Catherine Connolly is now leading the race for the Áras.
The first poll since nominations closed shows her ahead of Fine Gael candidate Heather Humphreys by nine points.
The Sunday Independent/Ireland Thinks poll puts the Independent Galway deputy on 32 percent, with Heather Humphreys on 23 percent and Fianna Fáil candidate Jim Gavin on 15 percent.
It shows the former Dublin GAA manager has a mountain to climb to close the gap in what could be shaping up to be a two-horse race for the presidency.
