In just over three weeks' time, the Republic of Ireland will elect a new president. You may be familiar with the current president, politician, poet and sociologist Michael D Higgins.
The three official candidates were announced over the weekend - so who's the smart money on? And what does the president of Ireland actually do?
Emile Donovan speaks to Kevin Rafter, a senior lecturer at Dublin City University, former political journalist and author of The Irish Presidency: Power, Ceremony and Politics
