By Rebecca Fisher

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As the race for the Irish presidency gains momentum, Heather Humphreys has been making headlines nationwide. While plenty has been written about her political record, there’s also curiosity about her life away from the Dáil.

Known for her steady rise through Fine Gael and her reputation as a no-nonsense minister, few know Heather, the wife, mum, and proud granny.

So, let’s take a look at the woman behind the headlines — and the family who’s been by her side through it all.

From the fields to Fine Gael

Born in Drum, Co. Monaghan, in 1963, Heather grew up on a family farm where early mornings and hard work were part of the deal.

Long before she held any government title, she was part of a close-knit rural community, a talking point she often brings up when discussing what shaped her outlook.

She got her start in local politics on Monaghan County Council in the early 2000s, becoming Mayor in 2009, before moving into national politics as TD for Cavan–Monaghan in 2011.

Since then, she’s cycled through several major portfolios: Arts and Heritage, Business, Social Protection, and Rural Development, even briefly stepping in as Minister for Justice in 2022.

Her political CV may be long, but away from Leinster House, her life is a lot quieter.

Family life

Heather has been married to Eric Humphreys, a farmer, since 1996. The pair mostly keep out of the social scene, living a fairly private life back in Monaghan.

Eric has popped up in the news before — mostly around his past links to the Orange Order, which drew some attention earlier in the campaign.

Heather’s response has been to downplay the noise, calling for ‘understanding’ and ‘moving forward.’ The couple prefer to keep their political and personal lives as separate as possible.

Next year marks 30 years of marriage for the happy couple, a milestone they’re likely to celebrate quietly, away from the cameras.

Heather and Eric have two daughters, Tara and Eve, and family life hasn’t always been straightforward.

Back in 2015, Heather spoke about a near tragedy when her daughter Tara was involved in a serious car accident. Tara was in a coma for over a week — something Heather has said put everything else, including politics, into perspective.

‘She was in a serious car crash, and we nearly lost her. She was nine days in a coma and I suppose, at the end of the day, you have to think what’s important here and when you can get through that, you can get through most things,’ she told the Irish Independent in 2015.

Since then, she’s spoken occasionally about the importance of resilience and family support, but generally keeps her daughters out of the spotlight.

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These days, she’s also a grandmother of two, including a grandson named Arthur, who recently got a tour of Leinster House with his granny (a post that did the rounds on social media).

It’s one of the few times Heather’s personal side has gone public, and it showed a softer, more ordinary moment in the life of someone often seen through the lens of party politics. Still, as polling day nears, it’s likely that her family story, much like her politics, will be examined from every angle.