Profile Michael D Higgins: The history man

Higgins began his preparations for the commemoration speeches last November

Factfile

Age: 74

Appearance: diminutive, bespectacled, venerable

Newsworthiness: gave a stirring speech on the commemoration of the 1916 Rising at the Bord Gáis Energy Theatre in Dublin – and had to turn down an invite to a 1916 event in Belfast due to unionist opposition

It was the moment that President Michael D Higgins had been waiting for. A big crowd. A chance to talk about the meaning of the Irish Republic and ...