History was made last week as for just the tenth time in the entire existence of the state, a president was inaugurated.
President Catherine Connolly was elected last month but officially took office following a ceremony in Dublin Castle last Tuesday.
Just 200 guests were invited to join her on the day to celebrate and one of them was from Laois.
Harry McGree, a Sixth Year student at Portlaoise CBS, was lucky enough to receive an invitation along with his parents Noel and Antoinette.
The Portlaoise native was invited in recognition of his work with the presidential campaign — particularly through his involvement with the Electoral Commission, promoting voter registration among young people.
Earlier in the year, Harry also took part in An Phobail Ghaelacht at Electric Picnic, where both he and President Connolly spoke in Irish.
Since then, he has remained closely connected with the President’s assistant, which opened doors for further opportunities — including canvassing during the election.
Last week, Harry was at soccer training and realised he had a missed call when he was finished.
He rang back, expecting a quick chat only to discover that he had made the official guest list for the inauguration.
He even had to arrange his pre-mocks around the invite — a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
On the night, Harry and his family joined just 200 invited guests for an evening of music, dinner and celebration.
President Connolly personally spoke with guests throughout the night, making it an unforgettable occasion.
A spokesperson for Portlaoise CBS expressed their great pride in Harry’s latest achievement.
They said: “We are incredibly proud of Harry’s achievements and the remarkable opportunities he continues to create for himself.
“He is a fantastic ambassador for our school and community.
“We have a feeling we will be seeing you up there again some day Harry – and not just as a guest.”
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