School pupils meet ‘cool’ new President Catherine Connolly

Catherine Connolly is going to be a “great” president, according to school children who met her immediately after her inauguration.

Third and fourth class children from Francis Street School watched as an Air Corps flypast went overhead during the music of the Presidential Salute on Tuesday.

Ms Connolly waved to the children as she completed her inspection of the Guard of Honour in the courtyard of Dublin Castle.

Before departing for her official residence at Aras an Uachtarain, she spoke with some of the children briefly, shook hands and gave them high fives.

Speaking afterwards, pupil Luna Flynn said the President had complimented the yellow bows in her hair and “said they were really nice”.

She added: “It was amazing, I think she’s really good and great and I think she is going to be a great fit for our president.”

Ellis Byrne said that Ms Connolly was “very nice” and would be “great for the future”.

Declan McGuinness said the president “was really cool and kind” while AJ Stack referenced the popular video of Ms Connolly doing keepie-uppies, or solos, with a football and said: “Obviously its her first day so she still has to get used to it. But I think she is going to be very good in the future – and she’s very good at football.”

The pupils also met Taoiseach Micheal Martin and Tanaiste Simon Harris.

Francis Street School is a vertical co-ed primary school located in the historic Liberties area nearby Dublin Castle.

Education began on the site in Francis Street in 1846.

The school has eight mainstream classes, two special classes and they changed status to become a co-ed school in 2021.

In 2018, former president Micheal D Higgins officially opened the school’s library.

The pupils also set their eyes on the future, with Luna, Declan, Ellis and AJ all saying they would want to be president themselves.

AJ said: “I’d like to be – it is so cool, and you have all the army around you and stuff.”

Luna said: “I think it would be great because you’d get to do anything.”

Declan said: “It’d be really cool to be the boss of Ireland.”