COMMENT: President Higgins has become a true statesman

LAST WEEK saw Enda Kenny make his much anticipated trip to the Phoenix Park, as he finally put the nation out of its misery by dissolving the Dáil and announcing that the general election would be held on February 26. 

His indecision, as they say, was final.

Something struck me as I saw images of the Taoiseach and President Higgins flash across social media and television. I realised just how statesman-like President Higgins has become since his election in November 2011.

I must confess that I was sceptical when his name was originally put forward. This was Michael D, after all, the leftie politician who used to pen a column in trendy Hot Press magazine. Somehow I couldn’t see him fit the role in the same way that his most recent predecessors, the two Marys, had.

Even after his election I initially found it hard to relate to him as President of Ireland. 

That all changed during a visit to Galway a couple of years ago. Strolling through the city with my family, I became aware of a commotion on Shop Street, with a sea of camera phones held aloft by the excited crowd. On closer investigation, I realised that the President was on a walkabout in his native town, pressing the flesh with locals – many of whom he seemed to be on a first-name basis with.

As the assembled masses competed for his attention, I decided to approach Mr Higgins and ask if he’d pose for a photo with my two young sons. I squeezed through the crowd and gently tapped him on the shoulder, only to be instantly confronted by one of his bodyguards.

“Do not touch the President,” he warned.

“But I only want him to get into a picture with my boys,” I replied, feeling slightly red-faced.

“Then you ask me,” he snapped back. “You should never put your hands on the President.”

Right there and then, I realised that the man formerly known as Michael D had morphed from being a poet, author and TD into a senior statesman, fully deserving of the respect that his office demands. When I got over the embarrassment of my public admonishment by the President’s handler, I realised I had got off lightly. Imagine the reaction if I had tapped Barack Obama on the shoulder? The response possibly would have involved weapons.

As the years have passed, Michael D Higgins and his wife, Sabina, have proven to be fitting ambassadors for our country. They bring a certain dignity and humility to their respective roles and have not shied away from issues of social injustice, leading some commentators to wonder if the President has at times gone beyond his remit. But Mr Higgins’ comments on issues such as homelessness and inequality in Irish society are a refreshing reminder that the role of President should be to represent all strands of Irish society – particularly those on the fringes who don’t have a voice. 

I sincerely hope he does us the honour of serving a second term. And for the record, the President did agree to pose for a picture with my kids that day in Galway.

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