POLITICIAN

Michael D. Higgins

1941 - Today

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Michael Daniel Higgins (Irish: Mícheál Dónal Ó hUigínn; born 18 April 1941) is an Irish politician, poet and broadcaster who served as the president of Ireland from November 2011 to November 2025. Entering national politics through the Labour Party, he served as a senator from 1973 to 1977 and a Teachta Dála (TD) from 1981 to 1982, returning to the Seanad from 1983 to 1987 and the Dáil from 1987 to 2011. He served as minister for arts, culture and the Gaeltacht from 1993 to 1997 and as mayor of Galway from 1981 to 1982 and 1990 to 1991. Higgins was elected president of Ireland in 2011 after being nominated by the Labour Party. Read more on Wikipedia

His biography is available in 82 different languages on Wikipedia (up from 79 in 2024). Michael D. Higgins is the 2,236th most popular politician (down from 1,946th in 2024), the 35th most popular biography from Ireland (down from 21st in 2019) and the 4th most popular Irish Politician.

Michael D. Higgins is most famous for being the ninth President of Ireland, serving from 2011 to 2018. He was also a professor of law and government at University College Dublin, and served as a Teachta Dála (member of parliament) for Galway West from 1981 to 2011.

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Among POLITICIANS

Among politicians, Michael D. Higgins ranks 2,236 out of 19,576. Before him are Gegeen Khan, Agostinho Neto, Fahri Korutürk, Theophanu, Dalia Grybauskaitė, and Albert III, Duke of Austria. After him are Qutuz, James IV of Scotland, Theuderic IV, Edmund I, Mário Soares, and Tang of Shang.

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Contemporaries

Among people born in 1941, Michael D. Higgins ranks 43. Before him are Flórián Albert, Abdullah Yusuf Azzam, Ahmet Necdet Sezer, Christopher Hogwood, Ivan Gašparovič, and Jules A. Hoffmann. After him are Theodor W. Hänsch, Charlie Watts, David Johnston, Bobby Moore, Dennis Ritchie, and Wolfgang Petersen.

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In Ireland

Among people born in Ireland, Michael D. Higgins ranks 35 out of 549. Before him are Ernest Shackleton (1874), John Field (1782), Kevin Farrell (1947), Augusta, Lady Gregory (1852), George Francis FitzGerald (1851), and Columbanus (540). After him are Bertie Ahern (1951), Laurence Sterne (1713), Harald Gille (1103), Joseph Murphy (1898), Liam Cunningham (1961), and Lola Montez (1821).

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Among POLITICIANS In Ireland

Among politicians born in Ireland, Michael D. Higgins ranks 4. Before him are Edmund Burke (1729), George Plantagenet, 1st Duke of Clarence (1449), and Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington (1769). After him are Bertie Ahern (1951), Harald Gille (1103), John Boland (1870), Causantín mac Cináeda (836), Michael Collins (1890), Brian Cowen (1960), Mary Robinson (1944), and Malcolm II of Scotland (954).

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