Catherine Connolly speaks at her inauguration as president of Ireland: "Given our history, the normalisation of war and genocide has never been, and will never be, acceptable to us. As a sovereign independent nation with a long and cherished tradition of neutrality, and an uninterrupted record of peacekeeping since 1958, Ireland is particularly well placed to lead and articulate alternative diplomatic solutions to conflict and war. Our experience of colonisation and resistance, of a catastrophic man-made Famine and forced emigration gives us a lived understanding of dispossession, hunger, and war and a mandate for Ireland to lead. We can and should take real pride in the success of the Good Friday Agreement, knowing that this is recognised far and wide and is a model for the peaceful resolution of conflict. As I assume the privilege of office, we face the existential threat of climate change and the threat of ongoing wars; both, of course, are inextricably linked. I am acutely conscious of the 165 million people currently forcibly displaced from their homes and countries due to war, famine, and climate change. We cannot turn back the clock nor close our eyes to these realities. These are the challenges of our times, and our actions or inaction will determine the world our children and grandchildren will inherit. It is both an individual and a collective challenge, and one which obliges us to reflect on the way we live and interact with our world and with each other."

Catherine Connolly speaks at her inauguration as president of Ireland: "Given our history, the normalisation of war and genocide has never been, and will never be, acceptable to us. As a sovereign independent nation with a long and cherished tradition of neutrality, and an uninterrupted record of peacekeeping since 1958, Ireland is particularly well placed to lead and articulate alternative diplomatic solutions to conflict and war. Our experience of colonisation and resistance, of a catastrophic man-made Famine and forced emigration gives us a lived understanding of dispossession, hunger, and war and a mandate for Ireland to lead. We can and should take real pride in the success of the Good Friday Agreement, knowing that this is recognised far and wide and is a model for the peaceful resolution of conflict. As I assume the privilege of office, we face the existential threat of climate change and the threat of ongoing wars; both, of course, are inextricably linked. I am acutely conscious of the 165 million people currently forcibly displaced from their homes and countries due to war, famine, and climate change. We cannot turn back the clock nor close our eyes to these realities. These are the challenges of our times, and our actions or inaction will determine the world our children and grandchildren will inherit. It is both an individual and a collective challenge, and one which obliges us to reflect on the way we live and interact with our world and with each other."