true. <\/p>\n

The Social Democrats were telling anyone who would listen that their party was the first to come out and back Connolly\u2019s campaign, long before the others tentatively ventured aboard. This is also true. <\/p>\n

Sinn F\u00e9in\u2019s Mary Lou McDonald and her senior colleagues were telling anyone who would listen that the party\u2019s decision to support the president-elect was the \u201cgame-changer\u201d that led to her thumping victory. Also true.<\/p>\n

\"MarieMarie Sherlock TD, Sinn F\u00e9in leader Mary Lou McDonald, and Labour leader Ivana Bacik chat in Dublin Castle as the presidential votes are tallied ahead of Catherine Connolly\u2019s victory announcement. Photograph: Chris Maddaloni\/The Irish Times <\/p>\n

And Paul Murphy of People Before Profit was flying around the place in a fug of smug, as if he had single-handedly masterminded the astonishing ascent of the former Independent TD for Galway West. <\/p>\n

Back on Desolation Street, people weren\u2019t quite so forthcoming. <\/p>\n

At one point, it looked like Fianna F\u00e1il \u2013 mirroring its abysmal campaign \u2013 wouldn\u2019t even have a representative in Dublin Castle to honour the election of our new president. Eyebrows were raised early in the day when several journalists were informed by senior media handlers that Taoiseach Miche\u00e1l Martin would be staying Cork. <\/p>\n

Licking his wounds, presumably.<\/p>\n

In an election where toys were being hurled from prams at a ferocious rate, this unprecedented development was viewed as a hissy fit of monumental proportions. It was immediately reported by the Cork-based Irish Examiner. <\/p>\n

There was an immediate online reaction to this news. A number of backbench TDs, who didn\u2019t need much encouragement to ratchet up their outrage, were furious. Cork North-Central TD P\u00e1draig O\u2019Sullivan, said \u201cthe Taoiseach and T\u00e1naiste should be down to Dublin\u201d to congratulate the president-elect. <\/p>\n

Then, late in the afternoon, word went out that Miche\u00e1l was coming to town after all. Everybody laughed. <\/p>\n

Except the people in Fine Gael who had been with T\u00e1naiste Simon Harris earlier when he came to Dublin Castle to talk the media and were now waiting for him to return for the official announcement.<\/p>\n

\u201cFianna F\u00e1il is trying to make out we had as bad an election as they did, totally f*****g forgetting that we stood and fought when they ran away.\u201d <\/p>\n

\"MicheálMiche\u00e1l Martin and Simon Harris made it to Dublin to honour the election of Catherine Connolly, after all. Photograph: Alan Betson <\/p>\n

While Harris faced the press in the courtyard, a large group of Social Democrat and Labour TDs huddled in a nearby tunnel archway, reluctant to walk behind him while he was speaking. <\/p>\n

They were all very giddy. <\/p>\n

\u201cI bought the president a tuna wrap and a black coffee last Saturday\u201d said Labour\u2019s Conor Sheehan, delighted with himself, and they gave him a little cheer. <\/p>\n

Apart from around the T\u00e1naiste, there was a party atmosphere at the Castle. Across town in the RDS, where the counts for most of the Dublin constituencies were happening, it was very dull. <\/p>\n

The main excitement was when the first boxes were opened at 9am. Five minutes later the tallypeople were already predicting a win for Connolly. <\/p>\n

Time went slowly.<\/p>\n

\u201cAah, but you\u2019d miss The Monk all the same, wouldn\u2019t you not?\u201d said \u201ca woman from Kimmage\u201d who was at the general election count last year when the celebrity criminal, who narrowly missed out on a seat in Dublin Central, came in for a nosey around.<\/p>\n

A group of election observers from the Organisation of Security and Co-Operation in Europe, wearing OSCE armbands, kept a watching eye on things. They observe elections in all sorts of places where democracy is imperilled.<\/p>\n

This is currently the case in Ireland, if the messages on the concerningly huge amount of spoiled votes was anything to go by. <\/p>\n

[\u00a0Spoiled ballots hit unprecedented level as voters express anger at choice of candidatesOpens in new window<\/a>\u00a0]<\/p>\n

Aont\u00fa leader Peadar T\u00f3ib\u00edn<\/a> admitted to spoiling his vote. Peadar will do anything for a headline.<\/p>\n

The new British ambassador, Kara Owen, dropped in at midday to watch the count, but there was very little to see, not even a novelty candidate to make her feel at home. <\/p>\n

[\u00a0\u2018I\u2019ve got an amazing m\u00fainteoir\u2019: Kara Owen, the new British ambassador to IrelandOpens in new window<\/a>\u00a0]<\/p>\n

Martin tried that with Jim Gavin and it didn\u2019t work.<\/p>\n

Undaunted, her excellency made her way to Dublin Castle for the formal announcement, which was far more entertaining.<\/p>\n

Former Fianna F\u00e1il minister Mary Hanafin, who tried unsuccessfully to get her party\u2019s nomination, was in good spirits despite the implosion her former leader\u2019s choice of candidate.<\/p>\n

