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Ex-GAA manager wins Fianna Fail presidential nomination

Getty Images Jim Gavin, who is balding, gesticulates at a microphone. He is wearing a black suit with a blue tie, and black glasses. Getty Images

Jim Gavin defeated MEP Billy Kelleher by 41 votes to 29 in the party’s selection contest

Fianna Fáil has selected All-Ireland winning GAA manager Jim Gavin to be its candidate in the Irish presidential election.

Gavin defeated MEP Billy Kelleher by 41 votes to 29 in the party’s selection contest.

The taoiseach (Irish prime minister) and leader of Fianna Fáil Micheál Martin had endorsed Gavin to be the candidate last month.

He said the former Dublin manager was “the person I think best placed to represent the Irish people as president”.

Gavin, who is from Clondalkin in Dublin and who previously served in the Irish Defence Forces, was manager of the Dublin team from 2012 to 2019, when it won six All Ireland Senior Football Championship titles.

In a letter to party members seeking their nomination, Gavin said his presidency would be “an active and positive one based on reaching out to every community at home as well as promoting and representing Ireland’s values abroad, facilitating the use of the Áras [presidential residence] for the people and promoting Ireland’s language, culture, education and enterprise to the wider world”.

He added: “My commitment to you is that I will travel to every part of the country, working alongside you and the party’s members, to promote this vision for an active presidency and to demonstrate Fianna Fáil’s resolute commitment to leading national debate”.

How do you become president of Ireland?

To run for the office of president of Ireland, you have to be an Irish citizen and aged 35 or older.

Anyone who wants to stand needs the backing of either 20 members of the Oireachtas (Irish parliament) or four of the 31 local authorities.

Michael D Higgins was inaugurated as the ninth president in 2011, when he took over from Mary McAleese, and was re-elected in October 2018.

Higgins is not eligible to stand again as he will have completed two full seven-year terms.

McAleese is the only president to come from Northern Ireland.

What is the role of the Irish president?

The president of Ireland acts as the head of state.

It is a largely ceremonial role, representing Ireland at public events at the national and international level.

Only citizens who live in the Republic of Ireland have the right to vote in presidential elections.


BBC News

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