Dublin: Ireland’s presidential election campaign is drawing to a close, with voting set to take place on Friday to choose a successor to President Michael D. Higgins. Campaigning officially ends tonight, marking the final day of a spirited national contest.
According to the latest Business Post/Red C poll, independent candidate Catherine Connolly appears poised for victory, with her popularity rising sharply in the final days of the campaign. The poll shows 44% of voters backing Connolly—an eight-point increase from two weeks ago—suggesting strong nationwide momentum in her favour.
Fine Gael’s Heather Humphreys holds steady at 25%, while fellow party candidate Jim Govin, who remains on the ballot but has largely withdrawn from active campaigning, saw his support dip from 12% to 10%.
Although 21% of voters remain undecided, that number has dropped by six points since the previous poll. When undecided voters are excluded, Connolly leads decisively with 55%, followed by Humphreys at 34%, and Govin at 11%.
The online survey, conducted between October 16 and 21, indicates a clear lead for Connolly heading into Friday’s vote. Both major candidates intensified their campaigns this week, culminating in a 70-minute televised debate last night—the final face-off before polls open.
Connolly, however, urged caution among her supporters, saying she does not take victory for granted. “The election will be decided only when the people of Ireland cast their votes,” she said, adding that a win would “send a powerful message to the government.”
Sinn Féin Vice President and Northern Ireland First Minister Michelle O’Neill joined Connolly’s campaign in Monaghan, calling her candidacy “a symbol of the change Ireland wants.” O’Neill also noted that this would be the last presidential election in which citizens from Northern Ireland are unable to vote.
Meanwhile, Fine Gael condemned what it described as the spread of “negative and personal attacks” on Humphreys and her family across social media. Party officials accused certain groups of engaging in “dirty politics” in the final stretch of the campaign.
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