Ninth
Seán T O’Kelly (1945-59)
O’Kelly was a senior Fianna Fáil politician – he had served as tánaiste and minister for finance – when he won the first presidential election in 1945.
He was only 63 when he first became president, but his two terms helped to establish the perception of the office as a place of retirement for elderly politicians.
O’Kelly said that his job as president was “mainly signing on the dotted line”. Like many of the early presidents, he promoted the Irish language and spoke in favour of Irish unity. He was also the first president to address a joint meeting of the US Congress.
Eighth
Paddy Hillery (1976-90)
Hillery had been reluctant to become president when the position was offered to him, but he still served two terms (unopposed both times). His inauguration in December 1976 was the third in as many years and, in The Irish Times, it was reported that the ceremony was met by “international indifference” with no heads of state in attendance.
Hillery had been a senior Fianna Fáil minister and the State’s first European commissioner.
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