Independent TD Catherine Connolly has been elected as Ireland’s 10th president, achieving a landslide victory with 63 per cent of the vote.
Her nearest rival, Fine Gael’s Heather Humphreys, secured just 29 per cent of first-preference votes, while Fianna Fáil’s Jim Gavin, who had withdrawn from the race earlier in October but remained on the ballot, managed 7 per cent, marking the party’s worst-ever presidential result.
Voter turnout stood at 46 per cent, higher than the 2018 election. However, this was partly fuelled by a movement encouraging people to spoil their ballots, with spoiled votes reaching nearly 13 per cent, a dramatic rise compared with just 1 per cent in 2018.
After the official declaration of results at Dublin Castle, Ms Connolly pledged to be a “president for all”, saying her presidency would include both supporters and critics alike.
She affirmed her commitment to speak out when necessary, particularly on Ireland’s neutrality, and reiterated her campaign message of “shaping a new republic together.”
“My message is, use your voice in every way you can, because a republic and a democracy needs constructive questioning and together we can shape a new republic that values everybody, that values and champions diversity, and that takes confidence in our own identity, our Irish language, our English language and the new people who have come to our country,” she said.
“I will be an inclusive president for all of you and I regard it as an absolute honour the vote I have been given and I will represent you nationally and internationally to the best of my ability and as professionally and humanely as possible.”
At 68, Ms Connolly becomes the third woman to hold the office, following Mary Robinson (1990) and Mary McAleese (1997).
A clinical psychologist and barrister by training, Connolly began her political career in the late 1990s, entering Galway City Council for the Labour Party in 1999 and serving as mayor of Galway in 2004.
She later left Labour in 2006 after being blocked from joining then-Galway TD Michael D. Higgins, now her predecessor, as a running mate for a 2007 Dáil bid. She went on to win a Dáil seat as an Independent in 2016, and in 2020 became the first woman elected as Leas-Cheann Comhairle, or deputy speaker.
From the moment ballot boxes were opened, the outcome appeared certain. Ms Humphreys conceded early, saying at the Cavan-Monaghan count centre:
“I want to congratulate Catherine on becoming the next president of Ireland.
And can I just say that Catherine will be a president for all of us, and she will be my president, and I really would like to wish her all the very, very best.”
On her own campaign, Ms Humphreys added, “I have no regrets. I stepped up to the plate, and that’s what democracy is about. It’s about people putting their name on the ballot paper, about people going forward. So I have absolutely not one regret.”
Tánaiste and Fine Gael leader Simon Harris described Ms Connolly as a “president for all this country and for all of us,” adding, “I wish her every success. Her success will be Ireland’s success.”
Taoiseach Micheál Martin also congratulated her on a “very comprehensive election victory”, noting she “ran a successful and impactful campaign.”
“The people have made their choice, and I have no doubt Catherine Connolly will serve the country well,” he said.
Within Fianna Fáil, the poor showing sparked discontent. Louth TD Erin McGreehan criticized the party leadership, saying many members were disenfranchised after Jim Gavin’s withdrawal.
“The morale is low and grassroots’ support is very worrying,” she said, adding that public declarations of support for Ms Humphreys had deepened divisions.
Ms Connolly’s victory was sweeping, as she won every constituency except Cavan-Monaghan, Humphreys’ home base. Her 34-point margin set a new record in Irish presidential history, surpassing the first-count victory of Michael D. Higgins in 2018.
Her campaign, backed by a coalition of left-wing parties and independents, is being hailed as a turning point for Ireland’s political left.
Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald said the result sent a clear message that a left-led government without Fianna Fáil or Fine Gael was now conceivable.
“The next job is to get Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil out of Government,” she said, pledging continued cooperation among left-wing forces.
Social Democrats leader Holly Cairns echoed the sentiment, “Change doesn’t stop here.”
Meanwhile, People Before Profit TD Paul Murphy called for “a major conference of the left to discuss the next steps of continuing and deepening left co-operation.”
Outgoing President Michael D. Higgins phoned Ms Connolly to congratulate her on “a momentous day for her and her family.”
“The president-elect will have the full support of this office as she prepares for her inauguration next month,” he said.
