‘Steady hand’ but also ‘catalyst for change,’ Connolly outlines her presidency vision
Ending her speech, Connolly says:
“To conclude, I believe the president should be a unifying president, a steady hand, yes, but also a catalyst for change, reflecting our desire for a republic that lives up to its name.
I will embrace the role of the president with dignity, determination and courage.”
And that’s it.
She leaves St Patrick’s Hall to warm applause from the guests, as she formally begins her term.
Key events
Jakub Krupa
Poland’s conservative nationalist president Karol Nawrocki is now confirmed as taking part in the Independence March, posting a video of himself walking the streets of Warsaw with a white-red flag as part of the procession.
In contrast, his predecessor, conservative Andrzej Duda, steered clear of the event, joining it only once – in 2018 – when it was part of a larger, 250,000-strong and partially state-organised commemoration of Poland’s 100 years of independence.
Crowds gather in Warsaw as controversial Independence March gets under way
Jakub Krupa
Meanwhile over in Poland, tens of thousands of people are taking part in the Independence March in Warsaw, organised primarily by nationalist and far-right groups under the slogan “One nation, strong Poland.”
Despite the solemn occasion of the 107th anniversary of the Polish independence day, the event continues to deeply polarise the general public as it attracts thousands of conservatives Poles willing to celebrate the country’s history, but also fringe, far-right and radical groups.
An SW Research poll for Rzeczpospolita showed that 45% of Poles have a positive view of the march, but 28% is of the opposite view. 26% have no opinion about the event.
Some far-right slogans can be also seen on flags carried on the fringes of the march, including “Stop immigration, time for deportation.”
In the past, the event had been marred by violent clashes with police and counterprotesters, with controversies about reported attendance of other far-right groups from across Europe.
Official state commemorations took place earlier today, with president Karol Nawrocki and senior government ministers taking part in a formal ceremony at Piłsudski Square in Warsaw.
Earlier in the morning, Nawrocki also laid wreaths at monuments commemorating Poland’s founding figures, and he was expected to join the march during the afternoon.
Poland’s prime minister Donald Tusk attended a separate event in his home town of Gdańsk.
There was also a sports element, with 20,000 runners taking part in the Independence Day Run in Warsaw early morning, and thousands joining other events across the country.
Connolly’s inaugural address as Ireland’s president – snap analysis
Rory Carroll
in Dublin
A finely balanced inaugural address by Ireland’s new president.
Catherine Connolly’s reference to the “dominant narrative” excluding “critical thinking”, and not addressing people’s concerns, was a coded rebuke to some government policies. So too was the reference to housing being a fundamental right in the context of a severe housing shortage.
Her lauding of Irish neutrality can be interpreted as a marker to a government that is eying engagement with European security initiatives.
Overall, however, Connolly stayed within the boundaries of the largely ceremonial position.
Her conclusion (14:02) continued that balancing act.
And in one of Connolly’s engagements in her new role, we are getting a flypast above the Dublin Castle!
She then proceeds to inspect the guard of honour.
‘Steady hand’ but also ‘catalyst for change,’ Connolly outlines her presidency vision
Ending her speech, Connolly says:
“To conclude, I believe the president should be a unifying president, a steady hand, yes, but also a catalyst for change, reflecting our desire for a republic that lives up to its name.
I will embrace the role of the president with dignity, determination and courage.”
And that’s it.
She leaves St Patrick’s Hall to warm applause from the guests, as she formally begins her term.
Connolly, in line with what she argued in the campaign (12:24), also argues for Irish to be the working language of Ireland, with a part of her speech in that language.
Connolly continues:
“I look forward to paying my first official visit to the North and meeting with people from all communities and celebrating the rich and heritage and traditions of all who live there.
I am particularly conscious of Article Three of the constitution, which sets out in detail the firm wish of the Irish people, the Irish nation, to have a united Ireland, albeit with the conditions set out very clearly in that article concerned.
As President, I will foster an inclusive and open dialogue across the island in a manner that highlights and recognises our similarities and respects our differences.”
She also pays tribute to “our large and growing diaspora,” saying “there is hardly a family on this island that does not have a personal experience of migration.”
“On every continent, our immigrants have put their ingenuity and hard work at the service of new homelands, yet they have kept their love of Ireland and its culture deep in their hearts. I hope over the next seven years that there will be many opportunities for me to celebrate with them and share our experiences the experiences.”
We face ‘existential threat’ of climate change, ongoing wars, Connolly warns
But Connolly’s speech then turns to challenges facing Ireland.
She says:
“Now, in 2025, as I assume the privilege of office, we face existential threat of climate change and the threat of ongoing wars, both, of course, are inextricably linked.
As I speak, I am acutely conscious of the 165 million people currently forcibly displaced from their homes and countries due to war, famine and climate change. We cannot turn back the clock, nor close our eyes to these realities.
These are the challenges of our times, and our actions, our inaction, will determine the world our children and grandchildren will inherit. It is both an individual and a collective challenge and one which obliges us to reflect on the way we live and interact with our world and with each other.”
She pays tribute to te Remembrance Day today, saying “it gives us the opportunity to pause and to reflect on the horrors of war.”
She says:
“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.”
