I’ve decided to run for President of Ireland.
As of right now, I have zero nominations and no party machine behind me.
All I have is conviction, conviction that this office matters.
What worries me most is the number of high-profile candidates who’ve already ruled themselves out. One after another, accomplished, experienced, celebrated figures have declined to run. There is a growing sense that we are letting the Presidency drift into irrelevance.
I’m not okay with that.
Either we take the role seriously, or we reduce it to a popularity contest where the winner gets a free house for seven years and a pension at the end. That’s a cynical and reductive view, but it’s the perception we risk reinforcing if we don’t treat this election with the gravity it deserves. It is more than a ceremonial role or a retirement gift.
I’m running because I believe that the role of President can still be powerful, not in a partisan or political way. The Constitution gives the office limits, yes. But it also gives it weight. The President is the only person elected by the entire country. That means something. It should be used to say something.
I think of those young Irish people in Sydney who stood outside the Opera House with a sign that read: “Give us a reason to come home.” As President, I want to be that reason.
The Presidency should be a source of national ambition. A platform for high standards, bold ideas, and heroic leadership. We should be welcoming our diaspora home with national purpose.
I’m running because, right now, Ireland lacks direction. The very concept of a rotating Taoiseach hasn’t inspired confidence and I just don’t hear enough people asking the right questions or offering the right kind of hope.
If I asked you today what Ireland’s long-term vision is, what would you say? What’s the plan beyond praying Google or Apple don’t leave?
The reality is we are entering into a decade of enormous change. The AI revolution is coming. Now is the time for agile, intellectually-curious leaders. This is an enormous opportunity. As a nation we have to be ready. But who is even talking about this?
Yes, we have major problems around housing, public expenditure, accountability and of course our immigration system. These aren’t issues the President decides on, but the President can shape national conversations to elevate these debates, not avoid them.
I’m 35 years old, the minimum age to run for President. I will be the youngest candidate BY FAR! While I respect experience, age alone does not qualify someone to represent Ireland in this moment. In fact, I’d argue we need a generational shift.
We need someone who understands what it means to raise a family in modern Ireland. The sheer cost of daycare alone!
Someone who knows what it’s like to work in a changing economy, to navigate housing uncertainty. Someone that listens to younger voices, not just politely, but seriously. Someone from “generation rent”….someone who just gets it.
I have ten years’ experience in law, five in business, and a lifetime of living in real Ireland (..the one outside of Leinster House). I grew up on a pig farm in Tipperary. I now live in Ringsend with my wife and our young son. I work hard and pay tax. I’ve built a family, a career and a business. Like everyone else I’ve made sacrifices. I’ve tried to contribute with integrity. I enjoy life. I love Ireland not just out of nostalgia, but because I believe in the future.
The Presidency won’t solve every problem. But it can challenge complacency.
To those in the Oireachtas and local government who may be hesitant to nominate an outsider: you don’t have to agree with me to support my nomination. You only have to believe that Irish people deserve a real choice.
I’m not here to play the game.
I’m here to raise the standard.
Whether I get one nomination or one hundred, I’ll stand over every word I’ve said.
This campaign starts with nothing, except a belief that we can do better.
The Presidency matters.
Nick Delehanty is a campaigner, writer, and activist. You can find him on social media here.