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24th October 2025
10:20am BST
As the country takes to the polls, the last 14 years with Michael D. Higgins as President of Ireland will come to a close.
But before he leaves the Áras, let's have a look back at the best, and most memorable, moments of his tenure.
The photo of Michael D. on the BMX is iconic, but did you know that the image may never have seen the light of day?
Sea Sessions was hosting an area devoted to BMXing and skateboarding, and when a photographer suggested that Higgins hop on the bike 'for a laugh' he kindly obliged.
The image was taken with hope that one of the newspapers would purchase it the next day, but amazingly, nobody took him up on it.
Freelance photographer, Michael Donnelly, knew that he had captured something special, so he shared the image on Facebook, and the rest is history!
President Higgins became almost as famous for his dogs as for his poetry and politics.
His beloved Bernese Mountain Dogs Bród, Misneach and Síoda were often shared in snaps from the Áras, but sadly both Bród and Síoda have passed away.
Bród was arguably the most well known of all the gentle giants after his cameo in one of the President's interviews,
He simly wandered into the shot, demanding attention from his owner who continued to calmly pet him while speaking to the press.
On another occasion, the dog wandered through an event in the Áras to find his owner for some midday belly rubs.
Not exactly a moment made by the man himself, but the list couldn't go on with the mention of the brilliant mispell.
Back around 2018, a viral picture of a child's school work went viral after she wrote the President's name as 'Miggeldy Higgins' thinking that’s how his name was spelled.
It became a nickname for Michael D. after the internet clung onto it and turned it into an online meme and persona.
President Michael D. Higgins' reaction to Ireland's victory over Italy in Euro 2016 is, no doubt, a cherished moment in Irish sporting history.
He was seen jumping from his seat in sheer joy as Robbie Brady scored the decisive goal, and thakfully, it was captured on television for all to see.
His celebration quickly went viral for it's warmth and authenticity.
President Higgins has been a consistent and vocal advocate for justice and human rights on the international stage, including for the Palestinian people.
As famine was declared in Gaza earlier this year, Michael D. stated: “With famine imminent in Gaza, immediate multilateral action and immediate recovery of the aid distribution system must be prioritised by the international community.”
He also welcomed Ireland's call for an Emergency Special Session of the UN General Assembly to address the crisis during this time.
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