On 30 May 1973, Erskine Childers was elected President of Ireland.
Prior to his election, Childers proposes to inspire "social patriotism" if he is elected. The report includes vox pop commentary on the qualities that would make Erskine Childers a suitable President.
On the subject of politics Childers comments
I suppose politics to me is very like gardening. I'm very fond of gardening. When you're a politician, you have a garden to cultivate and you get enormous satisfaction if you can see the plants grow satisfactorily. And you have your difficulties when they die when the weeds come up. But that to me is the joy of politics.
Childers comments on his merits as a traveller, an academic and a political practitioner, and describes Ireland as
The loveliest little country on God's little earth.
Erskine Childers, born in 1905, served as President of Ireland from 1973 until his death in 1974.
This clip is taken from an RTÉ Radio 'End of Year Review' in 1973.
