President-elect Catherine Connolly has said that she will be "a symbol" for the new movement that people outlined to her during the presidential election campaign.
Ms Connolly received just over 63% of first preference votes and was elected on the first count last weekend.
Her opponent in the race, Fine Gael's Heather Humphreys, secured just over 29%.
Speaking on RTÉ's Rádió na Gaeltachta, Ms Connolly said: "This win is not for me, but for us. We were told clearly and loudly a new republic is needed, that considers everyone... I am a symbol for the new movement."
She said the messages she got as she travelled the country was that people wanted basic values around kindness, hope, climate change and a voice for peace.
She said she learned "Ireland is a beautiful country, that people are the best in the world.
"There is kindness, integrity in them and they were looking for values and hope. I listened carefully to all ages."
Referring to media coverage during the race, she said some of the stories that came out about her were "poisonous" and "there was no evidence or basis to them. But that's over".
Ms Connolly said that her decision was to keep going with a positive campaign.
"I took it in a philosophical way really and everything they threw at me, I looked at and said there is no basis to that and I will continue.
"The greatest strength I have is, I believe, in the things I speak about, and that gives me strength and I'm not going to change and will ignore what they say about me."
Listen: Interview with Catherine Conolly on RTÉ's Rádió na Gaeltachta
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Ms Connolly added that she recognises the job of the media and the value to hard questions.
"The media have a really important role and it's important to ask the hard questions and I've no problem with that," she said.
"I spent two terms on the Public Accounts Committee asking hard questions of people. I can't say then not to put questions to me."
She also told Raidió na Gaeltachta's Gormfhlaith Ní Thuairisc that she is not an inflexible person.
"There is flexibility about me too. As a mother you have to change everyday and with the different roles I had, I had to change always, so there is flexibility."
Ms Connolly said that her role as an independent opposition TD gave her a voice and great power to hold Government and the system to account.
She said it was not "negativity" but "using the system to make the country better and the system better".
As President of Ireland she knows, however, that her role will be changed.
"The president's role is different of course, but I will be able to deal with that challenge in a positive way, but at the same time use my voice... you can do both things as I will be required under the Constitution to stand up for the common good."
Regarding the Council of State to which she can appoint seven members to advise her, she said she is considering the matter.
"I'm thinking about it at the moment. It is too early yet but I will be looking for variety for sure. I will be looking at Gaeilge too. I will do my best."
On her commitment to the Irish language, she said she was surprised about the amount of Irish that people have and the effort they made to speak a few words or to text as Gaeilge.
Ms Connolly said that that is a strong message for the "system" and the Government to make opportunities to speak available.
She said she is still learning and it is life learning that does not happen overnight but Gaeilge will be used in Áras an Uachtaráin.
"I will do my best to pull Irish in from the periphery and to use it naturally," she said.
Ms Connoly said she is now having to get used to having close protection gardaí assigned to her who follow her everywhere, with additional personnel from Northern Ireland while she is in Belfast.
She said she also hopes to be able to continue to use her bike when she is president if she can.
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