logo
United Ireland ‘very soon' says Catherine Connolly as she launches Presidency campaign with bid to woo Sinn Féin

United Ireland ‘very soon' says Catherine Connolly as she launches Presidency campaign with bid to woo Sinn Féin

Ms Connolly defended a trip to Syria with Mick Wallace, Clare Daly and Maureen O'Sullivan when dictator Bashir al-Assad was in power, and said she was "right at the time" when she previously backed journalist Gemma O'Doherty for a Presidential run.
The Galway West Independent rejected the idea that she was the "continuity candidate" after 14 years of Michael D Higgins, for whom she wanted to be a running mate.
She left the Labour Party when that bid was rejected, saying it had lost its soul - but refused to answer questions about taking its money for her campaign, which she believes will cost between €500,000 and €1 million.
Ms Connolly, a former leas cheann comhairle, became emotional when she recalled seeing Catholic refugees from Northern Ireland arrive in Galway in the late summer of 1969.
'I think Northern Ireland is extremely important. I think we're going to have united Ireland very soon," Ms Connolly said in response to a suggestion from the Irish Independent that she had been described as a republican socialist.
"I think the Good Friday Agreement has set the framework for that," she said, adding that she would welcome the backing of Sinn Féin.
"I think tremendous work has been done on the ground with cross-border bodies, and I look forward to the day when we have a united Ireland," Ms Connolly said.
But she added: "I absolutely value the diversity, and we must value the different backgrounds in Northern Ireland."
Asked if there was any difference between her position and that of Sinn Féin, she said: "I can tell you my position. You're left to kind to compare and contrast that, which will fail.
"But I grew up in Galway and witnessed the refugees coming to Galway. I was young at the time, and they came down, and they were put up in various colleges - and I witnessed their terror, their upset, and their utter desire for peace,' she said.
So far the only other confirmed candidate is former MEP Mairéad McGuinness, who will run for Fine Gael. Neither Fianna Fáil nor Sinn Féin have decided whether they will run a candidate, while Labour is currently deciding whether to back Ms Connolly after she met them earlier this week.
Ms Connolly said she was "fully ready now for the campaign", adding: "We don't have a huge, big machine, and I think we have conviction".
So far backed by Independents and the Social Democrats, she added: "We believe in what we're doing, and I think we are happy to put forward that vision."
Social Democratic support had "come from the ground up, and I understand it's similar with People Before Profit", Ms Connolly said.
She said she was going to discuss the Presidential salary with her team. "There are lots of decisions to make here about the campaign and how I use the salary is one of those,' she said.
"A I can say at this point is I have stood as a woman who speaks bluntly and who speaks as honestly as I can."
She was asked about the war in Ukraine, and said the Russian invasion was "wrong, illegal and unacceptable", adding "we need to find a voice for diplomacy. We need to get peace."
She added, however: "I think could have been prevented beforehand. What they've done is utterly wrong. It's just inexcusable. But I think we could have worked before that in terms of diplomacy."
She said her clapping for a live video address by Volodomyr Zelensky to the Dáil had been scrutinised, and how long it had lasted.
"I stood and I clapped, and the level of interest from certain quarters in the media was that I didn't clap long enough and I didn't clap hard enough," she said.
"I was nauseous at the war. I would have stood in silence."
She refused to comment on rival contender Ms McGuinness, except to say: "My views on the Fine Gael party are well-known.'
Standing outside Leinster House, Ms Connolly added: "I'm going to be presenting myself as a credible candidate for the Presidency with my views, with my track record, and my work ethic.
"That's what I will be presenting before the people, and I would hope the people would respond to that."
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Eoin Hayes readmitted to Social Democrats after eight-month suspension
Eoin Hayes readmitted to Social Democrats after eight-month suspension

