'Young people’s choice of participation, rather than cynicism, is a powerful way of looking at the future'

Thu, Oct 11, 2018

Climate change is a reality, a crisis facing us all, yet in this period of turmoil - geo-politically via Trump, Brexit, and the rise of the far right, and environmentally with rising temperatures and extreme weather - there remains cause for hope.

For Uachtarán na hÉireann, Michael D Higgins, that hope lies in the commitment and energy of young people; the determination and questioning they will bring to bear on politics; and how their questioning and activism will re-shape it to meet the challenges of the coming years.

Uachtarán Higgins was in Galway this week, as part of his campaign for a second term as president. The man is no stranger to elections, first running for the Dáil in the 1969 general election as the Labour Party candidate. In the 49 years since, he served as a city and county councillor, mayor of Galway, senator, TD, and cabinet minister, before being elected Uachtarán na hÉireann in 2011. Despite initially saying he would only serve one term, he announced earlier this year he would seek re-election, and with the polls showing a commanding lead over his opponents, the man many refer to simply as ‘Michael D’ looks set to return to Áras an Uachtaráin after October 26.