DUBLIN, Ireland: Michael D. Higgins leaves after 14 years as President of Ireland, during which he reshaped how the role is perceived, often taking outspoken positions on government policy.
He also became a cultural icon — inspiring memes, tea cosies, and children's books.
Born on April 18, 1941, in Limerick, Higgins was the third of four children. His father, John, a War of Independence veteran, struggled with alcoholism, and Higgins and his brother were sent to live with relatives in County Clare. After leaving school, he worked in a factory and as a clerk before studying at University College Galway — the first in his family to attend university.
As a student, Higgins became active in protests and advocacy, beginning a lifelong commitment to human rights and equality. He went on to an academic career, studying and teaching in the U.S., before entering politics.
After several unsuccessful election attempts, he was nominated to the Seanad in 1973 by Taoiseach Liam Cosgrave and later elected to the Dáil in 1981 as a Labour TD for Galway West. He married actor Sabina Coyne in 1974, and they had four children.
Over the years, Higgins served as mayor of Galway, president of the Labour Party, and minister for arts, culture, and the Gaeltacht. As minister, he launched Teilifís na Gaeilge (now TG4) and reinstated the Irish Film Board, helping revive Ireland's media and cultural industries.
Beyond domestic issues, Higgins was an advocate for global peace and democracy. In 1982, he was deported from El Salvador while investigating reports of a massacre with the charity Trócaire. He also published several books of poetry, essays, and speeches.
Higgins was elected president in 2011, winning with 39.6 percent of first-preference votes, and moved into Áras an Uachtaráin with Sabina and their beloved Bernese Mountain dogs, who became popular public figures themselves.
His presidency began amid Ireland's EU-IMF bailout and deep recession. Early on, he voluntarily gave up nearly a quarter of his salary. In 2013, he cut short a state visit to Italy to return home and sign emergency legislation to liquidate the Irish Bank Resolution Company. Austerity measures, including new water charges, sparked protests, and Higgins faced public anger firsthand during a 2015 school visit in Dublin.
Despite challenges, his term also saw major milestones in Anglo-Irish relations. In 2014, he became the first Irish president to make a state visit to the United Kingdom, during which he addressed the House of Commons and was hosted by Queen Elizabeth II. He later described the trip as "a visible sign of the warmth and maturity" between both nations.
Known for his forthright views, Higgins occasionally courted controversy — such as pulling out of a Belfast civic dinner marking the 1916 Rising due to political tensions.
After 14 years in office, Higgins and Sabina plan to return to Galway. Catherine Connolly will succeed him as President of Ireland.
