From McGregor to the final three: The battle for Ireland’s highest office
In less than a month, voters across Ireland will head to the polls to choose their next President, as the current officeholder, Michael D. Higgins, completes his final term.
Unlike in France or the United States, Ireland’s presidency is largely ceremonial. The President serves as the head of state, while the Taoiseach (Irish Prime Minister) leads the government.
Under the Irish Constitution, the President holds office for a term of seven years and is eligible for a maximum of two terms. The current President, Michael D. Higgins, was re-elected for his final term on 26 October 2018.
Now, the vacancy at Áras an Uachtaráin in Phoenix Park, Dublin, has made international headlines, especially after MMA fighter Conor McGregor’s failed bid for the position.
To be eligible for election as President, an Irish citizen, over 35 years old, must be nominated either by a former or retiring President, or by at least 20 members of the Oireachtas (Parliament), or by at least four local authorities.
Singer Bob Geldof, former Riverdance star Michael Flatley, former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern, and former Met Éireann meteorologist Joanna Donnelly, like McGregor, bid for the nomination but all withdrew after receiving minimal support.
Fine Gael (centre-right) candidate was Mairead McGuinness, the former European Commissioner and first Vice-President of the European Parliament, but she withdrew due to health reasons.
With nominations closing last Wednesday, three candidates secured their place on the ballot, marking the official start of the Presidential Election campaign.
The Republic of Ireland votes on Friday, 24 October 2025—so, who’s on the ticket?
Catherine Connolly
An independent politician who has served as a Teachta Dála (Member of Parliament) for Galway West since 2016, Connolly’s nomination is backed by most of the left-leaning parties, including Sinn Féin, the Social Democrats, Labour, the Greens, People Before Profit, and several independents.
A fluent Irish speaker, she has degrees in clinical psychology and law, and became a barrister in 1991.
She has campaigned on a promise to “speak for peace, not just abroad, but at home,” noting, “we are living in troubled times.” Connolly is also a staunch supporter of Palestine and has pledged to visit if elected.
Irish gambling giant Paddy Power has Connolly’s odds at winning at 5/2.
Jim Gavin
A former Gaelic football player and manager for Dublin, Gavin led his team to six All-Ireland titles. He secured the Fianna Fáil (centre-right) nomination after defeating MEP Billy Kelleher.
He was an Officer in the Irish Air Corps (1990–2011) and worked for the Irish Aviation Authority, eventually becoming its chief operations officer.
Gavin told Irish media he wouldn’t be afraid to challenge the government as President, saying, “Cost of living, housing, homelessness, these are the challenges of our time, and our government will be defined by them.”
Paddy Power has Gavin’s odds at winning at 15/8.
Heather Humphreys
Fine Gael TD Humphreys became the nominee after McGuinness withdrew, and has represented the border counties of Cavan-Monaghan since 2011. In government, she has held several ministerial roles, including Justice, Rural and Community Development, and Social Protection.
She was also already a councillor and mayor of Monaghan before being elected to the Dáil.
She is a Presbyterian from a border county, and her father was a member of the Orange Order, and her grandfather signed the Ulster Covenant in 1912, opposing Home Rule.
She launched her campaign at the Peace Campus in Monaghan, believing the venue reflected her vision for the presidency: building bridges and bringing people together.
Paddy Power has Humphreys’ odds at winning at 5/4.