Catherine Connolly: Underdog Galway runner who won the race to the Aras

Catherine Connolly, a former psychologist and barrister from Galway, is a self-described political “underdog” who has united the Irish left to win the presidential election.

The 68-year-old mother of two, who lives in Claddagh, is an Irish speaker who has been an elected politician for more than 25 years.

Ms Connolly grew up one of 14 siblings – seven boys and seven girls, five of whom were younger than her – in Shantalla, Co Galway.

Her mother died when she was nine years old, which she said may have influenced her becoming a “shy” child.

She said she experienced a “seminal” moment during her childhood when a protest was organised against a Traveller family moving into her locality.

She said her father, a “very principled” man who made traditional Galway sailing boats, kept her and her siblings away from the protest, but she said she understood then the idea of being both an insider and an outsider.

She went on to hold a teaching role for a Traveller horticultural project in Oranmore for three years while she was studying law.

“It gave me a great insight into a minority that were not treated very well by society, and yet their resilience, their sense of humour, their sense of fun, we got a whole perspective on that,” she told PA.

She said she learned her socialism from being a member of the Legion of Mary and entered competitions as part of the Order of Malta as a young woman.

She said she was also involved in meals on wheels for older people.

As a student, she worked as a cleaner, a nurse’s aid in Germany, and a hotel chambermaid, all of which she said helped shape her as a person.

She went on to become a clinical psychologist, a barrister until 2016, a Galway councillor and mayor, and is now an independent TD.

She left the Labour party after it opted to run just one candidate in the Galway West constituency for the 2007 general election, where Michael D Higgins was a sitting TD.

In 2020, she became the first woman to be the deputy speaker of the Irish parliament’s lower house in a surprise result that saw her beat the government’s candidate.

She has been vocal on the issue of Palestine and protecting Ireland’s military neutrality, and has criticised the US military’s use of Shannon Airport.

Since declaring her intention to run for the presidency, in July, Ms Connolly’s campaign has focused on Irish culture and helping citizens to “find their voice”.

Fundraising music sessions and community forums have been held as part of her campaign, with her branding aiming to pay homage to traditional craftspeople and shopfront signage.

During the campaign, she has been asked about her judgment over giving a woman with a gun possession conviction access to the Irish parliament for six months.

She was also asked about a 2018 trip to Syria, her work as a barrister, and about her criticism of the EU.

She also gained attention for her footballing skills after a video was posted online of her doing keepy uppies.

The former marathon and triathlon participant said she gained the skill from her “athletic” family and from skipping – adding that she used to be able to do 100 solos a go.

In one of the many podcast interviews she did as part of her electoral campaign, she said that, in 1995, she took part in a 10K run in Galway while five months pregnant.

In keeping with her athletic campaign, she cycled to and from her local polling station on Friday after going for a swim at her local leisure centre.

She took a moment after voting to read students’ messages hanging in the polling station about outgoing president Michael D Higgins.

Ms Connolly then met her aunt, Cathleen Flannery, who was recently released from hospital, and took her into the polling station in a wheelchair before emerging again to chat with other voters.

She said that she has had very little time on the campaign, but has a sister that bought her three jackets which she has been wearing during the campaign.