Copyright torontosun
Connolly vowed Saturday to be “an inclusive president” who would champion diversity and be “a voice for peace.” A look at Connolly’s background and views: From independent lawmaker to president Connolly, a mother to two sons, has served three terms as an independent lawmaker for Galway West since she was elected to Parliament in 2016. In 2020 she became the first woman to be the deputy speaker of Parliament’s lower house. She grew up in social housing in a suburb of Galway in western Ireland as one of 14 children. Her mother died when she was nine years old, and her father worked at a local shipyard. As a student, she volunteered with a Catholic organization to help older people and took on other community roles. She has degrees in clinical psychology and law, and was a lawyer before she entered politics.
