Irish Presidential election campaign to include celebrities like Kevin Sharkey

The next election for the President of the Republic of Ireland is set to be held in October of this year. The Irish Presidency is one of the two most powerful political offices in the country. The other is the Prime Minister, officially the Taoiseach, as it's called in Gaelic. The incumbent Michael D. Higgins, elected in 2011, is running for a second term. Higgins was a long-time politician as a member of the Labour Party before going Independent. As TheJournal.ie reports, he is favored to win re-election and has been endorsed by three of the country's four major political parties.

However, he is likely to face challenges from the fourth party, Sinn Fein, and a number of independents.

Likely challengers include celebrities

Perhaps the most high-profile of Higgins' likely challengers is Gavin Duffy. Duffy made a name for himself as a radio station owner and later as a media and management consultant. He eventually became a panelist on the Irish version of the television series "Dragon's Den." On it, budding entrepreneurs pitch their business ideas to venture capitalists in an effort to secure an investment. The series is based on the Japanese show "The Tigers of Money." It has been adapted into various forms around the world, including "Shark Tank" in the United States.

Duffy was active with the Fianna Fail and Fine Gael parties, though he never held elected office.

His expected candidacy is to be Independent with the support of some Fianna Fail members. However, The Irish Examiner reports that he might not be the only 'dragon' to enter the race.

Sean Gallagher was a community activist, tech entrepreneur and a prominent member of Fianna Fail. Gallagher also joined the cast of "Dragon's Den." In 2011, he ran as an Independent for the Presidency.

Gallagher led late in the polls before he was falsely linked by broadcaster RTE to a controversial tweet. He ultimately finished in second place, behind Higgins. According to The Irish Times, Gallagher received significant damages along with an apology from RTE over the incident. Speculation has begun that he is eager to give it another go.

Already making his candidacy official is Kevin Sharkey. Sharkey embarked on many careers, including music and television. Likely his most successful endeavor has been as a painter. Collectors of his work include his opponent, Michael D. Higgins. Sharkey was formerly a member of Sinn Fein but he has since left the party and become an Independent.

It's not uncommon for celebrities to run for a national high-office

Other celebrities have sought some of the highest offices in their respective countries. Businessman Kevin O'Leary made a run for the Leadership of the Conservative Party of Canada in 2017. He is best known for appearing on "Shark Tank" and Canada's "Dragons' Den." O'Leary, hoping to become Prime Minister, led in many polls before surprisingly leaving the race shortly before the election.

The race was eventually won by Andrew Scheer.

Silvio Berlusconi was a prominent businessman in Italy, eventually purchasing the iconic soccer team A.C. Milan. He entered into politics and became Prime Minister on three separate occasions. His time in public office has been steeped in controversy and he was convicted of tax crimes in 2013.

Undoubtedly, the most famous celebrity-politician of all is Donald Trump. Trump was a celebrity real estate developer in New York. Eventually, he starred on "The Apprentice" and "The Celebrity Apprentice." He won the U.S. Presidency in an upset in 2016. Since then, he has been the subject of investigation and controversy. He has won many supporters, along with many detractors, including in his own party.