Michael Flatley is not ruling himself out of seeking a nomination to run for president of Ireland , he told Brendan O’Connor on RTÉ Radio 1 on Saturday.
The former dancer, famous for creating and choreographing the Riverdance and Lord of the Dance shows, said he believes the Irish people do not have a voice at present. He suggested he may run “if I thought that I could be of benefit to the Irish people and maybe more importantly, if I thought I could be a voice of the Irish people”.
“I’m very blessed in that… I meet the average person on the street from [ages] five to 95,” Mr Flatley said. “I meet them all and I hear their concerns. And I’d be lying if I said they’re happy right now, and somebody has to speak for the Irish people.”
So far, two candidates have been confirmed for the presidential race. Independent TD Catherine Connolly announced her bid after receiving the backing of 20 Oireachtas members, while former European Commissioner Mairead McGuinness has been nominated by Fine Gael.
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Ms McGuinness leads the field in a list of potential candidates, according to the latest Irish Times/Ipsos B&A opinion poll, though the results show nobody has yet caught the public imagination.
While he has not yet made a final decision, nor has he been approached by a political party, Mr Flatley said he has had contact with “some very weighted individuals, people in the know”.
Citing his encounters with world leaders like Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin, the Obamas and the Clintons, Mr Flatley suggested the job of the president might be to promote the country on a cultural front.
“I’m not sure we need another politician if I’m honest,” he said. “I know it’s a statesman’s role, but I spent the last 30 years of my life touring the world, promoting Ireland and Irish culture. I’ve met them all.”
Mr Flatley was reluctant to declare any outright intention to run, but confirmed he is “taking it seriously” and has constructed a team of advisers.
He said he has a large business to run with “an army of dancers counting on me to make a living,. I have a whiskey company, a beautiful young wife and son that I want to spend time with”.
“It’s certainly not something that I’ve made any decision on, but it does get frustrating when you see the hard-working Irish taxpayer working as hard out and having no say in things,” he added.
When pressed, he concluded by saying, “let it be said that I stand for Ireland and the Irish people – sin é”.
It remains to be seen whether Mr Flatley would secure a nomination should he seek one.
