Speeches by President of Ireland

H.E. Mr. Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, President of the Republic of Cuba and Mrs. Lis Cuesta Peraza undertook an Official Visit to Ireland on 21 October 2019. The visit by President Díaz-Canel Bermúdez came in return to the State Visit to Cuba by President Michael D. Higgins in February 2017, the first State Visit by an Irish President to Latin America. The visit commenced with a formal welcoming ce...

See https://president.ie/en/diary/details/president-meets-president-of-lebanon-he-michel-aoun

On the third day of his State Visit, President Higgins gave an address to the House of Representatives at the invitation of the President of the House, Mr. Demetris Syllouris. The House of Representatives was established as part of the establishment of the Republic of Cyprus, in August 1960, with representatives from both the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities. However, the Turkish Cypr...

See https://president.ie/en/diary/details/president-hosts-cultural-event-for-irish-community

See https://president.ie/en/diary/details/president-and-sabina-attend-state-banquet-in-their-honour

Thirteen EU Heads of State will attend the 15th meeting of the Arraiolos Group, which will be held in the historic Zappeion Building. The Heads of State from Bulgaria, Croatia, Estonia, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Malta, Poland, Portugal and Slovenia, in addition to the host country of Greece, will all be present. This year’s meeting of the group of EU Heads of State will discuss joi...

Thirteen EU Heads of State will attended the 15th meeting of the Arraiolos Group, which will be held in the historic Zappeion Building. The Heads of State from Bulgaria, Croatia, Estonia, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Malta, Poland, Portugal and Slovenia, in addition to the host country of Greece, will all be present. This year’s meeting of the group of EU Heads of State will discuss j...

The President of the Hellenic Republic, H.E. Prokopios Pavlopoulos invited President Michael D. Higgins to deliver the 2019 Aristotle Address in Athens. The Aristotle Address, which had previously been given by the President of Greece and UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, is the highlight of the annual Athens Democracy Forum, hosted under the auspices of H.E. the President of the Hellenic Republic,...

President Higgins attended the opening segment of the SmaLl Island Developing States (SIDS) Summit, together with the UN Secretary-General (UNSG), António Guterres, the President of the General Assembly (PGA) and senior representatives of UNMember States. The President addressed the opening segment of the summit, which serves as a high level review of the progress made in addressing the priorities...

https://president.ie/en/diary/details/president-hosts-afternoon-tea-reception-for-community-groups-october-2019

President Michael D. Higgins hosted an event for families campaigning for justice for the Birmingham bombing victims, and for representatives of the Glencree Centre for Peace and Reconciliation. After the event, President and Sabina Higgins invited the families of the victims to ring the Peace Bell at Áras an Uachtaráin. See: https://president.ie/en/diary/details/president-hosts-dinner-for-relativ...

President Higgins took part in an interview hosted by journalist Dan Barry. The event took place in New York’s Public Library. With nearly 53 million items, on 92 locations, New York’s public library system is the second largest public library in the United States, and the third largest in the world. The library hosts regular informal lunch-time talks and public “In Conversation” events. See: http...

https://www.wnyc.org/story/unga-irish-president-michael-higgins/

See https://president.ie/en/diary/details/president-gives-keynote-address-at-fordham-university

See https://president.ie/en/diary/details/president-visits-irish-american-society-for-nassau-suffolk-and-queens

See https://president.ie/en/diary/details/president-addresses-un-general-assembly

"On Responding to the Interacting Crises of Our Times – Ecology, Economy and Society" See https://president.ie/en/diary/details/president-delivers-keynote-address-at-new-york-university President Higgins gave a keynote address at New York University, a private research university founded in 1831. In his address the President spoke about the importance to Ireland of the United Nations and of the ne...

See event details and background at https://president.ie/en/diary/details/president-receives-american-irish-legislators-society-of-new-york

President Higgins hosted an event to mark the first ever gathering of Ireland’s Honorary Consuls. For more information, see https://president.ie/en/diary/details/president-and-sabina-host-a-reception-for-honorary-consuls-in-recognition-of-their-work-overseas

President Higgins opened the inaugural Phoenix Park Biodiversity Festival and Honey Show, taking place on Saturday 14 September. An initiative of the Office of Public Works (OPW), the aim of the show is to celebrate the Phoenix Park’s rich and natural biodiversity through a programme of events consisting of free activities, including walks, talks, tours, documentaries, music and art. The festival...

President Higgins delivered the Opening Address at the national event marking the centenary of the founding of the ILO, the International Labour Organisation – a U.N. agency that brings together governments, employers and workers of 187 member States to set labour standards, develop policies and devise programmes promoting decent work for all women and men. See https://president.ie/en/diary/detail...

On Tuesday, 17 September, President Higgins will formally open the 88th National Ploughing Championships, taking place in Ballintrane, Co. Carlow. Since his inauguration in 2011, the President has attended the Ploughing Championships each year and he has described the festival as “an outstanding example of the Irish genius” and “the most beloved rendez-vous in Ireland’s rural calendar.”

President Higgins hosted an event to mark the establishment of the Heritage Council and the County Heritage Officers Association 20 years ago. See https://president.ie/en/diary/details/president-receives-the-heritage-council-and-county-heritage-officers-on-the-occasion-of-their-20th-anniversary

See https://president.ie/en/diary/details/president-hosts-defence-forces-values-awards

See event details at https://president.ie/en/diary/details/president-visits-holy-family-secondary-school President Higgins visited the Holy Family Secondary School in Newbridge, to mark the school’s 60th Anniversary. The school first opened its doors in 1959, as the town’s first secondary school for girls. First based in the Holy Family Sisters convent, the school moved into its own building in 19...