ⓒ Irish Times
Social Democrats leader Holly Cairns welcomed a baby girl on the day of the general election, a joyous occasion amidst the political fervor. The party confirmed the news via an Instagram post by Ms. Cairns, expressing her and her partner Barry’s overwhelming happiness. The baby girl, born at Cork University Maternity Hospital, arrived early Friday morning. While the name remains undisclosed, the happy couple are clearly overjoyed.
Ms. Cairns’ absence from the final stages of the election campaign, due to her pregnancy, meant she was unable to vote in the closely contested Cork South West constituency. Despite this, she received a flood of congratulatory messages from across the political spectrum. Taoiseach Simon Harris and Tánaiste Micheál Martin were among those extending their well wishes, emphasizing the joy and blessings of parenthood. Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald also offered her heartfelt congratulations.
Colleagues from the Social Democrats, along with Green Party leader Roderic O’Gorman and Labour leader Ivana Bacik, joined the outpouring of support on social media. In a later Instagram post, Ms. Cairns humorously acknowledged her inability to vote, attributing it to the ‘best possible reason’. She lightheartedly recalled her previous local election in 2019, joking about the possibility of a single vote again deciding the outcome.
