New Irish president promises 'a republic worthy of its name'

Catherine Connolly vowed yesterday to make Ireland a "republic worthy of its name" by using her presidency to champion diversity, the Irish language and the legacy of decolonisation.

- Rory Carroll

Connolly spelled out a leftwing alternative to centre-right orthodoxy in her inauguration speech after being sworn in to office in Dublin.

"We were led to believe that it was too great a leap, that our ideas were too far out, too left - at odds with the prevailing narrative," she said, referencing her landslide victory in last month's election.

"In shared conversations all over the country, however, it became evident that the dominant narrative did not reflect or represent people's values and concerns," she said.

"Time and time again, people spoke of how it served to silence, to other, to label, to exclude and to stifle critical thinking."