Talk:Michael D. Higgins

General semi-protection for candidates in the upcoming presidential election
I've proposed that all articles on candidates on the upcoming presidential election be semi protected until the 28th of October. This is owing to all of these articles coming under increasing pressure from vandals and unregistered/newly-registered editors with obvious axes to grind.

I've opened a general discussion on this at at WikiProject Ireland. -- RA (talk) 17:53, 5 October 2011 (UTC)

Academic credentials
Does anyone know (with citation) what postgraduate academic awards he received at Manchester and Illinois? For example, is he a PhD? --Red King (talk) 20:01, 31 October 2011 (UTC)

"President-elect of Ireland"
This is more of a vexation, but there is no such thing as "President-elect of Ireland". It is not an office or a title of any sort. The office that Michael D has been elected to is President of Ireland. He will not take that office until November 11, so currently currently he can be described as being "president-elect". -- RA (talk) 08:58, 2 November 2011 (UTC)


 * Bitter experience in the aftermath of other elections suggests this is the least worst method to prevent endless edit wars. Timrollpickering (talk) 15:16, 2 November 2011 (UTC)


 * Though I agree with what you say, it has been the practice to put President-elect of country & Prime Minister-designate of country etc etc, in the bio infoboxes of such individuals 'between their election & assumption of office'. GoodDay (talk) 15:19, 2 November 2011 (UTC)


 * Grrr ... it's vexing. There is no such office. He was elected President of Ireland and is president-elect until his inauguration. -- RA (talk) 09:19, 3 November 2011 (UTC)
 * There's no such office, but there is such a thing, as every newnspaper, TV station and website will tell you. Why does thing have to be an office to have existence? Rock singer isn't an office either, but we use it to describe people. Scolaire (talk) 23:01, 3 November 2011 (UTC)


 * I understand your frustration, RA. The infobox appears to say that McAleese is the 'current' President-elect & Higgins is the 'next' President-elect. In truth, there shouldn't be anything there at all, but old habits die hard. GoodDay (talk) 13:38, 4 November 2011 (UTC)
 * This is "President-elect" stuff is total crap. I have removed some of it. There is no such office so one cannot serve in it. More sloppy, lazy copying of the U.S. style without thinking about the differences. Snappy (talk) 21:37, 9 November 2011 (UTC)
 * Te office has been reverted to original and MUST be discussed here before any further reverts.--Ciaran M (talk) 19:09, 10 November 2011 (UTC)
 * The references that I hasve now provided clearly show that MDH is seen as the President-elect of Ireland. That will bring an end to this reverting I should hope.--Ciaran M (talk) 19:14, 10 November 2011 (UTC)
 * It already HAS been discussed and the majority favoured its removal. I don't need your permission to delete a makey up/imported/incorrect term from this article. If you actually read the BBC reference you provided, you would see its president-elect (lc) not President-elect, and this has already being pointed out above. Please stop adding factually incorrect information to this article. See also Almazbek Atambayev, Otto Pérez Molina and Rosen Plevneliev for wikipedia wide style on this issue. Snappy (talk) 19:34, 10 November 2011 (UTC)
 * Unfortunatley I have been forced to issue the above user 'snappy' with a 3RR warning for what may be considered as vandalism but certainly revert waring on this page.--Ciaran M (talk) 19:58, 10 November 2011 (UTC)
 * Is this some kind of joke? 'Fermanagheditor/Ciaran M' is the one who is a) edit warring b) adding factually incorrect info to an article c) going against consensus established in the talk page and d) violating standard wikipedia styles for this topic. Snappy (talk) 21:03, 10 November 2011 (UTC)

Vandalism removed
I have removed the following changes by User:Betterthanbook and thoroughly scolded the perpetrator. The president-elect is not a hobbit and he is not a house elf. He may be old, he may be wrinkly, he may even require a box to fulfill his duties but he is certainly not a hobbit. --86.40.111.46 (talk) 18:43, 9 November 2011 (UTC)


