Presidential election - No certainty in democratic politics

The possible entry of Gay Byrne into the race for the presidency has generated a considerable amount of attention, especially in the light of recent reports that the Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin has promised Mr Byrne the backing of his party, which has essentially been behind the successful candidacy of all but one of our eight presidents.

Fianna Fáil supported Douglas Hyde as an independent candidate and he was duly elected by acclamation as our first president. Cearbhall Ó Dálaigh was elected on similar grounds.

Mary McAleese was not a member of the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party, but she contested for the party’s nomination and defeated four other candidates in the presidential election of 1997. President McAleese proceeded to do such a credible job in the office that she was re-elected by acclamation to a second term.