Michael D. Higgins
A poet-president who brought a lyrical humanism and intellectual grace to the highest office in Ireland.
Born 1941 (age 85)·President of Ireland from 2011 to 2025·Birthday: April 18·The Silent Generation
Biography
Michael D. Higgins redefined what an Irish president could be, blending a lifetime of leftist activism with the soul of a poet. Long before entering Áras an Uachtaráin, he was a sociologist, broadcaster, and a fierce parliamentary voice for the marginalized, serving as Ireland's first Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht. In that role, he championed the Irish language and film industry with transformative effect. His 2011 presidential campaign, fueled by a vision of an 'ethical republic' and 'active citizenship,' resonated with a public weary of economic crisis. As president, he traded political rhetoric for philosophical reflection, using his platform to speak on global human rights, the perils of unbridled capitalism, and the unifying power of culture. His state visits were punctuated with recited poetry, and his thoughtful, measured voice became a comforting national constant during a decade of social change. Higgins didn't just preside; he provoked thought, insisting that Irish identity was broad enough to encompass both tradition and a compassionate, outward-looking modernity.
The Silent Generation
1928–1945
Born between the Depression and the end of WWII. Too young to fight, old enough to remember. They became the conformist middle managers of the 1950s — and the civil rights leaders who quietly dismantled Jim Crow.
Michael was born in 1941, placing them squarely in The Silent Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Michael Was Born
The biggest hits of 1941
#1 Movie
Sergeant York
Best Picture
How Green Was My Valley
Michael's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1941Born
Pearl Harbor attack brings the US into WWII
Gas: $0.19/galHome: $3,060Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Chattanooga Choo Choo" — Glenn MillerBest Picture: How Green Was My Valley
1946Started school
United Nations holds its first General Assembly
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $5,150Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Prisoner of Love" — Perry ComoBest Picture: The Best Years of Our Lives
1954Became a teenager
Brown v. Board of Education desegregates US schools
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $8,925Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Little Things Mean a Lot" — Kitty KallenBest Picture: On the Waterfront
1957Could drive
Sputnik launches the Space Age
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $10,550Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"All Shook Up" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: The Bridge on the River Kwai
1959Could vote
Fidel Castro takes power in Cuba
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $12,400Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"The Battle of New Orleans" — Johnny HortonBest Picture: Ben-Hur
1962Turned 21
Cuban Missile Crisis brings the world to the brink
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,800Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Stranger on the Shore" — Acker BilkBest Picture: Lawrence of Arabia
1971Turned 30
Voting age lowered to 18 in the US
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $18,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Joy to the World" — Three Dog NightBest Picture: The French Connection
1981Turned 40
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1991Turned 50
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
2001Turned 60
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2011Turned 70
Osama bin Laden killed; Arab Spring sweeps the Middle East
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $138,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Rolling in the Deep" — AdeleBest Picture: The Artist
2021Turned 80
January 6 Capitol breach; COVID vaccines roll out globally
Gas: $3.01/galHome: $298,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Levitating" — Dua LipaBest Picture: CODA
2026Age 85 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Served as the 9th President of Ireland for two terms (2011-2025), becoming one of the nation's most popular heads of state.
- As Ireland's first Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht (1993-1997), he established TG4, the Irish language television station, and the Irish Film Board.
- Authored several volumes of poetry and sociological works, including 'The Betrayal' (1990) and 'An Arid Season' (2004).
- Served as Mayor of Galway on two occasions and represented the Galway West constituency as a Teachta Dála (TD) for nearly 25 years.
Did You Know?
He and his wife Sabina are the first married couple to have both served as Lord Mayor of Galway.
Higgins is a passionate fan of Galway United Football Club and is often seen attending matches.
He has two dogs named Bród and Misneach, which are Irish for 'Pride' and 'Courage.'
Before politics, he worked as a lecturer in Political Science and Sociology at University College Galway (now NUIG).
“As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.”
