Ireland's newly elected president, Catherine Connolly, delivered her first Christmas address without mentioning Jesus, focusing instead on diversity, global crises, and climate change. The message, posted on X on December 22, 2025, drew criticism for sidelining the religious significance of the holiday in a predominantly Catholic nation. Critics highlighted the absence amid Ireland's historical religious divisions.
Catherine Connolly, Ireland's president since her recent election, issued her inaugural Christmas message on December 22, 2025, via the social media platform X. In the video, she extended wishes for a "happy and joyful Christmas and a peaceful New Year" to people in Ireland and abroad. Connolly referenced the winter solstice, noting the transition from the year's darkest days toward lengthening light.
She emphasized core values like kindness, tolerance, and respect for differences, urging reflection during the holiday. Connolly addressed global challenges, describing them as "interconnected crises" including war, displacement, and climate change. She specifically mentioned the people of Palestine, Ukraine, and Sudan, drawing parallels to Ireland's own past experiences with forced immigration, dispossession, hunger, and war.
The president expressed gratitude to first responders and the military for their service over the holidays and beyond. She called for collective action to celebrate diversity and pursue sustainable solutions to the climate crisis. Notably absent was any reference to Jesus Christ, whose birth the holiday commemorates, prompting widespread online mockery.
Irish broadcaster Niall Boylan commented, "I’m not a believer in religion myself but surely it might be respectful to give the birth of Jesus a quick mention. Suppose that’s not her thing. She’s only president of a Catholic country after all." A retired London police officer observed, "The word Jesus seems to be missing here," while lamenting the omission of mentions of Israeli victims and advocating for more heartfelt political messages.
This omission occurs against Ireland's religious history, marked by tensions between the Catholic Republic of Ireland and Protestant Northern Ireland, both traditionally centered on Christian beliefs. Connolly's focus on secular and international issues reflects evolving societal priorities in the nation.
