Michael D. Higgins | |
|---|---|
_(cropped).jpg) Higgins in 2022 | |
| 9th President of Ireland | |
| Assumed office 11 November 2011 | |
| Taoiseach | |
| Preceded by | Mary McAleese |
| Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht | |
| In office 15 December 1994 – 26 June 1997 | |
| Taoiseach | John Bruton |
| Preceded by | Bertie Ahern |
| Succeeded by | Síle de Valera |
| In office 12 January 1993 – 17 November 1994 | |
| Taoiseach | Albert Reynolds |
| Preceded by | John Wilson |
| Succeeded by | Bertie Ahern |
| Mayor of Galway | |
| In office 21 July 1990 – 3 May 1991 | |
| Preceded by | Angela Lynch-Lupton |
| Succeeded by | Michael Leahy |
| In office 12 December 1981 – 29 November 1982 | |
| Preceded by | Claude Toft |
| Succeeded by | Pat McNamara |
| Teachta Dála | |
| In office February 1987 – February 2011 | |
| Constituency | Galway West |
| In office June 1981 – November 1982 | |
| Constituency | Galway West |
| Senator | |
| In office 23 February 1983 – 3 April 1987 | |
| Constituency | National University |
| In office 1 June 1973 – 26 May 1977 | |
| Constituency | Nominated by the Taoiseach |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Michael Daniel Higgins 18 April 1941 Limerick, Ireland |
| Political party | Independent (since 2011) |
| Other political affiliations |
|
| Spouse | [1] |
| Children | 4, including Alice-Mary |
| Residence | Áras an Uachtaráin |
| Alma mater | |
| Website | Official website |
Michael Daniel Higgins (Irish: Mícheál Dónal Ó hUigínn; born 18 April 1941) is an Irish politician, poet, broadcaster and sociologist who has been serving as the ninth president of Ireland since 2011.[2]
Entering national politics through the Labour Party, he served as a senator from 1973 to 1977 having been nominated by the Taoiseach.[3] Elected in 1981 as a Teachta Dála (TD), he represented the Galway West constituency from 1981 to 1982 and 1987 to 2011.[3] Between these terms, he returned to Seanad Éireann from 1983 to 1987 as a senator for the National University.[3] He served as minister for arts, culture and the Gaeltacht from 1993 to 1997 and mayor of Galway from 1981 to 1982 and 1990 to 1991. Higgins was the president of the Labour Party from 2003 to 2011, until he resigned following his election as president of Ireland.[4][5]
Higgins has used his time in office as president to address issues concerning justice, social equality, social inclusion, anti-sectarianism, anti-racism, and reconciliation. He made the first state visit by an Irish president to the United Kingdom in April 2014.
Higgins ran for a second term as president of Ireland in 2018 and was re-elected in a landslide victory. Higgins attained the largest personal mandate in the history of the Republic of Ireland, with 822,566 first-preference votes. Higgins's second presidential inauguration took place on 11 November 2018.
- ^ "Michael D. Higgins elected President of Ireland". RTÉ News. 29 October 2011. Archived from the original on 28 October 2011. Retrieved 29 October 2011.
- ^ O'Leary, Jennifer (28 October 2011). "Who is Michael D Higgins?". BBC News. Archived from the original on 28 October 2011. Retrieved 28 October 2011.
- ^ a b c "Michael D. Higgins". Oireachtas Members Database. Archived from the original on 26 July 2018. Retrieved 21 September 2009.
- ^ "Higgins declared president elect with one million votes". The Irish Times. 29 October 2011. Archived from the original on 30 October 2011. Retrieved 29 October 2011.
- ^ "Michael D. Higgins wins Irish presidential election". The Daily Telegraph. London. 31 May 2011. Archived from the original on 29 October 2011. Retrieved 30 October 2011.