President Michael D Higgins delivers final St Patrick's Day Message

President Michael D Higgins has released his 2025 St Patrick's Day Message, the last of his 14-year presidency.

Higgins called for a "renewed sense of solidarity" and condemned "rhetoric that seeks not to unite, but to separate."

"Reflecting on the themes that have been central to my presidency, I remain convinced that there are alternative ways of living together on this fragile planet - ones shaped not by the narrow pursuit of self-interest, by the politics of exclusion, but by the pursuit of the shared opportunities, joys and resonance that are available with each other and with nature," Higgins said.

He also commended the support that both Irish people and others have shown to those "living in lesser conditions of poverty, hunger, displacement or imprisonment."

The President offered his sympathy to the people who "experienced the dreadful consequences of Storm Éowyn" in January, thanking the workers and emergency services that responded to the damage caused by the extreme weather.

To close the speech, Higgins again asked for the Irish people to embrace compassion and solidarity, saying:

"On this St Patrick's Day 2025, let us invoke the spirit of Saint Patrick by acknowledging our shared responsibilities to each other, to our global family."

"Let us resolve to forge together a renewed sense of solidarity, reaffirming our commitment to the dignity and well-being of all, in building a just and compassionate world, one which reflects the best instincts of our humanity."

Listen to the speech in full below, or read it here.

English:

Irish: