Integrity Won. Smears Lost. Ireland Has Spoken. 

 

Today, Ireland chose calmness over chaos. Compassion over cruelty. Class over smear.

 

At the heart of that choice stands President Catherine Connolly, a woman who has shown that leadership can be bold and gentle, principled and accessible, courageous and kind.

 

Catherine brings steadiness. She has campaigned with dignity and grace from start to finish, showing us that true strength doesn’t need to shout. She has reminded us that leadership can be thoughtful, patient and rooted in respect, and that integrity is not a strategy, it’s a way of being.

 

Catherine’s deep respect for the Irish language, our culture, and our communities is more than symbolic, it’s a bridge between who we are and who we aspire to be. She is a President who honours our heritage while speaking to every corner of this island. A woman who understands the importance of giving voice, of making sure no one is left behind in the conversation about our future.

 

A Campaign Defined by Grace

 

This campaign could have turned ugly, and for many, it did. The smear tactics, the whisper campaigns, the political spin, all designed to distract from substance and integrity.

 

Yet, Catherine refused to engage. She could have buried her opponent in the debates, she had every reason and every opportunity to do so. But instead, she rose above it, even stepping in to help her opponent when moments turned awkward. That is class. That is leadership.

 

It was no surprise but still disheartening to watch a party that claims moral authority stoop to such lows, and equally disappointing to see commentators and even former ministers join in the chorus. But Ireland saw through it. The people recognised grace, intellect, and authenticity when they saw it and they voted for it.

 

Catherine Connolly has always been a voice for those forgotten by power. A voice for Gaza and for humanity when others stayed silent. A voice for carers, the unsung heroes whose quiet work sustains this country. She values and uplifts those whose contributions are often invisible yet utterly essential. Her presidency sends a powerful message, that the measure of a nation is how it treats its most vulnerable, and how it honours those who care for them.

 

Catherine’s background is as impressive as it is relevant, legal, psychological and political. She brings a depth of understanding that few could match. Her work as a barrister gave her a deep sense of justice, her training in psychology gave her the empathy we have longed for, her political career gave her perspective. Together, these make her not only well-equipped but uniquely attuned to the honour and weight of the presidency.

 

Ireland came out to vote for integrity, compassion and class. The people rejected ugliness and embraced authenticity. Their voting said clearly, this is the Ireland we want to be … calm, compassionate, courageous and principled.

 

Catherine Connolly made history today as our 10th President — and only the third woman ever to hold the office. The first woman to serve as Ceann Comhairle, she now becomes a symbol of possibility, of progress, and of hope.

 

Thank you, President Connolly, for showing us what grace looks like in the face of hostility. For reminding us that when they go low, we go high. For embodying what Ireland can be — thoughtful, fair, kind, and fierce when it counts.

 

Today, we celebrate a leader who represents not just the best of us, but the best within us.

 

Here’s to the next seven years of steady, principled, and compassionate leadership.

 

Here’s to President Catherine Connolly — calmness, compassion, and class.

 

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