FORMER WEATHER FORECASTER Joanna Donnelly has given up on her short-lived bid to run for President.

Donnelly said that since Tuesday – when she announced her intention to seek a nomination for the presidency race from county councils – she had come to realise she wasn’t ready for such a campaign.

“Since Tuesday I have come to understand through conversations with people with vastly more experience in this type of campaign that I am unprepared for such an undertaking,” Donnelly said.

“While I still believe that I have the qualities that would make me a good Uachtarán na hÉireann, I was naive to think I could meet the challenges of the campaign.”

Donnelly speaking on Instagram this afternoon. Instagram Instagram

Donnelly thanked people who had sent her comments of support and encouragement.

Donnelly announced her plan in a series of media interviews on Tuesday and Wednesday, including with The Journal, after contacting a number of county councils to seek backing to get on the ballot paper.

Donnelly said earlier this week that the idea to run for the Áras was sparked by a mix of timing and encouragement from family, friends and viewers.

She described herself as “not very political” but claimed she “could be a good President” because she could “represent the people of Ireland”. She said she believed most Irish people were centrists like herself.

The presidential race is set to accelerate next week when county councils begin to hear requests for nominations from would-be candidates.

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The way is clear for Fine Gael’s candidate, Heather Humphreys, to gain a place on the ballot paper with the support of a quorum of Oireachtas members, while left-wing Independent TD Catherine Connolly will be a candidate also.

Fianna Fáil MEP Billy Kelleher is battling it out with former Dublin Gaelic football manager Jim Gavin for his party’s nomination, while former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern has admitted he’s out of the running citing a lack of support from party leader Micheál Martin.

Sinn Féin will make a decision about whether to put forward its own candidate on 20 September.

The election will be held on 24 October.