President of Ireland Catherine Connolly - Language, Culture and Balance

When Catherine Connolly was elected President of Ireland in October 2025, it was clear that a significant change was taking place in the political mood of the country, and that new values were being expressed through her victory. Connolly was the first woman ever to serve as Leas-Cheann Comhairle (Deputy Speaker) of the Dáil, and now she becomes the first independent President from Galway. She is a woman who places honesty and openness at the heart of her public life — especially regarding issues connected with the Irish language, Irish unity, the environment, neutrality, and social equality.

Biography and Roots

Catherine Connolly was born in Shantalla, Galway, where she was raised as one of fourteen children. She earned a Master’s degree in Clinical Psychology from the University of Leeds in 1981, before returning to the Claddagh in Galway, where she still lives with her husband Brian and their two adult sons. She later completed a Law degree at the University of Galway in 1989 and was called to the Bar in 1991. Her public life began in 1999 when she was elected to Galway City Council, and a few years later she became Mayor in 2004 — a period that deepened her awareness of Ireland’s cultural and linguistic identity. She was elected as an independent TD in 2016 and as Leas-Cheann Comhairle in 2020, confirming her as one of the most principled and fair-minded voices in Irish politics.

Return to the Irish Language

Connolly was not raised as a fluent Irish speaker. As she herself has said: “I only had the Irish I learned in school. I was embarrassed when I realised I couldn’t speak naturally with people in the Gaeltacht.” During her time as Mayor, after an event in Conamara where she found herself unable to say even a few words in Irish, she promised herself she would change that. She later completed a diploma course in Irish, and as she said afterwards: “I went back and learned it properly. And in the Dáil, from the very first day I was elected, I placed emphasis on Irish — as a living, vibrant language.” Gradually, Irish became a natural part of her daily life. She began using it in her speeches, interviews, and debates in the Dáil. She often reminds the public: “Irish is not a cultural ornament. It lies at the heart of who we are as a people.”

The Irish Language as a National Issue

Connolly’s election revealed how central the Irish language has become in political debate in Ireland today. Emer Higgins, a Fine Gael TD and Minister of State, said after the election that the government should “reflect on how central Irish was in the presidential race.” “I visited a school in Rathcoole,” Higgins said. “A pupil asked me, ‘Do you think Heather will lose because she doesn’t have Irish?’ Only one student in the class was fluent, yet every single one said it would matter to them if a presidential candidate spoke Irish.” For the first time in many years, Irish emerged as a major campaign theme across social media and news sites such as Tuairisc.ie and Extrag.ie. In an Irish Times poll, 3% of respondents said that “a person who speaks Irish” was the most important quality for a presidential candidate. While not a large number, it signaled a growing awareness of the language’s importance in political life. At the start of her campaign, Connolly herself stated: “It is essential that the President has Irish — not as a legal requirement, but as an expression of who we are as a nation.”

From Galway to Áras an Uachtaráin

Connolly’s roots run deep in Galway, a city where art, science, and community spirit meet. Before entering national politics, she worked as a barrister and city councillor and later as Mayor, known for her integrity and independence of mind. In the 2020 general election, she won a seat as an Independent TD for Galway West, and a few months later surprised many when she was elected Leas-Cheann Comhairle with 77 votes to the Government candidate’s 74. “I went for it,” she said, “because I couldn’t demand gender equality and then fail to act on it myself.”

Culture and Identity

For Connolly, language and culture are inseparable. As President, she is expected to emphasise the links between art, education, and language — “the three pillars of human society,” as she calls them. She believes Irish should not be left confined to classrooms or translation desks but returned to the heart of public life. “It is a living, central language. It is not a dead one,” she has said.

The Environment and Natural Balance

Connolly is also a passionate advocate for the environment. She believes it is not merely a technical matter but a moral one. “If we protect the land and the sea, we are protecting our heritage.”

Neutrality and Human Rights

Throughout her career, Connolly has consistently defended Ireland’s neutrality. “Neutrality is not the absence of action,” she said, “but an active commitment to peace.”

Reconciliation and Irish Unity

“We must create spaces where people can feel comfortable with their identity,” she says. “That is the beginning of reconciliation.”

Conclusion

It is a great honour to have Catherine Connolly as our President. She is an Irishwoman through and through, who will represent us with dignity on the national and international stage. At home, she will promote our language and culture. Abroad, she will stand against war, for human rights, and for our neutrality. In her own words: “Irish came back to me through patience, love, and daily use. Anyone can do the same.”