Riverdance star Michael Flatley to run for Irish presidency
The dancer and choreographer will move back to Ireland in the next two weeks and 'intends to seek nominations to run for president of Ireland,' his lawyer has announced.
Barrister Ronnie Hudson made the announcement during a High Court case he has taken in relation to works carried out at his mansion in Co Cork, the Castlehyde.
An affidavit, signed by Flatley's solicitor Maxwell Mooney, was submitted to the court stating that the Irish-American is 'to seek nominations to run for president of Ireland'.
Lord Of The Dance star Flatley, who is eligible to run as an Irish citizen, had strongly hinted at a presidential bid last week, but said he had not made a final decision. Michael Flatley performing at Madison Square Garden in New York in 2005 / Credit: AP
He said during a radio interview that he did not believe the Irish people 'have a voice – not a true proper deep voice that speaks their language'.
Flatley said he hears concerns from the 'average person on the street' and they are not 'happy right now'.
'Somebody has to speak for the Irish people,' he said.
He was in Ireland earlier this month where he performed on a flute at a July 4 celebration hosted at the residence of the US Ambassador to Ireland, Edward Walsh, who was recently appointed to the role by Donald Trump.
An election for the largely ceremonial president role is expected towards the end of October, as it must take place in the 60 days before outgoing President Michael D Higgins's term ends on November 11.
To be eligible to run, a candidate must be an Irish citizen who is 35 or older, and must be nominated either by at least 20 members of the Irish parliament or at least four local authorities.
So far, two candidates have secured sufficient backing to enter the race former farming journalist and EU commissioner Mairead McGuinness, former Galway mayor Catherine Connolly.
Several other figures have hinted at their intention to run, including MMA fighter Conor McGregor, who has criticised the Irish Government's policies on immigration and public safety.
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"Remember, their economy is $20 trillion ... they are five times bigger than Japan," a senior U.S. official told reporters during a briefing. "So the opportunity of opening their market is enormous for our farmers, our fishermen, our ranchers, all our industrial products, all our businesses." Trump has periodically railed against the EU, saying it was "formed to screw the United States" on trade. He has fumed for years about the U.S. merchandise trade deficit with the EU, which in 2024 reached $235 billion, according to U.S. Census Bureau data. The EU points to the U.S. surplus in services, which it says partially redresses the balance. Trump has argued that his tariffs are bringing in "hundreds of billions of dollars" in revenues for the U.S. while dismissing warnings from economists about the risk of inflation. On July 12, Trump threatened to apply a 30% tariff on imports from the EU starting on August 1, after weeks of negotiations failed to reach a comprehensive trade deal. The EU had prepared countertariffs on 93 billion euros ($109 billion) of U.S. goods in the event a deal to avoid the tariffs could not be struck.