 * It may be seen here that someone called User:Betterthanbook did a vandal edit. I removed it. Now please let User:Snappy cease to make the situation worse by trying to blame the anonymous editor who tried to help. --86.40.111.46 (talk) 22:03, 9 November 2011 (UTC)
 * Wow, you're so great, you have to have your section praising your mighty efforts on reverting minor vandalism. Well done, barnstar for you! Snappy (talk) 22:06, 9 November 2011 (UTC)
 * Well a person would need to have their own section to deal with such a confused individual as yourself. Are we sorted now then? --86.40.111.46 (talk) 22:09, 9 November 2011 (UTC)
 * I am confused, I thought talk pages were for discussing improvements to the article but apparently they are for writing lengthy odes to oneself on how great one is and all that. I look forward to your next epistle on when you add a comma to a sentence. Yeah, we're totes magotes done! — Preceding unsigned comment added by Snappy (talk • contribs) 22:20, 9 November 2011 (UTC)
 * I have actually nearly doubled in size the "References" section while you have been consumed by the gargantuan task of making up your mind with regard to the identity of the villain of this piece. I'd have turned Michael D. into a "featured article" by now had you not persisted with your efforts to disrupt me and to drain me of my rapidly dwindling interest. Which recent constructive contributions has my privileged interlocutor made to this page? Oh, and I don't consider messing around with the biographical details of a living person to be "minor vandalism" but who am I to decide? I am merely a humble number, a number who can be lumped in among the vandals and barbarians if it suits those who consider themselves to be more civilised. I hereby resign my commission. I shall seek alternative employment elsewhere, in a more open and welcoming environment. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 86.40.111.46 (talk) 22:50, 9 November 2011 (UTC)
 * Gee, you're still praising yourself for adding a few references! You don't hear me going on about my 55,000+ edits on wikiepdia, I never mention my 55K edits at all. No, I just get on with it and I don't write essays on the talk page on my 55,000 edits. Anyway, instead of being a number, you can always register with a name, unless that is a problem for you. Snappy (talk) 18:13, 10 November 2011 (UTC)


 * Nice work, 86.40.111.46. Thanks. -- RA (talk) 15:09, 12 November 2011 (UTC)

Higgins's height
I added Mr. Higgins's height after researching what it was. This edit was reverted and I will now reinstate it on the following basis: Higgins is frequently noted as being short, and this raises the question, "Well, how short is that, anyway?" Something so often mentioned in public commentary arouses curiosity, and an encyclopaedia is a good place to satisfy public interest about the actual statistic.

For some time, I have also wondered how tall, exactly, was Éamon de Valera, whose well-known nickname was "The Long Fellow". This, too, aroused curiosity about the exact statistic. I plan to add de Valera's height to his article, too, because I went to that Wikipedia article a long time ago to find out how tall he was, and the article contained no mention of it. I discovered the answer a few days ago.

Sean T. O'Kelly was another notably small Irish president, although I anticipate that I may not discover his height so easily, if ever.

President Higgins is noted for another physical characteristic: his recently acquired limp. The cause of that is overlooked in his Wikipedia article, and I propose to include a note about that, too. People do wonder about such things and it is not merely trivia, nor is it any kind of subtle mockery of a subject to record notable statistics about him.

I ask that Higgins's height not be removed again without consensus. — O'Dea (talk) 17:21, 13 November 2011 (UTC)
 * I haven't seen the height of subjects in anyone other articles on wikipedia, perhaps you can find some examples. This is an example of dumbing down what is meant to be an encyclopaedia into the style of Hello magazine. Higgins and O'Kelly are NOT noted for being small, they are noted for being politicians, they just happen to be short. No-one added Mary Harney's weight to her article, she wasn't noted for being overweight, she was noted for being a politician, she just happened to be fat. I have removed the height from the infobox, as infoboxes are supposed to conatin important facts about the subject, but I have left it in the text, with the metric first as we have used SI in the country for many decades now. Neither is Higgins noted for his limp, that was a temporary health issue relating to him recovering from a knee injury. Snappy (talk) 18:08, 13 November 2011 (UTC)
 * Please do not worry, it is not "dumbing down" to record someone's height when it is notable for being often associated with him. I anticipated this objection already and pre-answered it in my original post, above. The following articles discuss their subjects' heights: Napoleon Bonaparte, Toulouse-Lautrec, and Abraham Lincoln. I agree that Mary Harney's weight does not belong in her article for the reasons that we do not know it, it is surely subject to variation anyway, and in general the subject of weight normally belongs in the pages of the Daily Mail rather than Wikipedia. There are sometimes exceptions: The Wikipedia articles for Oprah Winfrey and Kirstie Alley both mention their continuing weight variations. In their cases, they have made the matter notable by giving many interviews about the subject. You argue that Higgins is not noted for his limp but the man contradicts you himself: He mentioned it in an interview with the Huffington Post, saying "There is a certain amount of interest in my famous Columbian knee". The fact that the patella was smashed in several places explains why he continues to limp so long after the injury, and why it is not the "temporary health isssue" that your remark claims. I agree with you that junk trivia in Wikipedia is repugnant. — O'Dea  (talk) 18:42, 13 November 2011 (UTC)
 * Ok, I'm not really concerned about the knee/limp issue more the height. Do you agree with my compromise proposal to leave the height in the article but not in the infobox? Ideally, I don't want it in the article at all but I guess I can live with this. Snappy (talk) 19:01, 13 November 2011 (UTC)
 * I agree easily to leave the height out of the infobox because I hate wearying and protracted wrangles but mainly because I agree that Higgins's height is of secondary, or even tertiary, importance. The reason I put it in the infobox was because that section is used in articles to present personal numeric statistics such as age, various dates, and number of spouses and children. My thinking was that height is another numeric statistic. — O'Dea  (talk) 19:14, 13 November 2011 (UTC)
 * Good, I'm glad we can agree on this. Snappy (talk) 19:16, 13 November 2011 (UTC)

