Ireland has spoken. On Friday, voters delivered a decisive verdict: 63% backed Catherine Connolly to become the 10th President of Ireland – she becomes the first woman elected to the office without a party affiliation. Connolly’s victory is not just a political upset – it has the potential to represent a paradigm shift in Irish politics.
Fine Gael candidate Heather Humphreys came in a distant second with 29% of the poll, and Fianna Fáil’s Jim Gavin (who withdrew from the race in early October) polled just over 7% of votes. A record number of voters – 13% – spoiled their ballot.
A Presidency Rooted in Principle, Poised for Influence
Connolly’s campaign was powered by grassroots activism, a message of moral clarity – and, of course, the support of Ireland’s wealthiest party – Sinn Féin, the official opposition. Her support for neutrality, Palestinian solidarity, and Irish unity resonated with younger voters and those disillusioned by establishment politics. But now, the challenge shifts from campaigning to building relationships – both domestically with Government, and as ambassador-in-chief internationally – not forgetting to represent the disparate and competing groups who championed her.
Connolly has promised a presidency of “compassionate diplomacy,” a phrase that signals her intent to wield the soft power of the office with purpose. Her background in psychology and law, her fluency in Irish, and her reputation as a principled politician suggest a Corbyn like figure – softly spoken and cerebral, but ideologically hardline.
Presidents Robinson, McAleese, and Higgins all tested the traditional boundaries of their office, sometimes slightly overstepping its constitutional boundaries, but without attracting the overt ire of government. Outgoing President Michael D Higgins leaves office with an enormous level of public admiration. Higgins will be a tough act to follow, but the Connolly campaign understandably sought to position their candidate as his natural successor. Despite that, there is a considerable distinction between the two – Higgins boasted the experience of serving in two national governments, Connolly has served in none. If she is to emulate the successes of her predecessors in operating within the tight confines of the Presidency, and avoiding public acrimony with government, Connolly will need to be judicious in her approach to public commentary. Catherine Connolly campaigned in poetry – can she preside in prose?
Soft Power in a Hard World
The soft power of the Irish Presidency should not be underestimated. While the role of Uachtarán na hÉireann is inarguably ceremonial, the office carries significant weight. The perils of politics may stalk the corridors of government on a daily basis, but the President is above the fray in that regard – largely insulated from political pettiness, able to provide moral guidance, and empowered to promote Ireland’s values, open economy, and culture to the world as ambassador-in-chief.
The Irish economy has a significant reliance on FDI and export-driven growth. Naturally, leaders in both industry and government will need the incoming President to steer clear of statements or actions that spook investor confidence, or risk friction and fractures in relationships with key trading partners.
President Connolly inherits a space on the global stage where Ireland’s voice is both relevant and prevalent. Her presidency will coincide with Ireland’s EU Council Presidency in the second half of 2026 – a moment of high diplomatic visibility.
No one could accuse Catherine Connolly of being a cheerleader for the European Union. She campaigned and voted against the Nice and Lisbon treaties, citing “the building up of the military of Europe and…the neoliberal ideology” as her reasons for doing so. Her NATO-critical stance on Ukraine, her opposition to EU militarisation, and her defence of Irish neutrality may clash with government priorities, especially if Ireland is expected to align more closely with EU defence initiatives. The risk is not just political tension, but reputational harm: is it possible for Ireland to present a united front abroad while its head of state is at odds with the strategic direction of the government?
Irish Unity and Northern Attitudes
The cut and thrust of the 2025 Presidential Election brought the complexity of issues around culture, identity and heritage into sharp focus.
Fine Gael’s candidate, Heather Humphreys – an Ulster Presbyterian with family connections to the Orange Order – received sharp scrutiny throughout the campaign regarding her family’s heritage. Shortly after announcing her candidacy, Humphreys was pressured at a press conference as to whether her husband had ever been a member of the Orange Order. Humphreys herself is a self-styled Irish Republican, yet she was admonished online and scrutinised in media for her heritage and family background. Some have argued this is part of the cut and thrust of a Presidential election – others believe it is divisive and can only have a pernicious influence on political discourse, and complicate reconciliation efforts.
Either way, it gives rise to a serious question: is it possible for advocates to reconcile the aspiration for an inclusive and tolerant new Ireland, against the backdrop of an evident intransigence in attitudes towards Britishness and Orangeism? It’s a juxtaposition that should prompt introspection from unity advocates, and one that will undoubtedly give pause to constitutional agnostics, particularly in Northern Ireland.
Nevertheless, the Irish people have chosen to hand the keys of the Áras to Catherine Connolly. Her presidency may very well energise nationalism and amplify calls for a government-led reunification strategy, but it is worth noting that Connolly’s voice was rarely heard on the issue of Irish unity throughout her time in the Dáil. The zeal she has shown on the issue was undoubtedly a deliberate move to court the backing of Sinn Féin – and it has proven pivotal in securing her election victory.
The Irish presidency demands symbolic neutrality, but Catherine Connolly’s track record suggests she will not shy away from difficult conversations. Supporters will argue that she is strongly placed to reinforce the role of President as an advocate. Connolly’s challenge will be to foster dialogue without alienation, and to use her platform to build bridges rather than battlegrounds.
The Sinn Féin Effect
Sinn Féin’s late-stage endorsement of Connolly was a gamble that appears to have paid off. It allowed the party to avoid the risks of running its own candidate while keeping a strategic eye on the next General Election, by aligning with a broader left coalition. Sinn Féin strategists will be feeling suitably smug with the outcome of the election, and that they avoided the same pitfalls as Fianna Fáil’s Jim Gavin, whose candidacy ended in spectacular fashion, leading to a substantial boost for Sinn Féin’s national poll numbers at the expense of Fianna Fáil, and sending Taoiseach Micheál Martin’s personal approval rating plummeting to their lowest level in a decade.
Notwithstanding that, as the old adage goes – there’s no such thing as a free lunch. Sinn Féin’s organisational strength and electoral machine are legendary – and even if they had declined to contract out a single foot soldier – they still had the ability to platform Connolly to their 1 million social media followers. Connolly’s anti-establishment stance served as her shibboleth – borrowing Sinn Féin’s election infrastructure was her reward. The big question now is: can she maintain her independence while navigating her post-election alliances? That will be a defining test of her presidency.
Beyond the Campaign
As Catherine Connolly prepares for her inauguration as Ireland’s 10th President, the Republic enters a new chapter in its history with a leader who campaigned as a political maverick, and whose victory marked a major upset. Campaigns can provide only a partial picture of what to expect from a Presidency – events will ultimately shape its style, substance, and the public’s perception of its performance. Yet, standing in the shadow of her inauguration, there is a sense of change in the air.
Whatever political views may have coloured the campaign, one sentiment is likely to unite the country: the vast majority of Irish people will wish President Connolly every success as she begins her term in Áras an Uachtaráin, representing the hopes and values of a proud people, and a resilient Republic.
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