Tag Archives: president

THIS Sunday is the 80th birthday of Uachtaráin na hÉireann, Michael D Higgins. Now well into the second term of his presidency, he has generally enjoyed very high levels of public approval. Michael D grew up in Ballycar, Newmarket-on-Fergus and went to the local school there before going on to St Flannan’s. This week his brother John, who still lives in Ballycar, said he couldn’t have envisaged the success he would enjoy in public life. “That’s true, that’s true. Politics is a funny game and a good game.” As a boy the future president was a voracious reader, he recalls. “He’d read a lot of books, whatever books were available in the library at the time.” In 1993 Michael D became the country’s first ever Minister for Arts, and John says that helped bring him to greater prominence, although he had already been a TD for several years. “Eventually Labour got into Government with Fine Gael and that was the …

The first ever woman president of an Irish university has been appointed at University of Limerick. Professor Kerstin Mey, the current Vice President Academic Affairs and Student Engagement at UL, will replace outgoing president Dr Des Fitzgerald, who will leave his position on September 1, on an interim basis. The Interim President will serve as Chief Officer of the University until the appointment of a new President through an open international recruitment process, which is expected to take up to 18 months once commenced. The UL Governing Authority ratified the appointment of Professor Mey following a special meeting last Thursday. Chancellor of UL’s Governing Authority, Mary Harney said Interim President Mey would be a “great appointee and one in whom we have every faith in to lead the University at a challenging time. She has already demonstrated her capacity for leadership in her role as Vice President. “There has long been a significant gender imbalance at the senior leadership level …

PRESIDENT Michael D Higgins has singled out health care and all frontline workers for their dedication during the Coronavirus crisis in his May Day address. He also paid tribute to those who have died and the bereaved families. “Today, May Day, we honour and commemorate the important role of the organised labour movements across the globe. We recall to memory, and celebrate, the lives of workers who have marched, fought, and stood in solidarity with their colleagues, their fellow citizens, and with people all over the world, in struggles against injustice, inequality and exclusion. “Today’s SIPTU MayFest is different, by necessity, but recognising the role of workers and their unions is more important than ever. Both Sabina – who is patron of MayFest – and I take this opportunity to pay a particular tribute to all the frontline workers who have played their part for the greater good of all during the Covid-19 crisis. Today we remember those who have …

CLARE’S Eugene Drennan has been elected as the new president of the Irish Road Haulage Association. Eugene, Managing Director of Spa Transport has been a leading light in the road haulage industry and is a prominent member of the IRHA for many years. On his election as IRHA President, Eugene said, “I am honoured with the fulsome support I received when allowing my name to go forward for this position.  I never expected or predicted that I would be in this position and yet circumstances have been such that this has transpired. I wish to thank fellow members and drivers for their work at this time. “Myself and the members of the management team really appreciate the enormous effort and work ethic of the hauliers and all their drivers and what they are doing on behalf of Ireland. I wish you all good health and look forward to meeting at the earliest allowed opportunity to assess the overall situation for …

WEST Clare will see the most extensive security operation in its history next week, when President Donald Trump arrives in Doonbeg. An area close to Trump International will be completely closed off to the public, apart from people living in the area, who will have special passes. The restrictions will be in place from Monday until Trump leaves again, probably on Friday, but possibly as late as Saturday. There will be a huge security operation at Shannon also, but it is expected that it will be largely business as usual at the airport, although people arriving there at certain times may have to take a short detour. Companies in the Shannon Free Zone are expected to stay open throughout. Detective Garda Ollie Downes said there will be traffic restrictions on access to the entrances to Trump International and only those who have been granted passes (such as residents and care staff) will be granted access. Some distance further back there …

May I, as President of Ireland, mar Uachtarán na hÉireann, send you my warmest wishes for a peaceful and a Happy Christmas and New Year. Christmas is a time when we can pause for reflection, as we look back on the year gone by. It is a time when it is surely appropriate to recall the story that lies at the heart of this festive season. That story is of a long and difficult journey, and the birth of a child, in a temporary home, in Bethlehem two thousand years ago. Let us think too of how far from a state of peace that region is today, and how the absence of peace reflects our failure at a human and diplomatic level, and how, sadly, we hear words that provoke rather than heal. Across the many years and miles that separate us from the original Christmas story, we can unfortunately see too many parallels in our own society today. As …

SHANNON man Andrew Kelly has been elected president of the European Regions Airline Association, a representative body for 53 airlines and 22 airports, including Shannon. Director of corporate affairs at ASL Aviation, Mr Kelly is a past pupil of St Senan’s National School and St Patrick’s Comprehensive. He still regularly visits Shannon for work and to see family members. Mr Kelly has had a varied career, which began as a journalist. “I worked in the Limerick Echo first and then The Clare News. Part of my job was to cover Shannon and all the aviation in Shannon. I was in RTÉ for 10 years and I covered aviation there. Then, as a consultant in the commercial world, I worked for Aer Lingus for about 13 years. “I worked with their corporate affairs department, I worked with their marketing department and I also did their inflight entertainment. “One of the chief executives in Aer Lingus that I worked with was Gary …

PRESIDENT Michael D. Higgins has launched a new website for children interested in learning more about their Head of State. The Children’s Section of www.president.ie is a new interactive website providing information about the role and work of Uachtarán na hÉireann, the President of Ireland, as well as the official residence of the President, Áras an Uachtaráin in Dublin’s Phoenix Park. Four animal guides (Daithí Deer, Fiachra Fox, Sorcha Squirrel and Blaithín Bird) provide young visitors with information about the work of the President of Ireland, Michael D. Higgins, and illustrate the history of the office of the president, the official residence and its surrounding gardens, as well as the Phoenix Park. The dedicated children’s website is available in Irish and English at: http://www.president.ie/en/childrens-section http://www.president.ie/ga/childrens-section