[caption id="attachment_68460" align="aligncenter" width="600" caption="President Higgins visits the Ark, Ireland's cultural center for children in Dublin's Temple Bar, with students from Divine Word National School, Marley Grange in Rathfarnham."]
New Irish President Michael D. Higgins has only been in office a matter of weeks but has already taken part in his first major act - having important surgery on his knee.
The president, who is 70, had the operation on Tuesday, which is related to an injury he suffered when he slipped on wet tiles while on an aid trip to Colombia last year.
He attended Bon Secours Hospital in Galway for the procedure.
However, before his hospital visit the president said he would return to Áras an Uachtaráin within a week to spend Christmas with his family.
A spokesperson said the president's program of engagements for the remainder of the Christmas period will continue after his return.
Higgins discussed his injury during the course of the presidential election campaign and was seen to have had a limp.
