It was a presidential campaign marked by no small element of rancour, descending on occasion into bitterness. It was marred at least once by a ruthless attempt to smear one candidate. But the result has been clear cut and decisive. Mrs Mary McAleese, handsomely endorsed by the electorate as no other candidate since the foundation of the State, will be the eighth President of Ireland in succession to Mrs Mary Robinson. She deserves the congratulations and the good wishes of every citizen, regardless of party affiliation or political outlook.
The later opinion polls made it clear that Mrs McAleese was well ahead of the field. But her success was assured beyond doubt by the final television debate on Tuesday where her sharpness of intellect, her clarity of expression, her fluency and composure, as well as her strength of personality all came through. The electorate had a choice of five excellent candidates and each of them did well on the night. But Mrs McAleese was very evidently the most impressive in her demeanour and presentation and especially under questioning from the interviewers. It was a decisive moment for many uncommitted voters.
What sort of presidency will Mary McAleese give us? There are a great many unknowns in the equation. For all that they acknowledge her capacities and her strengths, many who know her well are apprehensive about her. Her rapid-fire, Northern directness makes some nervous. For others, her self-assurance and confidence translate as arrogance. Her unabashed orthodoxy in certain religious and social issues is disturbing to many who proclaim themselves of a liberal or pluralist disposition. More than anything else, her direct, declamatory nationalism is disquieting to those who believe it is divisive for this State to elect a president who is an assertive representative of one community in Northern Ireland.
These are not matters which the new President can afford to ignore if she wishes to achieve in her period of office that which her energy, ability and forceful personality make possible. Early decisions and first steps and gestures will be vital. It will be critically important for her to have advisers who are not prisoner to party or tribal loyalties. She has been elected to the highest constitutional office at a time when the possible outlines of a historic new settlement are emerging. Her vision has to be assertively broad and inclusive. Her focus has to be towards the future of the new Ireland rather than upon the injustices of its past. Her disposition to those who regard her with suspicion and hostility has to be conciliatory and generous to the uttermost degree and without qualification. Mrs McAleese is not the only winner in this election however. Dana Rosemary Scallon and Mr Derek Nally have earned their respective places in the history books by breaking the political parties' monopoly on the presidency. With modest resources and without party machines at their backs, two very courageous people went into the electoral market-place each placing their own values and ideals before the people. From the beginning it was unlikely that either of them would get to Áras an Uachtarain. But their sizeable support has shown that this is a society which increasingly values individualism and those who want to steer clear of the big battalions.
For the opposition political parties the election results are not cheering. Ms Mary Banotti fought a gallant campaign for Fine Gael but there is deep despondency in the party at her loss of ground vis-a-vis Mrs McAleese. Mr Bruton has to deal with strong feelings among campaign activists that his various interventions were unhelpful. Things are even more gloomy for the Labour party whose candidate, Ms Adi Roche, dropped steadily behind during the campaign, finally finishing behind Dana. For the present there will be a silent licking of wounds in the Fine Gael and Labour camps but there should be no doubt that both parties - and their leaders - are in considerable distress.