(Seo alt ónár bhfoireann nua Gaeltachta.  Is féidir an bunleagan as Gaeilge a léamh anseo.)

AS THE OIREACHTAS na Samhna in Belfast began today, the attention of the crowd at the Waterfront Centre was on a special guest who was not speaking from the platform, the newly elected President of Ireland, Catherine Connolly.

The independent Deputy from West Galway was attending the official opening in her role as chair of the Joint Committee on Irish, the Gaeltacht and the Irish-Speaking Community at that other Oireachtas, namely the Houses of the Oireachtas in Dublin.

In two weeks’ time she will spend her first night in Áras an Uachtaráin following her inauguration ceremony on Tuesday, 11 November. 

During her campaign, she had pledged to make her first official trip as President should she be elected a journey to Belfast – and she kept her promise even before being installed officially.

 At the Waterfront Centre in Belfast, she was surrounded by festival-goers as they all tried to congratulate the newly elected Head of State and took lots of selfies, photographs that will be proudly shown to children and grandchildren in the years to come.

On the stage, speaking, was the Gaeltacht Minister, Dara Calleary, who reminded the crowd that he had spoken to Connolly several weeks ago at a meeting of the Joint Committee when they were discussing the Údarás na Gaeltachta Bill.

“We are discussing the Bill here, I told you then – but you may be the one signing the Bill to become law before the end of the year,” said Minister Calleary.

“Now you will be signing the Bill because you are the President-elect – congratulations.”

The Minister praised the newly elected President for making the Irish language central to her campaign.

When the speeches were over, a band began to play and the music was so lively that you could see that the President-elect was in the mood to dance. There was no time or space for dancing however as she was surrounded by well-wishers, congratulating her.

The Oireachtas proceedings in Belfast will continue until Sunday. A full programme of events is available on the website.