She says “we can and should take real pride in the success of the Good Friday agreement, knowing that this is recognised far and wide, and is a model for the peaceful resolution of conflict.”
‘We can breath and relax’ now, president Connolly jokes
Adding a bit of personal touch to what is a formal ceremony, Connolly begins her speech joking: “we can breath a little and relax” now.
She then says:
“I stand before you humbly and proudly as the 10th president of this beautiful country.
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 change that led to this joyful day began with a 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, wowever, 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.
She adds that “along with meaningful engagement, we saw the emergence of hope, 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.”
She pledges to “ensure that all voices are represented, heard and valued and promote a public discourse that nourishes inclusivity, tolerance and active citizenship.”
She also pays tribute to the first female Irish president, Mary Robinson, who is in attendance.
Taisoeach Micheál Martin gives a brief speech, welcoming the new president into the office.
He says that “in the context of a record of outstanding public service, I have no doubt that President Connelly will serve our country well.”
He adds he looks forward to working together “in the time ahead as Ireland continues to play a significant role on the global stage, and as we look forward to hosting the European Union presidency in the second half of 2026.”
He also reminds that “you also represent the longest unbroken chain of democratically elected heads of state in any European country.”
“Over the last nine decades, our country has overcome many extraordinary challenges. Where other countries fell into the hands of extremism, the Irish people remained resilient in their commitment to our democracy,” he says.
He also thanks the outgoing president Michael D. Higgins and his wife, Sabina, for their service.
Catherine Connolly is 10th president of Ireland
And we’re now on to the main part of the ceremony, with Connolly making a formal declaration required to take the office.
In the presence of Almighty God I, Catherine Connolly, do solemnly and sincerely promise and declare that I will maintain the Constitution of Ireland and uphold its laws, that I will fulfil my duties faithfully and conscientiously in accordance with the Constitution and the law, and that I will dedicate my abilities to the service and welfare of the people of Ireland. May God direct and sustain me.
(Connolly has chosen to make it in Irish.)
She’s just read it and signed it now, formally becoming the 10th president of Ireland.
The presidential standard rises over the Dublin Castle.
The Christian, Jewish, Islamic and humanist officiating representatives commence the service of prayer and reflection as part of the inauguration ceremony in St Patrick’s Hall.
A Church of Ireland Anglican archbishop of Dublin, Michael Jackson, prayed for “discernment, wisdom, and grace” for the president-elect and called for collaboration “to ensure that Ireland become a society and that the world become a place of justice, love and peace.”
Irish Catholic archbishop of Dublin prelate Dermot Farrell prayed for “the values of decency, fairness and mutual respect [to] thrive in our communities.”
Other religious leaders follow.
… or you can watch this video to get a brief profile of Ireland’s new president.
Who is Catherine Connolly? – profile
Rory Carroll
The independent candidate’s smooth campaign has enthused younger voters but her views on Nato and Hamas may concern European allies.
She pledged to be a “president for all” after securing 63% of the first preference votes, a stunning result that shook the political establishment and will make her the republic’s 10th head of state.
“I will be a voice for peace, a voice that builds on our policy of neutrality, a voice that articulates the existential threat posed by climate change,” she said at Dublin Castle night after being declared the victor of the election.
The 68-year-old former barrister vowed to advocate for those who had no voice.
“Our public and democracy needs constructive questioning,” she said, speaking in Irish and English. “Together, we can shape a new republic that values everybody, that values and champions diversity and that takes confidence in our own identity.”
The presidency is a largely ceremonial post, but opponents worry Connolly could offend Ireland’s European allies and shudder at what she might say to Donald Trump.
She has accused Nato of warmongering, likened Germany’s arms spending to the 1930s, voted against EU treaties and said Hamas is “part of the fabric of the Palestinian people”. Outsiders have compared her to Jeremy Corbyn.
Born in the working-class Galway suburb of Shantalla, Connolly was nine when her mother died, leaving her father, a carpenter and shipbuilder, to raise 14 children. Connolly tried to fill the void by telling herself it was better to be without a mother. “As life went on, I realised that was a coping mechanism that served me to a point, but not well,” she told Hot Press magazine. “It takes nearly a lifetime to understand, actually, the importance of a mother and the consequences of losing her.”
After earning a master’s degree in psychology from the University of Leeds she returned to Galway, completed a law degree and practised as a barrister and clinical psychologist.
She married, had two sons, and was elected to Galway city council for the Labour party in 1999. She served as mayor in 2004 and wanted to run for the Dáil but her potential running mate, Higgins, reportedly did not want another Labour candidate in the multi-seat constituency, leaving her blocked.
Connolly left the party and was elected as an independent TD, or MP, in 2016. In parliament she lambasted inequality and western intervention in conflicts, including Syria, which she visited in 2018. “She was outspoken and quite radical but in person quite affable,” recalled one Fine Gael member. Some former Labour colleagues, however, called her dogmatic and inflexible.
In 2020 Connolly became the first woman elected as parliament’s leas-cheann comhairle, or deputy speaker. This elevated her profile, but when she announced in July that she would run for president it seemed quixotic. Only two tiny parties, the Social Democrats and People Before Profit, backed her.
