Holly Cairns, leader of the Social Democrats, has announced she is expecting her first child with her partner, Barry. Cairns, who represents Cork South-West, shared the news on Instagram yesterday.
During an interview on RTÉ’s Sunday with Miriam, Cairns revealed she is 17 weeks pregnant. She explained that she delayed the announcement to keep the focus on the election.
“We’ve been trying for some time, so we are absolutely delighted,” Cairns said. She added that reaching the second trimester has given her a renewed sense of energy.
Although thrilled, Cairns admitted she felt nervous about sharing her pregnancy in case of complications. “Fingers crossed, it is looking good,” she noted.
Cairns highlighted the importance of discussing pregnancy and work, especially in her unique position as a political leader. “We do not really have a template for this,” she said.
Reassuring her party members and colleagues, Cairns emphasized her continued commitment to leading the party into the next general election.
Cairns also opened up about her difficult journey to pregnancy, revealing she had experienced two miscarriages in the past year. She acknowledged that many women go through similar experiences and stressed the importance of talking about it.
“You’re less alone, like you’re not the only one going through it,” Cairns said. She admitted feeling vulnerable announcing her pregnancy but remains hopeful as everything is looking good.
Cairns expressed gratitude for the support from her party, especially during challenging times. She shared that her partner Barry is from the same area, and they attended different primary schools but the same secondary school.
Cairns is the first party leader to be pregnant going into an election. She plans to take six months of maternity leave, during which Social Democrats deputy leader, Dublin Bay North TD Cian O’Callaghan, will step into the leadership role.
