Surprised Joe Brolly issues warning to Jim Gavin over run for presidency

Jim Gavin is the bookies favourite to take over from Michael D. Higgins as the next President of Ireland.

He has the backing of all of Fianna Fáils senior Ministers, with a vote on Tuesday to decide the party’s nomination, ahead of the main race.

The 54-year-old is seen as one of the greatest managers in the history of Gaelic football, leading Dublin to six All-Ireland titles, and is hoping to bring that success to the Áras an Uachtaráin.

He was also the leading figure in the introduction of the revolutionary new rules to football, and has seen much success in other walks of life, with his career in the Irish Defence Forces and work with the Irish Aviation Authority.

In his column for the Irish Independent last week, the colourful Derry man, Joe Brolly, spoke extremely highly of Gavin.

He wrote: “He will be an excellent President of Ireland. He will be President. A President to be proud of. It is only a pity that in common with three-quarters of a million other Irish citizens, I will not be able to vote for this remarkable man.”

However, on his Free State podcast with Dion Fanning, he issued a warning to Gavin, and seemed surprised at his decision to run for the presidency.

He said: “He likes to achieve things, and he’s a strategist and a planner, a meticulous man.

“And now he wants have this ceremonial role for seven years in the Áras. Big empty place out there.

“When you’re the President it’s very different, you have an entourage of security and your life is no longer your own.

“I dare say that Michael D. regrets, you know, the way his life changed. (He had) a very full social life away from the spotlight.

“Jim’s only a young man. I wrote in the paper that every thing he has touched has always succeeded.”