This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/apr/08/michael-d-higgins-irelands-poet-president

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Michael D Higgins: Ireland's poet president Michael D Higgins: Ireland's poet president
(about 1 hour later)
Michael D Higgins has a lack of pomp and circumstance that is in sharp contrast to the Queen, his main host for the next five days. Last year, the Irish president – known affectionately as Michael D – surprised his minders by dropping into a Dublin pub after noticing a Galway flag flying outside, and chatted to the regulars about the prospects for his adopted county's hurling team. Michael D Higgins has a lack of pomp and circumstance that is in sharp contrast to the Queen, his main host for the next five days.
The Queen stays away from the realm of politics, perhaps part of the reason for her enduring popularity in the UK. Again, Higgins is very different. His two predecessors as president, Mary Robinson and Mary McAleese, have not baulked at tackling thorny issues. Robinson became the first Irish head of state to visit the Queen and promoted a new sense of Irishness beyond the Anglophobic hardline green nationalism of the state's founding fathers. McAleese went even further by promoting the remembrance of thousands written out of the official post-partition Irish story – those who fought and died for Britain in the first and second world wars. She also built bridges with the unionist community in the north. Last year, the Irish president – known affectionately as Michael D – surprised his minders by dropping into a Dublin pub after noticing a Galway flag flying outside, and chatted to the regulars about the prospects for his adopted county's hurling team.
The Queen stays away from the realm of politics, perhaps part of the reason for her enduring popularity in the UK. Again, Higgins is very different. His two predecessors as president, Mary Robinson and Mary McAleese, have not balked at tackling thorny issues.
Robinson became the first Irish head of state to visit the Queen and promoted a new sense of Irishness beyond the Anglophobic hardline nationalism of the state's founding fathers.
McAleese went even further by promoting the remembrance of thousands written out of the official post-partition Irish story – those who fought and died for Britain in the first and second world wars. She also built bridges with the unionist community in the north.
Higgins has gone further still by criticising neoliberalism during a speech to the London School of Economics a year ago. Sticking to his old socialist principles, he caused further political controversy at the start of this year by warning in a public lecture that Ireland was "sleepwalking into disaster" with its high youth unemployment rates.Higgins has gone further still by criticising neoliberalism during a speech to the London School of Economics a year ago. Sticking to his old socialist principles, he caused further political controversy at the start of this year by warning in a public lecture that Ireland was "sleepwalking into disaster" with its high youth unemployment rates.
Although on the left of the Labour party, the Irish president was a strong critic of republican violence during the Troubles, while also campaigning against state abuses and miscarriages of justice such as the Birmingham six.Although on the left of the Labour party, the Irish president was a strong critic of republican violence during the Troubles, while also campaigning against state abuses and miscarriages of justice such as the Birmingham six.
Born into poverty in Limerick in 1941, Higgins was a self-made man who graduated from University College Galway, where in later life he became a lecturer. He also holds degrees from Manchester University and was a visiting professor at Southern Illinois University. As well as being a fluent Gaelic speaker, Higgins speaks Spanish and is a renowned poet in Ireland. Born into poverty in Limerick in 1941, Higgins was a self-made man who graduated from University College Galway, where he later became a lecturer. He also holds degrees from Manchester University and was a visiting professor at Southern Illinois University. As well as being a fluent Gaelic speaker, Higgins speaks Spanish and is a renowned poet in Ireland.
The president met his wife Sabina thanks to an Irish journalist who now lives in London and has been a strong supporter of improving Anglo-Irish relations for decades. The columnist and commentator Mary Kenny introduced them at a party in 1969. They have four children, Alice Mary, John, Michael junior and Daniel. The president met his wife, Sabina, thanks to an Irish journalist who now lives in London and has been a strong supporter of improving Anglo-Irish relations for decades. The columnist and commentator Mary Kenny introduced them at a party in 1969. They have four children, Alice Mary, John, Michael junior and Daniel.