\u201cAn articulate female barrister with political experience le Gaeilge.. Why didn\u2019t I think of that?\u201d she smiled. <\/p>\n

Mary Lou McDonald, in sparkling form, arrived wearing a green coat and stylish green Puma Gazelle trainers. <\/p>\n

\u201cSo listen,\u201d she began, \u201ctoday is a magnificent day for Catherine …\u201d <\/p>\n

She could have talked forever, and nearly did. <\/p>\n

The happy laughter of Paul Murphy drifted across the courtyard. <\/p>\n

Social Democrat leader Holly Cairns was next in to celebrate this \u201cunparalleled affirmation of Catherine as Uachtar\u00e1in\u201d. She had her new baby with her on this special occasion.<\/p>\n

MEP Luke \u201cMing\u201d Flanagan materialised beneath the main portico. Historian Diarmuid Ferriter did a turn for Miriam O\u2019Callaghan in the RT\u00c9 Gazebo and Ivan Yates blathered on for Sky News. <\/p>\n

There was bad news from Cork. It seems somebody posted a ballot paper with poo on it. <\/p>\n

\u201cJesus. Miche\u00e1l is really taking this very badly,\u201d said a euphoric, smirking member of the United Left Front.<\/p>\n

The light began to fade. <\/p>\n

Orange flames flickered in the carriage lamps around the courtyard.<\/p>\n

St Patrick\u2019s hall, in all its gilded splendour, looked magnificent. The crowd swelled in happy anticipation of Catherine\u2019s arrival. <\/p>\n

There was Harris and a relaxed Humphreys, with a sizeable number of Fine Gael politicians to offer support. \u201cI\u2019m done now and I\u2019m still alive,\u201d she said. \u201cCatherine is my president.\u201d <\/p>\n

We imagined Heather belting back home to Monaghan and collapsing on to the sofa with a football-sized glass of wine.<\/p>\n

\"HeatherHeather Humphreys speaking on stage at Dublin Castle during the announcement of the result of the presidential election. Photograph: Alan Betson\/The Irish Times<\/p>\n

The Taoiseach arrived on his own. <\/p>\n

The members of the United Left alliance formed a large circle underneath the crystal chandelier. It looked like they were waiting for Connolly to come in and dance in the middle of it.<\/p>\n

But it was really for the leaders to get a photo together with president-elect, who was cheered to the rafters when she arrived. <\/p>\n

These were the moments to remember forever. <\/p>\n

The president-elect made a short but typically eloquent speech. She had no notes. <\/p>\n

She spoke of \u201ca new Republic\u201d and promised to be a voice for peace and neutrality. <\/p>\n

\u201cA public and a democracy needs constructive questioning.\u201d <\/p>\n

Miche\u00e1l looked like he was sucking a lemon.<\/p>\n

A beaming Humphreys delivered a gracious reply. She looked like a weight was gone from off her shoulders. <\/p>\n

The Taoiseach and T\u00e1naiste were gracious to a fault when they spoke.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe great thing about this country is that we live in an enduring democracy\u201d said Harris. \u201cWe have an election, we go at it hammer and tongs and then we come together proudly behind the winner of the election.\u201d<\/p>\n

Wait until they start turning on each other in FF and FG.<\/p>\n

Give it a week and they\u2019ll be fighting like rats in a bag.<\/p>\n

When the speeches finished, the president-elect was escorted around the back of the platform with Miche\u00e1l and Simon. No time for mingling. <\/p>\n

Four army officers materialised at the side wall. <\/p>\n

Orla O\u2019Hanrahan, secretary general to the president, slipped in behind them. <\/p>\n

Catherine Martina Ann Connolly from Shantalla. <\/p>\n

The ninth child is the 10th president.<\/p>\n

She had better get used to this now.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Born in 1950s Ireland, Catherine Connolly \u2013 from a family of 14 reared in a small council house…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":146081,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[9,10,1921,18,13,14,4771,553,6,555,47074,19,17,9170,11,12,15,16,16594,5765,5,50,59,44,7,8],"class_list":{"0":"post-146080","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-headlines","8":"tag-breaking-news","9":"tag-breakingnews","10":"tag-catherine-connolly","11":"tag-eire","12":"tag-featured-news","13":"tag-featurednews","14":"tag-fianna-fail","15":"tag-fine-gael","16":"tag-headlines","17":"tag-heather-humphreys","18":"tag-holly-cairns","19":"tag-ie","20":"tag-ireland","21":"tag-ivana-bacik","22":"tag-latest-news","23":"tag-latestnews","24":"tag-main-news","25":"tag-mainnews","26":"tag-mary-lou-mcdonald","27":"tag-micheal-martin","28":"tag-news","29":"tag-peadar-toibin","30":"tag-presidential-election","31":"tag-simon-harris","32":"tag-top-stories","33":"tag-topstories"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@ie\/115440090128289647","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/146080","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=146080"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/146080\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/146081"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=146080"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=146080"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=146080"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}