Catherine Connolly officially becomes the tenth President of Ireland

· GOSS.ie

Catherine Connolly has officially become the tenth President of Ireland.

The ceremony took place in St Patrick’s Hall, where all presidents have been inaugurated since 1938.

She was taken to Dublin Castle this morning and into the cobblestone Upper Yard for her inauguration, just like her predecessors before her.

Presidential candidate Catherine Connolly, Independent, during the first televised debate of the 2025 Presidential Election campaign on Virgin Medias The Tonight Show in Dublin. Photo by Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile

Following the prayer and reflection service, Chief Justice Donal O’Donnell read the Declaration of Office, which Catherine Connolly repeated back in Irish.

She then signed the declaration, and the Chief Justice announced that the new President had entered office.

Speaking to those gathered, she said: “I stand before you humbly and proudly as the tenth president of this beautiful country.”

Speaking in Irish, she thanked her family, brothers and sisters and members of the Government.

In late October, Ms Connolly was declared the winner after count one in a “landslide” victory, with the results officially unveiled at Dublin Castle.

29 September 2025; Presidential candidates, from left, Independent candidate Catherine Connolly, Heather Humphreys of Fine Gael Photo by Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile

Ms Connolly secured 63.4% of the vote (914,143), with Heather Humphreys gaining 29.5% of the vote (424,987) and former candidate Jim Gavin getting 7.2% of the vote (103,568). 213,738 of the votes cast were also spoiled.

Last week, the 68-year-old travelled to Aras an Uachtaráin, where she met President Higgins for a short conversation.

During their meeting in the Aras study, the pair joked about whether they should link and raise their hands for photographs. They then shook hands, embraced and exchanged a few words in Irish.

President Michael D. Higgins and Catherine Connolly | Instagram

Michael D. Higgins and Catherine Connolly have met previously, as they know one another from their time in the Labour Party in Galway City and in local and national politics.

For the brief meeting, President Higgins was accompanied by his wife Sabina, while Catherine Connolly attended with her husband Brian McEnery.

Although the pair did not make any official remarks during the meeting, President Higgins did tell President-elect Connolly that she had made “a great achievement” and that he wished her “health and happiness” throughout her presidency.

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