Paul Hosford: Grind is just beginning for our presidential candidates
29 September 2025; Presidential candidates, from left, Independent candidate Catherine Connolly, Heather Humphreys of Fine Gael and Jim Gavin of Fianna Fáil at the first televised debate of the 2025 Presidential Election campaign on Virgin Media’s The Tonight Show in Dublin. Photo by Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile
The morning after the (late) night before and the presidential campaign was right back on.
In the hours after the three candidates first went toe-to-toe, there was much to discuss and dissect in the media and online spaces.
But for the candidates, it was back to the grind.
Fianna Fáil's Jim Gavin headed to Roscommon, zipping in and out of shops, shaking hands and giving a dig out in a butcher's shop. Does he look fully comfortable with the political pace just yet? No, but he seems to be enjoying it more as the days go on.
Heather Humphreys' team didn't flag any events, but her social media was trumpeting the enactment of a scheme which will allow over 70s to obtain a companion card for public transport and an endorsement from a distillery owner in Drumshambo.
Her efforts in Monday's debate were hailed by her party leader, Simon Harris, as he entered Cabinet, the Tánaiste hailing it as a "good debate".
Meanwhile, independent TD Catherine Connolly was back in the Oireachtas, chairing the Oireachtas Irish language committee and raising a Dáil question on a policy directive to ban vessels over 18 metres from fishing within the six-mile limit. Ms Connolly has long-standing Dáil commitments this week, but is expected to be around Leinster House less in the coming weeks as the election campaign reaches a crescendo.
That means that much of her midweek canvassing will be based around the capital and on Tuesday, this meant knocking on doors in Ballyfermot, after a visit to a local resource centre, Ballyfermot Star, which deals with issues around addiction.
For many in the media, this was a first chance to see Catherine Connolly the campaigner. The Galway woman is known to be a passionate speaker in the chamber, but her position as Leas Ceann Comhairle in the last Dáil meant that media interactions were limited and early engagements hadn't pointed to someone who particularly enjoys that part of the process, so a chance to see Ms Connolly outside the Dublin 2 campus is something of a novelty. Check back in three weeks if it remains so.
At the centre, Ms Connolly is met by Sinn Féin councillor Daithi Doolan, who represents the area and guides the media through the plan for the evening, while speaking with his constituents about housing issues and even, at one point, crooning Elvis into an unattended RTÉ mic. With September marking Recovery Month, the staff of Ballyfermot Star have put on a cafe on the day and Mr Doolin introduces the former clinical psychologist to those experiencing addiction or recovering.
Ms Connolly, for her part, gives a short introduction of herself, saying that she sees the role of President as "listening and reflecting" and, in that spirit, tells those there that she is "better at answering questions" and takes a seat as staff and service users describe the challenges faced by those suffering addiction. As she gets ready to leave, she tells those in attendance that she is building "a movement" and that she is merely the symbol of that.
"This is about ye," she says.
The backing of Ms Connolly by Sinn Féin perhaps dulled the overall race for the neutral, but there is no doubt that she will benefit from its ground game. Mr Doolin tells the assembled crowd of 30 or so that the party will "leave no door unknocked, no letterbox unrapped, no pole without a poster" and that support goes across the left wing, it seems.
When Ms Connolly finishes up, there are activists and councillors from Labour, People Before Profit, and the Greens to add to the Sinn Féin contingent as the group heads to the doors.
While many political operations would curate the doors they knock when followed by a media cohort, but that is not in evidence here, even if the first door is answered by a thoroughly confused young man who says he won't vote as he doesn't have time. Mr Doolin, a longtime political operator, tells him where the polling station is, all but offering to pace it out. The young man takes a leaflet and pledges to think about a vote.
As the rain turns heavy, though, the doors begin to open. One woman congratulates Ms Connolly on her debate performance, while another asks her to sort a pension increase in next week's Budget. Another home has landlord issues and needs Mr Doolin's assistance, but a run of houses pledging number 1 votes picks up the pace. One young woman says that she feels that "everyone my age is voting for Catherine" as People Before Profit councillor Hazel de Nortúin reminds the constituent that Ms Connolly is, like her, a passionate Gaelgeoir.
At one of the last houses, however, Ms Connolly's willingness to test the bounds of the presidency is tested. When a man introduces her to his son as "the next president of Ireland", the youngster spots a chance and asks if she can ban homework.
She laughs and considers her position, before telling him:
"I can't do that. But I can express an opinion."
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