The new Irish President

The election of Michael D Higgins as President of the Republic of Ireland will help lift some of the doom and gloom across the Irish sea. A socialist and Republican, Higgins has never been afraid to articulate his radical vision: http://www.morningstaronline.co.uk/
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Commenting on his election victory the Irish Times said that the outcome was a vindication for Mr. Higgins's distinct personal values. "He is a politician who has displayed single-mindedness, a voice for the oppressed and disadvantaged, and a supporter of campaigns that sometimes ran contrary to the populist view - but always calibrated by standards of justice and the public interest. Most significantly, given the office he will hold, he articulates a vision for our Republic, tangible optimism in relation to its future and an acute sense of place with culture at its heart".

A poet as well as a politician Higgins's words seemed apt on the occasion of his success

"We make an affirmation.
The stuff of hope beckons.
Out of the darkness we step,
And blink into the new light."

MS