Irish presidency: The runners and riders

The Republic of Ireland's presidential election will take place on 26 October.

Four men and two women are in the running to become Ireland's head of state, living at the president's official residence, Áras An Uachtaráin, in Dublin.

Who are they?

Michael D Higgins

Michael D Higgins has been the ninth president of Ireland since 2011, and confirmed in July that he wants to serve a second seven-year term

The 77 year old is an academic, a poet and a politician.

He was a member of the Labour Party from 1968 to 2011 and previously served as minister for arts, culture and the gaeltacht (Irish speaking areas) in the 1990s, as well as a TD (member of the Irish parliament) and senator.

In 2011, he topped the poll with more than one million votes.

President Michael D Higgins is greeted by Myles Kavanagh "The Kilkenny Elvis" at the unveiling of a statue of the country singer "Big Tom"

In September, a poll for the Sunday Business Post put his lead at 67% prompting the paper to state that his lead is so vast, "it appears almost unassailable".

Three political parties, Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil and Labour, are backing him for a second term.

A child's answer to the question: "Who is the president of Ireland?"

Seán Gallagher

Seán Gallagher, entrepreneur and businessman, is the County Cavan man who was almost the ninth president of Ireland but fell at the last hurdle.

Gallagher, 56, is one of three "Dragons" - judges on the Irish version of Dragons' Den - to enter the presidential race.

Enter the dragon: will it be second time lucky for Seán Gallagher?

In 2011, he came from the back of the Irish presidential race to build a commanding lead. He secured more than 500,000 first preference votes.

His message was about jobs and recovery. It was about being positive.

However, an affair labelled "Tweetgate" cannot have helped him. Nearly one million people watched him flounder on live television during a debate in the run up to the 2011 presidential election on RTÉ.

He was answering a question on fundraising for Fianna Fáil.

RTÉ later apologised to Mr Gallagher and paid him "substantial damages" in settlement over a particular tweet read out on the live televised debate.

He is visually impaired and says his focus is to bring disability to the front and centre of Irish life.

This time around, the latest poll carried in the Business Post's REDC poll puts him second in the running, but with just 15% of first preference votes.

Joan Freeman

Joan Freeman, 60, is a psychologist and mental health activist.

The independent senator's founded Pieta House - a suicide intervention and self harm charity - 13 years ago.

Joan Freeman founded Irish suicide intervention charity, Pieta House

The charity's flagship event is the Darkness into Light walk when thousands affected by suicide walk at dawn to raise funds and awareness.

Ms Freeman has served in the Seanad (Irish senate) since May 2016. She chairs the committee on mental health.

In her letter seeking nomination, she pledged to prioritise: "The well-being of the nation, physically and mentally" and deliver "the best quality of life for Irish people here and abroad".

Elderly people, homelessness, addiction, waiting lists are her concerns.

Freeman voted "no" in Ireland's abortion referendum but stresses this was private and her personal convictions would not impact on her role as president.

Liadh Ní Riada

The daughter of Irish composer Seán Ó Riada is Sinn Féin's candidate.

He was a key figure in the revival of traditional music but Liadh, 51, hardly knew her father. He died when she was four.

She joined the party in 2011 and has enjoyed a rapid ascent.

Liadh Ní Riada embraces her party leader Mary Lou McDonald

Ní Riada was elected to the European parliament in 2014 for the South constituency.

She worked for RTÉ and TG4 as a television producer and director before entering politics.

She was a member of the board that set up TG4 and is a fluent Irish speaker and Sinn Féin's national Gaeilge officer.

When she was nominated, Ní Riada said it was a "special honour" to follow in the footsteps of Martin McGuinness who was the Sinn Féin candidate in the 2011 Irish presidential election.

"The future of this great country will be built on our glorious diversity," she said.

"An equal society for women and men, citizens of all abilities and disabilities, settled and traveller, LGBT and straight, young and old, black and white, orange and green."

Peter Casey

Peter Casey is another of three judges on Ireland's Dragons Den to enter the presidential arena. He is the only candidate from Northern Ireland.

He is a successful entrepreneur and businessman who has developed businesses on three continents.

Casey, 60, comes from a family of nine children and is originally from Derry.

Peter Casey is passionate about the power of the Irish diaspora

Speaking on RTÉ television, Casey said he wanted to activate the Irish diaspora to promote and benefit Ireland.

"We are fighting way below our weight as a country, as a nation. We need to make Ireland count again."

He is also passionate about education and about encouraging Irish students to spend a semester abroad and broaden their outlook.

However, he feels that it is "bonkers" that the Taoiseach (Irish prime minister) earns 50% less than the president.

"With all the expenses, the President doesn't need a salary at all," he said.

He has pledged not take a salary if he becomes president.

Gavin Duffy

He may be a successful businessman and entrepreneur, but Gavin Duffy is a media man at heart.

Like two other presidential candidates, he has enjoyed a high profile in the Irish media as a longstanding judge of the Irish Dragon's Den.

The 58 year old is from Sallins, County Kildare, but is mainly associated with Drogheda where he went to school.

Gavin Duffy is, at heart, a media man

He set up local radio station LMFM in County Louth in 1989.

In the late 1980s, he worked as a travel and business presenter for RTÉ.

Later, he set up a media training company with his wife.

Professionally, he has trained many politicians, worked as an adviser to Fianna Fáil and more recently, moderated the Fine Gael leadership contest.

He is standing as an independent and says he has no affiliation to any political party.

Duffy has drawn considerable controversy for his support for hunting. He is a former chairman of the Hunting Association of Ireland and opposed the introduction of a ban on stag hunting.

His campaign is based on youth, caring for the elderly, diversity and inclusion, respect and working together.

Duffy has said that if he is made president, then all of the expenses of Aras an Uachtaráin will be published annually.