🔗 Share this article

The newly inaugurated president has vowed to reshape Ireland into a “nation that lives up to its ideals” by championing inclusion, the Gaelic tongue, and the legacy of decolonisation.

In her inauguration address, the president presented a progressive vision diverging from the mainstream political consensus.

“Many assumed that it was too great a leap, that our ideas were too far out – contrary to the dominant discourse,” she stated, referencing her landslide victory.

“In shared conversations, however, it became evident that the mainstream message did not reflect people’s hopes and fears. Repeatedly, people spoke of how it served to silence, to other, to label, to exclude and to hinder independent thought.”

On a ceremonial occasion at Dublin Castle, the 68-year-old former barrister affirmed that as Ireland’s 10th president, she would ensure “all voices” were heard and would promote climate action, tolerance, and a Gaelic revival.

“The people have spoken and have given their president a strong endorsement to voice shared aspirations for a new republic, a republic true to its principles where everyone is valued and differences are celebrated, where eco-friendly policies are urgently implemented, and where a home is a fundamental human right.”

Connolly’s election shocked the political establishment. The non-aligned progressive candidate brought together progressive factions, mobilised the youth, and defeated the mainstream opponent by winning 64% of the vote.

Though the role is primarily symbolic, the outgoing president had stretched the constraints, turning it into a voice for causes—a tradition Connolly is expected to continue.

In a venue filled with officials, ambassadors, and other dignitaries, the president lamented “the normalisation of war and atrocities.”

Commending Ireland’s neutrality—a possible point of disagreement with the government—she asserted: “Our experience of colonisation and resistance of a catastrophic man-made famine gives us a lived understanding of dispossession, hunger, and war and a mandate for Ireland to lead.”

Connolly also hailed the peace accord and cited constitutional provisions that espouses a united Ireland with consent. One major group did not attend but clarified it was not a deliberate omission.

Speaking in Gaelic, she reaffirmed a pledge to prioritise the language in the official home. “Gaelic will not be whispered in the Áras, it will have primary status as a working language.”

No country can voice its aspirations if the indigenous tongue spoken by ancestors was lost, she commented. “It has been put in second place without due honour or acknowledgement. The hearts of our people were dampened when they were made to stop using their mother tongue. It’s a language that expresses feelings and sentiment with each phrase.”

A artillery tribute was fired as the head of state received the seal of office.