Connolly vows all voices will be heard as she becomes Ireland’s new president

Catherine Connolly said she will ensure “all voices are represented, heard and valued” as she became the 10th president of Ireland.

She said Ireland had a “lived understanding” of war, hunger and dispossession as she claimed the country could not “close our eyes” to those forced to leave their homes due to war, famine or climate change.

Referencing those she met during the election campaign, she hit out at a “lack of services” for people in Ireland and criticised the neglect of the Irish language.

Dignitaries from various walks of Irish life attended the ceremony in St Patrick’s Hall at Dublin Castle.

The independent TD from Galway, who is a former psychologist and barrister, repeated in Irish the Declaration of Office, read to her by Chief Justice Donal O’Donnell.

Ms Connolly then signed the declaration and was officially declared president.

A 21-gun salute was fired from Collins Barracks as Ms Connolly was handed the Seal of Office.

Introducing her as president, Taoiseach Micheal Martin said Ms Connolly had a record of “outstanding public service” and would “serve our country well”.

Giving her first address as president, Ms Connolly said she will ensure “all voices are represented, heard and valued”.

She said she stood before those gathered “humbly and proudly as the 10th president of this beautiful country”.

Ms Connolly said: “The people have spoken and have given their president a powerful mandate to articulate their vision 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 home is a fundamental human right.”

The president added: “The change that led to this joyful day began with the small group of elected representatives and volunteers facing what appeared to be insurmountable challenges.

“We were led to believe that it was too great a leap, that our ideas were too far out, too left – at odds with the prevailing narrative.

“In shared conversations all over the country, however, it became evident that the dominant narrative did not reflect or represent people’s values and concerns.

“Time and time again, people spoke of how it served to silence, to other, to label, to exclude and to stifle critical thinking.

“Along with that meaningful engagement, we saw the emergence of hope. We saw the emergence of joy, along with the courage and determination of people to use their voices to shape a country that we can be proud of.”

Ireland faces the “inextricably linked” threats of climate change and ongoing wars, Ms Connolly added.

She said: “Unfortunately, we have all become witnesses to ongoing wars and genocide.

“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.”

Ms Connolly said Ireland could take “real pride in the success” of the Good Friday Agreement as a “model for the peaceful resolution of conflict”.

She said she looked forward to her “first official visit to the north”, as she referenced Article 3 of the constitution which sets out the firm wish of the Irish people for a united Ireland under consent.

Addressing the ceremony in Dublin Castle, Mr Martin said: “On this solemn and joyful day of celebration it is a great honour for me to congratulate President Catherine Connolly on behalf of the Government and the people of Ireland on entering upon her office as the President of Ireland.”

Mr Martin also thanked former president Michael D Higgins for his “outstanding contribution” in office and said the country owed him and his wife Sabina a “tremendous debt of gratitude”.

Mr Higgins, who ended his 14-year-term in office at midnight, received a warm round of applause as he arrived in the hall for the ceremony.

Former Irish presidents Mary McAleese and Mary Robinson were also in attendance as well as former taoisigh Leo Varadkar and Brian Cowen.

Northern Ireland First Minister Michelle O’Neill was in attendance, although deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly was unable to attend due to Remembrance Day commitments.

Members of the judiciary, politicians and guests from a cross section of Irish society attended the ceremony.

Ms Connolly and her husband Brian McEnery held a lunch at Aras an Uachtarain after the ceremony, ahead of a State dinner at Dublin Castle which will mark the end of the presidential events.

Ms Connolly takes over from Mr Higgins, a popular president and poet who is seen to have expanded the role to become more political – a feature Ms Connolly has said she will build on.

She came through a turbulent election campaign to win 63% of valid first preference votes cast on October 24.

Her victory 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, who are currently government partners – from winning the presidency.

Ms Connolly went head-to-head with former Fine Gael minister Heather Humphreys after ex-Dublin football manager Jim Gavin withdrew from campaigning following a 16-year-old dispute with an ex-tenant emerging.

His withdrawal weeks before polling day intensified criticism that the election offered voters limited options.

Another significant outcome of the presidential election was the record high number of votes deliberately spoiled: there were 213,738 invalid ballots, representing a tenfold increase in invalid ballots compared to the 2018 election.