THERE WAS A TIME, not so terribly long ago, where the campaign anthem was as much a staple of the electoral season as a poster or the manifesto.

That time seems to have died off, however – now, instead of worrying about a campaign tune, Ireland’s parties are habitually more preoccupied with choosing the typeface for their new posters, or choosing the best photograph to go on their Facebook profiles.

There’s one candidate, though, that’s trying to keep the art of the campaign tune alive – independent John Dillon, who’s running in Limerick against the likes of incumbents Niall Collins (FF) and Dan Neville (FG).

A former president of the Irish Farmers’ Association, Dillon has retained the rural touch in his song, which deals with emigration, unemployment and being “a country boy with loads of muscles, who’s going to bring the fight to Brussels”.

Running on a ticket to reform the HSE, renegotiate the IMF bailout, and (presumably) reform of Europe’s agricultural policies, Dillon is considered an outside bet to take a seat in the three-seater constituency, priced at 13/8 with Paddy Power behind Neville, Collins and Fine Gael’s Patrick O’Donovan.

Worth sticking in for an honourable mention is Offaly auctioneer John Bracken, who released campaign songs for the 2007 general election and again for the 2009 locals, coming unsuccessfully both times.