First Minister Michelle O’Neill and deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly welcomed Catherine Connolly, President of Ireland, to Stormont Castle on 4 February 2026, marking her first official visit to Northern Ireland since inauguration. While Ms Connolly had travelled to Belfast in October 2025 as President-elect—attending the Oireachtas na Samhna festival and meeting the Irish language commissioner—this three-day tour represents her first formal engagement as head of state.
The visit fulfils a pledge Ms Connolly made during her November 2025 inauguration address to make Northern Ireland her first official destination. Elected as Ireland’s 10th President in October 2025, Ms Connolly secured a record 63% of first-preference votes to become the third woman to hold the office, according to the BBC and PBS.
Warm Welcome at Stormont Castle
The three leaders met at Stormont Castle, headquarters of the Northern Ireland Executive, where they posed for photographs before holding discussions. According to a statement from The Executive Office, deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly described the meeting as a “positive engagement”, stating: “We had a positive engagement with President Connolly. I believe in building positive working relationships, particularly important in the context of our closest neighbour, based on mutual respect.”
First Minister Michelle O’Neill emphasised the symbolic importance of the occasion, stating: “I was delighted to welcome Catherine Connolly, Uachtarán na hÉireann, to Belfast today. Her inauguration was a landmark moment—not just in Ireland’s history, but for all our people.”
Ms O’Neill highlighted Ms Connolly’s longstanding advocacy for “equality, accountability, and the Irish language,” adding that the visit “underlines the importance of continuing to work together on opportunities that benefit every community across this island.”
Itinerary and Regional Engagements
Following the Stormont meeting, President Connolly delivered an address at the Ulster University campus in north Belfast and visited community initiatives in the city. Her official visit continues on Thursday and Friday with engagements in County Londonderry, according to the BBC and Kildare Now, though the Western People and Meath Chronicle refer to the location as Co Derry.
The trip realises a commitment made in her inauguration address to visit Northern Ireland first. In her speech, President Connolly said she would meet people from all communities and celebrate their rich heritage and traditions, as RTE reported.
Political Context and Background
President Connolly brings considerable institutional experience to the role. A former barrister and the first woman to serve as Leas-Cheann Comhairle (Deputy Speaker) of the Dáil, she has consistently championed equality, accountability, and the Irish language throughout her career, according to her official biography and PBS reporting.
The visit comes as Ireland prepares to assume the Presidency of the Council of the European Union. Taoiseach Micheál Martin noted that Ireland will host the EU Presidency in the second half of 2026, a role that will see the Government host more than 270 events between 1 July and 31 December 2026, according to the Department of Foreign Affairs.
What to Watch Next
The President’s engagements in County Londonderry on Thursday and Friday will offer further indications of her approach to cross-border relations during her seven-year term. For now, the meeting at Stormont Castle represents a formal gesture of goodwill between the island’s three most senior political leaders, fulfilling Ms Connolly’s campaign pledge to prioritise north-south engagement.