Catherine Connolly

**Catherine Connolly** (born 12 July 1957) is an Irish independent politician who has been the 10th and current President of Ireland since 2025. She was a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Galway West constituency from 2016 until 2025.

Connolly was Mayor of Galway from 2004 to 2005. Connolly was elected to the Dáil in 2016. She was Leas-Cheann Comhairle of the 33rd Dáil from July 2020 to November 2024. She was chair of the Committee on the Irish Language, the Gaeltacht and the Islands from 2016 to 2020.

## 2025 presidential campaign

Connolly ran as an independent candidate for President of Ireland in the 2025 election. She won the election in October 2025, beating Heather Humphreys and Jim Gavin in a landslide victory, with the highest number of first-preference votes in Irish history.

## Political views

Connolly's ideology has been called left-wing. Connolly calls herself as a socialist and pacifist.

Connolly is a supporter of Ireland being neutrality on most global issues. Her foreign policy views were called by _Politico_ as "often anti-Western". She is a critic of NATO and the European Union for their military use.

Connolly has not supported Russian invasion of Ukraine and has also called NATO's actions toward Russia as "warmongering". She is also a supporter of Palestine and is a critic of Israel.

Connolly supports Irish reunification, the legalisation of same-sex marriage and the legalisation of abortion.

## Personal life

Connolly has lived in the Claddagh in Galway City since 1988. She married woodwork teacher Brian McEnery in 1992 and they have two sons.

## Other websites

- Andrews, Kernan. "Connolly raises doubts over independence of crypto report", _Galway Advertiser_, 6 November 2008.

## Infobox (officeholder)

- **honorific-prefix**: Excellency, Her Excellency
- **image**: Inauguration of Catherine Connolly, 11 November 2025 15 (cropped).jpg
- **caption**: Connolly in 2025
- **office**: 10th President of Ireland
- **term start**: 11 November 2025
- **predecessor**: Michael D. Higgins
- **office1**: Leas-Cheann Comhairle of Dáil Éireann
- **1namedata1**: Seán Ó Fearghaíl
- **term start1**: 23 July 2020
- **term end1**: 8 November 2024
- **predecessor1**: Pat "the Cope" Gallagher
- **successor1**: John McGuinness (politician), John McGuinness
- **office2**: Chair of the 32nd Dáil, Committee on the Irish Language, the Gaeltacht and the Islands
- **term start2**: 4 April 2016
- **term end2**: 15 September 2020
- **predecessor2**: _Position established_
- **successor2**: Niamh Smyth
- **office3**: Teachta Dála
- **term start3**: 2016 Irish general election, February 2016
- **term end3**: October 2025
- **constituency3**: Galway West (Dáil constituency), Galway West
- **office4**: List of mayors of Galway, Mayor of Galway
- **term start4**: June 2004
- **term end4**: June 2005
- **predecessor4**: Terry O'Flaherty
- **successor4**: Brian Walsh (politician), Brian Walsh
- **office5**: Galway City Councillor
- **term start5**: 1999 Galway Corporation election, June 1999
- **term end5**: March 2016
- **constituency5**: Galway City West
- **birth name**: Catherine Martina Ann Connolly
- **birth place**: Galway, Ireland
- **party**: Independent politician (Ireland), Independent (2006–present)
- **otherparty**: Labour Party (Ireland), Labour (until 2006)
- **children**: 2
- **alt**: An above shoulder portrait of Catherine Connolly. She is a woman with grey and curly shoulder length hair. She is wearing a dark pinstriped blazer over a white blouse. She is smiling staring directly at the camera.