There was fervent support for Heather Humphreys at her campaign launch in Monaghan town yesterday, an event which was packed to the rafters.
It wasn't the attendance of the Fine Gael leader, Simon Harris, which triggered the ebullient atmosphere, or the presence of the party's top brass like Paschal Donohoe, Helen McEntee, and Patrick O'Donovan.
Instead, people were showing-up for the former cabinet minister and, an hour after the event, she was still shaking hands and taking selfies.
Heather Humphreys will find it harder to please the crowd when she goes to the ploughing festival this week, but she's good on the stump and was very much at ease.
'Community, unity and opportunity'
In her speech to the invited audience, Ms Humphreys announced that her six-week campaign would be focused on "community, unity and opportunity".
She said that, as president, should would celebrate the unsung heroes of our community, like volunteers; strive to ensure all citizens can reach their full potential; and facilitate reconciliation across the island.
Given she is a Presbyterian, who lives close to the border, it was almost inevitable that Heather Humphreys would talk about North-South relations.
Notably, she praised former president Mary McAleese, who had originally been a Fianna Fáil nominee, for building bridges across the border, adding that she felt that she was well placed to take on that mantle.
When speaking to journalists after the event, she expounded on the point and said she had attended Orange Order parades as a child.
While that was discontinued once the Troubles broke out, she said Ireland had moved to a point where Orange bands had participated in St Patrick's Day parades in Monaghan.
She now feels that she is an example to unionists in Northern Ireland of the new Ireland.
"I am an example of a tolerant, inclusive Ireland that can accommodate different traditions and different viewpoints," she said.
While she said that she would vote in favour of Irish unity in any referendum, Ms Humphreys declined to give any date as to when that should happen.
What she did say was that it's vital Ireland avoids replicating the Brexit outcome in which the UK was split 51% to 49% on EU membership.
Housing a 'huge problem'
As is the nature of presidential campaigns, the candidate was grilled by the media on a range of issues after she delivered her speech.
She declared that she's in favour of changing the triple lock to remove the requirement for UN backing before more than 12 Irish soldiers can be sent abroad.
"We are in an independent country and we are well able to make our own decisions," she said.
On Gaza, she said the situation is "absolutely horrific" and "wrong", as well as paying tribute to President Michael D Higgins for speaking out "for the people of Ireland".
The candidate said she was deeply aware that housing is a "huge problem", adding that President Higgins had been "right" for speaking out on the issue.
Ms Humphreys added that she would "not be afraid" to speak her mind, if elected President, when dealing with the current government.
She also defended herself from criticism by the Independent Senator Tom Clonan regarding proposed disability legislation, saying the bill had not been advanced as she had listened to objections.
Asked why Fine Gael's name wasn't on her campaign posters erected in the Peace Campus in Monaghan, she said it was on the campaign literature.
I don't know an awful lot about TikTok
Maybe part of the reason lies in the fact that the Fine Gael candidate needs to attract support from beyond her party's base, so she'll warmly welcome the backing from people like Independent TD Michael Healy Rae.
Maybe a tougher nut to crack will be to connect with people in the greater Dublin area, and secure their backing.
Heather Humphrey's next move, she said, is to "get on the road" and spend three days at the ploughing championships, with a social media team in tow.
The woman described by her party leader as the "straightest of straight talkers" admitted that she badly needed the help: "I don't know an awful lot about TikTok".
