Catherine Connolly has been confirmed as Ireland's President-elect, and will become the tenth President of Ireland.
Her victory was declared at Dublin Castle this evening.
Ms Connolly won in what can only be described as a landslide victory, after achieving the highest percentage vote for any President ever at 63.36%, beating Eamon de Valera's record.
Her final vote count stands at 914,000, nearly 100,000 more than Michael D. Higgins got in 2018.
Ms Connolly made her way through the room at Dublin Castle, hugging members of the opposition who had supported her campaign, before leading her family onto the stage.
In her in inaugural speech, she said she wanted to lead an Ireland for all.
Independent winning presidential candidate Catherine Connolly in Dublin Castle after todays victory. Photo: Leah Farrell/© RollingNews.ie. 25/10/2025"For all who voted for me, thank you very much," she said.
"It will be an absolute privilege to serve you.
"For those who didn't vote for me and those who spoiled their votes, let me tell you, I will be an inclusive president to listen to all of you.
"I will be making no distinction on the basis of votes."
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Ms Connolly also said she will be a " voice that builds on our policy of neutrality, a voice that articulates the existential threat posed by climate change".
"I will raise my voice, and our whole mantra during this campaign was we can shape a new republic together and we can use our voices for those who haven't the ability nor the circumstance don't allow," she said.
"But my message is use your voice in every way you can because a republic and a democracy needs constructive questioning.
"Together we can shape a new republic that values everybody, that values and champions diversity, and that takes confidence in our own identity, our Irish language, our English language and the new people who have come to our country."
On the 11th November Catherine Connolly will be inaugurated as the next President of Ireland having won the election comfortably.
Now, the postmortem begins for Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil.
Main image: Independent winning presidential candidate Catherine Connolly speaking in Dublin Castle after todays victory. Photo: Eamonn Farrell/© RollingNews.ie. 25/10/2025
