Mary Davis, social entrepreneur, disability rights campaigner and best known as organiser of the 2003 Special Olympics World Summer Games in Ireland announced on 26 May 2011 that she would be seeking a nomination.[1] She had originally stated in August 2010 that she would consider standing for the presidency if approached by a political party.[2][3] She subsequently decided to run as an independent, seeking nominations from four local authorities.[4][5]
Senator David Norris, who campaigned unsuccessfully in 2004, declared that he would seek a nomination in early 2010, and launched his campaign in January 2011.[6][7] It had initially been anticipated that he might be nominated by the Labour Party.[2] A Red C poll commissioned by Paddy Power in January 2011 showed that Norris was by far the most popular choice for President with more than double the support of any of the other potential candidates.[8][9] On 14 March 2011 Norris formally launched his campaign to secure a nomination, stating that he had written to the chairpersons of each of the 34 county and city councils and that he would also be individually contacting the independent TDs elected to the 31st Dail.[10] He received an endorsement from Fingal County Council on 9 May.[11] However, on the same date the chairman of Wexford County Council ruled a motion to nominate Norris was out of order as the election had yet to be called.[12]Longford County Council will debate a motion to nominate Norris on 16 May 2011.[13]
Fergus Finlay, chief executive of Barnardo's children's charity, announced on 9 September 2010 that he will seek the Labour Party's nomination for President.[15]
Sean Gallagher, businessman and panellist on the Dragons' Den television programme and former member of the Fianna Fáil National Executive.[21] In May 2011, The Sunday Business Post reported that he was likely to seek a nomination.[22]The Irish Times subsequently reported that in addition to seeking the support of independents, he was approaching Fianna Fáil Oireachtas members in order to run as an independent candidate, but with a "semi-detached" relationship with the party.[23]
Jackie Healy-Rae, former independent TD for Kerry South, stated in an interview on 1 April 2011 that he was considering running for President. Due to the date of the interview it was widely believed to be an April Fools' Joke.[24]
The party approached Nobel laureate poet Seamus Heaney in the autumn of 2010, but Heaney declined to stand unless he was an agreed cross-party candidate.[26][27]
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