In late October, Ireland elected Catherine Connolly as its 10th president to serve a seven-year term beginning on Nov. 11. Connolly, 68, is an independent, left-wing politician—and a former psychologist and barrister who professes to not like politics. Until 2024, she served as the deputy chair of the Dail Eireann, Ireland’s lower house of parliament. Her victory was emphatic: She secured 63.4 percent of the total vote. The Irish presidency is a largely ceremonial role. On paper, the president