Born in Galway and raised in a social housing estate in Galway city, Connolly was the ninth of 14 children.
She studied for a degree in psychology with German, before taking a job as a clinical psychologist with a County Galway health board.
But she turned down a permanent post and instead began night classes to study for a law degree.
She qualified as a barrister in 1991.
The mother of two was in her early 40s when she entered elected politics in 1999.
Connolly served 17 years as councillor in Galway, including a one-year term as mayor of her native city.
However, she criticised Labour for not supporting her bid to run alongside Higgins in the 2007 general election and she left the party in the aftermath of that dispute.
