HOLLY Cairns’ dad has shared his “delight” at becoming a new grandfather after he rushed to hear the bill for her constituency.

The social democrats leader, who is the first party leader to have been pregnant in the Dail, shared the news of her daughter’s birth on election day yesterday.

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Cairns, 35, and hotelier partner Barry Looney revealed they had welcomed their first bundle of joy into the world, with the party leader announcing: “She’s here. We’re absolutely in love with her.”

Her father Clem headed to Cork South West count center tonight and revealed his positivity for his daughter, new mum and Soc Dem party leader Holly Cairns.

The figures for the constituency have so far shown the party leader has doubled his first preferences since 2020.

To talk to RTEsaid Clem: “As a new grandfather I’m happy and relieved and proud of Holly. More excited about the baby than the election.”

The proud grandfather traveled to the counting center after visiting Holly and her newborn at Cork Maternity Hospital in Mallow – where both mother and baby are doing “well”.

He said: “I think Holly looked better than her partner Barry but he probably wore a lot too.

“I don’t think he slept at all.

“I think it’s the third pick now that she’s probably surprised everyone and someone you wouldn’t write off easily I think.”

He said his daughter is taking over maternity “like another duck water” and her baby looks just like her dad Barry.

He continued: “You always wonder, despite everything that might happen, are you going to be a good parent?

“When she looked at Holly, she took to it like a duck to water.”

The proud grandfather recalled Holly’s 2019 council election when she won by just one vote in the recount.

NEW MOTHER’S JOY

He said: “I think the one thing we can all be thankful for is that it no longer depends on a vote like it was the first time she was elected because it would have been her vote this time!”

Cork TD, who was still knocking on doors in the lead up to general electiontook over as party leader last year after founders Catherine Murphy and Roisin Shortall stepped down.

Inside the political and personal life of Holly Cairns

HOLLY Cairns has experienced a whirlwind political career going from newly elected TD to party leader in just three years.

The Cork native took over as leader of the Social Democrats in May 2023 – after representing the party for five years.

She was a founding member of the party’s west Cork branch and quickly rose through the ranks – making it Dáil Eireann as a TD in the 2020 election.

The farming expert paid tribute to former party leaders Roisin Shortall and Catherine Murphy after they announced that they are leaving the party and would not seek re-election.

The former co-leaders said it was time for a “new generation to take over”.

Cairns, 35, has gained public favor by addressing topics such as domestic violence, abortion, maternity and children’s homes and the environment.

And so has she previously stated about the abuse and harassment she experienced since she entered politics.

The politician grew up on a small dairy farm on the Turk Head peninsula near Skibbereen in Cork.

Holly completed her Master of Science and obtained a First Class Honors degree in Horticulture.

Holly first became involved in politics as an activist for LGBT and women’s rights.

She campaigned for Senator David Norris during the 2011 presidential election.

Cairns worked abroad for a couple of years before returning to Ireland and becoming involved in the Together for Yes campaign to repeal the Eighth Amendment.

In 2020, Cairns stood against his then partner, Christopher O’Sullivan, a Fianna Fail candidate, for the Cork South-West constituency in the general election.

Deputy Cairns said that after O’Sullivan’s last-minute addition to the ticket, it felt like being in a “poorly written rom-com”.

In June 2024, the party leader announced she is expecting a girl with his partner, hotelier Barry Looney.

Discuss pregnancyshe said: “We’ve been trying for a while, so we’re completely satisfied.”

Talking further RTE’s Sunday with Miriamthe deputy said she had two miscarriages in the last year or so.

But she said “fingers crossed, it’s looking good” for her this time around.

She added: “It’s something that we know happens to quite a few people.

“I think it’s one in three women who experience it, and we just don’t hear a lot about it.”

Cairns said it was comforting to hear other women talk about miscarriage, adding: “You’re less alone, you’re not the only one going through it.”

Following her announcement, congratulations poured in for the politician after she announced her baby news.

Talking to the Irish sun just days before her due dateCairns said she felt “excited” and “grateful”.

She said: “It is at such a stage pregnancy where you’re so excited but it could also be tomorrow or it could be two weeks away — you don’t know.

“I’m very excited but obviously I’m trying to juggle things and make sure not to overdo it.

“People are so supportive here at home. They are like that nice to say ‘oh you don’t have to call’ which is so, so nice, but obviously I think it’s very important to call people as much as possible so I’m out there doing what I can.

“I’m so grateful to the decor teams and the poster teams. It’s those times when so many people have stepped up to help that I just feel incredibly grateful.”