Question: Knee operation in 2004?
Higgins broke his knee in Colombia in 2010, but when he was seeking the Labour Party nomination to contest the Presidency in September 2004, a contemporary RTÉ news report by David McCullagh reported [Youtube recording], "'There's been speculation for months about whether Michael D Higgins would run for the Presidency. Today, he told Labour TDs and Senators that he was willing to do so, that his recent knee operation wouldn't prevent him, and that it would be good for the party and for the presidency to have a contest.'"

Does anyone know anything about this knee operation in (circa) 2004?
 * 1) Why did he need the operation?
 * 2) Did he acquire a limp as a result of it, or did he only begin to limp in 2010?
 * 3) Was it the same knee that he broke in 2010?
 * 4) [Bonus question] If it was the same knee, have the 2004 operation and the 2010 fracture combined to make him limp so much nowadays?  — O'Dea  (talk) 07:07, 20 November 2011 (UTC)

Sabina Coyne Higgins's name
The President's wife has, heretofore, been referred to generally by her maiden name, Sabina Coyne. A report of the President's first official engagement at Áras an Uachtaráin* reveals that his wife appears to be called Sabina Higgins in formal Áras an Uachtaráin usage. I note this here for information only and do not plan to alter the article, given her long-standing identification by her maiden surname.

( * Clarification: This was the first official engagement at his official residence, but not his first official engagement which was the day before at the Remembrance Sunday service at St. Patrick's Cathedral in Dublin on 13 November 2011.) — O'Dea  (talk) 15:02, 29 January 2012 (UTC)

Higgins getting angry with a US right winger
http://www.leftaction.com/action/thank-irish-president-tea-party-smackdown Sfan00 IMG (talk) 16:45, 30 August 2012 (UTC)

Bob Dylan
Assume his interest in the work of Bob Dylan is not noteworthy enough?

https://scontent-lhr3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xat1/v/t1.0-9/11535860_878989655501075_8368531125349442835_n.jpg?oh=938ab2daec011a0385f81a0152fc0e27&oe=562778B7

Slane Castle 1984 — Preceding unsigned comment added by EdRicardo (talk • contribs) 13:56, 23 June 2015 (UTC)

First state visit to the UK?
According to her Wikipedia article, Mary Robinson was the first serving President of Ireland to visit Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace. So what is the difference between Robinson's visit and that of Higgins? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 207.141.126.243 (talk) 02:55, 12 January 2016 (UTC)
 * Ok, Mary explains it herself rather well. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 207.141.126.243 (talk) 03:00, 12 January 2016 (UTC)

Writing
It says here "He has contributed widely to political and philosophical journals on numerous subjects... clientism in politics...."

Now is it "Clientism" (aka "Clientitis") or "Clientelism" that is meant here. I suspect it is the latter but I am unfamiliar with his writings. Can someone explicate please. Silent Billy (talk) 09:22, 8 May 2016 (UTC)

It should be 'clientelism'. In 1982 he wrote a chapter called 'The Limits of Clientelism: Towards an Assessment of Irish Politics' in C. Clapham (ed.), PRIVATE PATRONAGE AND PUBLIC POWER: POLITICAL CLIENTELISM IN THE MODERN STATE, London: Frances Pinter.BobBadg (talk) 18:09, 24 May 2021 (UTC)

Duration of legislative offices
Teachta Dála In office February 1987 – February 2011 June 1981 – November 1982

Senator In office 23 February 1983 – 3 April 1987

(adapted from infobox text)

Is it really the case that President Higgins was simultaneously a member of the Dáil and of the Seanad for about six weeks? (edited to correct erroneous month in previous version of infobox] Harfarhs (talk) 20:37, 5 September 2017 (UTC)

Puff piece
A total "Puff" piece - no Critical Section.

President Higgins is a far leftist who has supported anti Western terrorist movements and socialist regimes all over the world - his entire adult life. But one would not know this from the article, which presents his support for socialist terrorists and vicious socialist regimes (all round the world) as well as Islamists in the Middle East, as work for "justice" and "peace".2A02:C7D:B5E6:6400:F4AC:7B24:6A4F:6806 (talk) 11:58, 19 October 2017 (UTC)

Honorary Doctorate
Hi, Higgins received an honorary doctorate from The University of Melbourne in 2017. I think thats worth mentioning but I'm not sure where. Source. --MyNam e IsNotBob  07:31, 14 February 2018 (UTC)

