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PRESIDENT-ELECT CATHERINE CONNOLLY will be inaugurated as the 10th President of Ireland in a ceremony today.
Less than a month after Connolly’s landslide win in the Presidential election she will be succeeding Michael D Higgins after his 14-year term as Uachtarán na hÉireann ends.
Today’s ceremony will be the 14th inauguration since Douglas Hyde, the first President of Ireland, was elected 80 years ago.
Here’s everything you need to know about it.
The inauguration will be held in Dublin Castle, which is where every inauguration has been held since the first ceremony installing Douglas Hyde.
Connolly will be officially sworn into office in St Patrick’s Hall.
In total the ceremony will take around an hour.
Things will kick off around 12pm when the President-elect’s motorcade is expected to arrive at Dublin Castle after a ceremonial drive.
It will enter the Castle through the Cork Hill gate.
After arriving into the Upper Castle yard, Connolly will exit their vehicle and will be greeted by the Tánaiste at the entrance to the State Apartments before being led up the main staircase onto the Battle-Axe Landing.
She will then receive the signal to enter St Patrick’s Hall where the ceremony will begin.
Connolly will walk up the aisle to the dais, where the Taoiseach, as well as members of government and judiciary, await.
On this stage, directly below the Irish tricolour, the President-elect is administered the oath and formally sworn into office by the Chief Justice of Ireland.
Chief Justice Donal O’Donnell will read the Oath aloud in Irish and Connolly will repeat it and then sign it. She will then officially be President of Ireland.
The Taoiseach will likely give a speech, followed by the newly ordained President.
Previous presidential speeches have included references to the arts, such as during Mary Robinson’s where she quoted poets Seamus Heaney and Eavan Boland, who were in attendance.
At every previous ceremony the Army Band No.1 played the national anthem from their regular position in the gallery above the dais as the President exits the hall.
The presidential motorcade will then begin the procession to Áras an Uachtaráin.
Article 12.8 of the Irish Constitution specifies that a specific Oath must be taken by the president in order to assume office.
The Oath is as follows:
“In the presence of Almighty God I, [name], do solemnly and sincerely promise and declare that I will maintain the Constitution of Ireland and uphold its laws, that I will fulfil my duties faithfully and conscientiously in accordance with the Constitution and the law, and that I will dedicate my abilities to the service and welfare of the people of Ireland. May God direct and sustain me”.
It must be read and repeated in Irish:
“I láthair Dia na nUilechumhacht, táimse, [ainm], á ghealladh agus á dhearbhú go sollúnta is go fírinneach bheith i mo thaca agus i mo dhídin do Bhunreacht Éireann, agus a dlíthe a chaomhnú, mo dhualgais a chomhlíonadh go dílis coinsiasach de réir an Bhunreachta is an dlí, agus mo lándícheall a dhéanamh ar son leasa is fónaimh mhuintir na hÉireann. Dia do mo stiúradh agus do mo chumhdach”.
Around 350 generally attend Presidential inaugurations.
St Patrick’s Hall holds five or six rows of guests, which will include parliamentarians, diplomatic corps, army representatives, religious figureheads and family members.
Connolly’s husband Brian McEnery and their sons Stephen and Brian will likely be attending the ceremony. As will outgoing President Michael D Higgins and his wife Sabina Coyne.
The Tanaiste, Taoiseach and Chief Justice are also certain to be there as they play integral roles in the ceremony.
No, the inauguration will also have a part two around 6pm when a State Reception will be held in the State Apartments.
Previous State Receptions have been elaborate affairs.
In 2011, 1,700 guests were invited to the reception to celebrate Michael D Higgins’ inauguration and there was performances from Sharon Shannon and Sawdoctor’s Leo Moran.
Follow the presidential inauguration live from 10am on The Journal site and on social media
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