Gareth O'Callaghan: Why Ireland’s next president must be more than a household name

As speculation swirls about celebrity candidates, we risk forgetting what truly defines a transformative and courageous Irish president

President Michael D. Higgins unveils a portrait by Colin Davidson at a special event to mark his donation of his Presidential Archive to University of Galway. Photo: Andrew Downes, xposure

Democracy is based upon the belief that there are extraordinary possibilities in ordinary people. These words were once spoken by Harry Emerson Fosdick, America’s greatest liberal preacher of the 20th century.

He lent a strong voice of reasoned faith and enlightened hope to a bewildered country at a time when it badly needed it. He grounded his faith in his personal experiences, in the tragedies of those he met during his lifetime, and in their hopes and dreams.