The Article is a whitewash.
Michael Higgins has supported Marxist regimes and Marxist terrorist groups all his adult life (he is what is called a "Fellow Traveller" - someone who supports the Marxists without being a member of a Marxist political party himself) - although that is hinted at in the article (for example his mourning for the death of the mass murderer and dictator Fidel Castro), someone who did not already know what Michael Higgins is would not know by reading this article. Michael Higgins is not a harmless "hobbit" or "elf" - he is a human being, but he is also a evil human being, a deeply evil human being. American "liberals" may be fooled by his "charm" (what my Irish grandfather would have called "blarney") - but people who live closer to the Republic of Ireland know only too well what Michael Higgins is. The modern American habit (see all too often in Wikipedia articles) of confusing Frankfurt School Marxism and "Fellow Travellers" (for Mr Higgins makes a big thing of never actually being a card carrying member of a Marxist political party) with liberalism, is rather annoying. 2A02:C7D:B47A:C900:D01D:FC6C:A73A:46F0 (talk) 19:04, 28 October 2018 (UTC)


 * Perhaps you could share some sources here? Thanks. Martinevans123 (talk) 19:16, 28 October 2018 (UTC)

TG4 people
Please add him to the recently requested Category:TG4 people. He was involved in its establishment when Minister, as this BBC piece states. --2001:BB6:A93:AB58:7CCF:F3B7:8A1D:BD82 (talk) 03:26, 4 November 2018 (UTC)
 * Yes check.svg Done  ♪♫Al ucard   16♫♪  05:14, 4 November 2018 (UTC)

A Commons file used on this page has been nominated for speedy deletion
The following Wikimedia Commons file used on this page has been nominated for speedy deletion: You can see the reason for deletion at the file description page linked above. —Community Tech bot (talk) 07:22, 7 December 2018 (UTC)
 * President Higgins at the European Parliament 2013.jpg

Bród and Síoda
"Lack of discussion is not reason to remove tag when issue remains unsolved" - so apparently there's an issue? Nobody has bothered explaining what the "issue" is, though? "Irrelevance", maybe, from the tag name? Bród and Síoda currently merit a single sentence in the article, between them. This would not strike me as being undue - especially given the large public and media interest in Síoda (15,200 ghits) and Bród (330,000 ghits). The extent of this coverage would also be commensurate with Mrs Windsor's mention of her corgis, none of whom are named, apart from her first one, or Barack Obama's Bo and Sunny. I therefore propose removing the 'relevance inline' templates from this sentence. Bastun Ėġáḍβáś₮ŭŃ! 21:10, 10 November 2020 (UTC)


 * Oh - already did. Cheers!  Bastun Ėġáḍβáś₮ŭŃ! 23:08, 10 November 2020 (UTC)


 * Well, if those dogs are so famous, then what can I say... Sic transit gloria mundis. Debresser (talk) 11:46, 11 November 2020 (UTC)
 * That ship has sailed. Do you think they should get their own article like Socks or Buddy, or maybe an Irish presidential pets like United States presidential pets? Spleodrach (talk) 20:00, 11 November 2020 (UTC)

Semi-protected edit request on 24 August 2022
Minor grammatical error. Second paragraph; "He has used his time in office a president to address issues..." change to "He has used his time in office as president to address issues..." Lyonnc (talk) 13:26, 24 August 2022 (UTC)


 * ✅ - Bastun Ėġáḍβáś₮ŭŃ! 13:49, 24 August 2022 (UTC)

Semi-protected edit request on 2 January 2023
125.238.249.255 (talk) 11:27, 2 January 2023 (UTC) Provide a second Leo Varadkar in Taoiseach area.
 * No, one Leo Varadkar is quite enough! If you mean a second link, then no, as linking the first instance is sufficient. See WP:OVERLINKING. Spleodrach (talk) 12:01, 2 January 2023 (UTC)

Semi-protected edit request on 22 June 2023
Is it possible to replace the picture of the disgraced former First Minister of Scotland from the page? She is the former leader of a minor party in the UK, and was never a head of government. Her current notoriety distracts from the page of one of the most distinguished leaders of Ireland. Would there be a more better candidate to appear alongside our President, perhaps a head of state or government or other high ranking figure in the world of politics? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 82.23.25.205 (talk) 15:16, 22 June 2023 (UTC)


 * Please refrain from such unconstructive statements! And she was a head of government on sub national level HulkNorris (talk) 06:33, 24 June 2023 (UTC)

"First Inauguration of Michael D. Higgins" listed at Redirects for discussion
The redirect [//en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=First_Inauguration_of_Michael_D._Higgins&redirect=no First Inauguration of Michael D. Higgins] has been listed at redirects for discussion to determine whether its use and function meets the redirect guidelines. Readers of this page are welcome to comment on this redirect at  until a consensus is reached. Iveagh Gardens (talk) 12:14, 28 March 2024 (UTC)