Irish Daily Mirror

time8 hours ago

  • Irish Daily Mirror

Eoin Hayes readmitted to Social Democrats after eight-month suspension

Eoin Hayes has been readmitted to the Social Democrats after an eight-month suspension over incorrect statements about shares he held in a company linked to the Israeli military. Mr Hayes said he should have not held the shares as long as he did and has donated the equivalent of €43,443 to three aid organisations working in Gaza. He said the amount reflected the increase in the value of the shares he held over the course of Israel's military offensive in Gaza. The Social Democrats won 11 seats in November's election but Mr Hayes was indefinitely suspended from the parliamentary party in December – just a month after being elected. He had initially told the media and his party colleagues that he divested shares in his former employer, Palantir Technologies, prior to being elected to Dublin City Council last June. The company supplies technology to Israel's military. But he later revealed that he sold the shares last July – after taking office – for a pre-tax figure of €199,000. The Social Democrats had been calling for economic sanctions against Israel months before Mr Hayes' election to the council. The Dublin Bay South TD's suspension was reviewed by the national executive of the party before being considered further by the parliamentary party. Just after 6.30pm on Friday, the Social Democrats said his suspension had been lifted. It said in a statement the decision was made by acting leader Cian O'Callaghan in line with the party's constitution. "Eoin has been suspended from the parliamentary party for nearly eight months and I believe he should be given a second chance," Mr O'Callaghan said. "Eoin has a lot to offer as a Social Democrats TD and I look forward to working with him." Newly elected TD for Dublin Bay South Eoin Hayes (second right) with Social Democrat TD Jennifer Whitmore, Social Democrats deputy leader Cian O'Callaghan and Dublin Central TD Gary Gannon at Leinster House, Dublin (Image: Cate McCurry/PA Wire) Mr Hayes said: "At the outset, I want to give a full and unequivocal apology for giving the incorrect information to the media about when I divested from Palantir. "I also want to be clear that I should not have held the shares for as long as I did. "For that reason, I have donated $51,000 to three humanitarian organisations active in Gaza – split between UNRWA, Unicef and Doctors without Borders. "This figure represents the uplift in share price, less applicable taxes, from October 7 2023 to July 26 2024, when I sold the shares. "I know I have let people down and I am determined to work hard and earn back people's trust." Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest news from the Irish Mirror direct to your inbox: Sign up here.

Eoin Hayes has suspension from SocDems lifted, eight months after controversy over IDF-linked shares
Eoin Hayes has suspension from SocDems lifted, eight months after controversy over IDF-linked shares

The Journal

time9 hours ago

  • The Journal

Eoin Hayes has suspension from SocDems lifted, eight months after controversy over IDF-linked shares

THE SUSPENSION OF TD Eoin Hayes from the Social Democrats' parliamentary party has been lifted. A party spokesperson said the decision was made by acting leader Cian O'Callaghan, in line with the party's constitution. Hayes lost the whip on 10 December, 2024, when he provided incorrect information to the media about the sale of shares in Palantir Technologies, his former employer. Palantir provides militaries, including the Israeli Defence Forces, with artificial intelligence models used in battlegrounds to help identify targets. Its software has been used by Israel to identify targets in Gaza. In February of this year, a review carried out by the national executive of the Social Democrats endorsed the decision to suspend Hayes 'indefinitely' from the parliamentary party. Advertisement However, in a statement this evening, O'Callaghan remarked that Hayes has been suspended from the parliamentary party for close to eight months and that he 'should be given a second chance'. 'Eoin has a lot to offer as a Social Democrats TD and I look forward to working with him,' added O'Callaghan. Meanwhile, Hayes offered a 'full and unequivocal apology for giving the incorrect information to the media about when I divested from Palantir'. 'I also want to be clear that I should not have held the shares for as long as I did,' he added. Hayes said he has donated $51,000 to three humanitarian organisations active in Gaza – split between, UNRWA, Unicef and Doctors without Borders. 'This figure represents the uplift in share price, less applicable taxes, from 7 October, 2023 to 26 July, 2024, when I sold the shares. 'I know I have let people down and I am determined to work hard and earn back people's trust.' Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store