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THE OLD ADAGE goes that politicians wear the soles off their shoes during a campaign.
But how much of their day is really spent knocking on doors, kissing babies and arguing with local opponents?
RollingNews.ie photographer Leon Farrell has been spending hours with general election candidates to see exactly what they get up to.
Today, it was the turn of Fianna Fáil councillor and family barrister Jennifer Cuffe, who’s hoping to be elected to the Dáil in the Wicklow constituency.
The constituency includes the whole of Wicklow, ranging from the seaside towns of Bray, Greystones and Wicklow Town on the east coast, to Enniskerry in the Wicklow mountains, and Blessington on the borders with Kildare.
Leon spent the day with Jennifer, from the time she headed out from her Greystones apartment at 12pm, until she finished for the day at 6.30pm.
Farrell gave TheJournal.ie exclusive access to his photo diary, allowing us a glimpse into a day of campaigning and canvassing.
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This is like a photo shoot for Irish Tatler, or Hello magazine. Hunter wellies and everything. All that’s missing is a fox hunt and a few Range Rovers.
Just shows what has to be done to get elected. Hard work and pounding footpaths knocking on doors .
It will be worth it if she gets a seat. 4 1/2 yrs of sitting back raking in a handsome wage and expenses and even the odd “brown envelope”. Then only 6 months of bullsh!te and kite flying towards the end. A fantastic job.
Paddy, the week or two of this sort of thing almost makes the fact that you get paid and retire with a discusting pension regardless if your any good or not almost not wort it
nobody has knock on my door yet thank God
4 and a half years? She will likely be back out canvassing within weeks after the hung parliament necessitates another general Election
Jennifer meets Fianna Fail councillor Pat Vance. Puts a different slant on that photograph, doesn’t it.
Good shout!
Why is A Dun laoighre rathdown councillor with only 2 years experience at local level running in Wicklow ? does she think she can con them ?
The same reason a well heeled Rathgar lady, who went to a private school in Churchtown, is running in the predominantly working class constituency of Dublin Central and trying to convince the local electorate that she is ‘one of their own’. Politicians have no shame when it comes to trying to con their way onto the gravy train.
Are we talking about champagne socialist Paul Murphy. Middle Class, Private school plus politics in UCD
Anyone who wants can run Brian its who’s left standing at the end is what matters, Fair play to her for running and to all who threw their hat in the ring. Fine Fail had a lot of difficulty in picking a candidate for Wicklow and its a shame that there are no serious contenders once again from the capital of Wicklow….Arklow
Sean no I think they were referring to Mary Lou McDonald who went to motre dame
She is living in the Wicklow constituency obviously reading the article.. last I checked Greystones was Wicklow
Cabinteely in wickow??? http://www.thejournal.ie/jennifer-cuffe-dun-laoghaire-2060043-Apr2015/
Well she was living in DLR When she got elected there. Councillors should have to live in the area they represent or resign. It’s like A TD not living in Ireland.
What is a nice girl like her getting mixed up with a shower of crooks like Fianna Fail?
According to Fianna Fail they are not crooks at all. just habitual mistake makers.
Maybe she liked the fact a free pass was on offer through gender quotas?
did this candidate avail of it?
If she did, I couldn’t care less about her unfortunately as I believe in meritocracy.
If she didn’t, I wish the article would say as I genuinely warmed a bit to her on reading it.
Yea cause meritocracy works……who decides who merits what ! A fancy term that disguises corruption
Communism is a great concept as well practice is a little different
Did Barry Egan write this article ?
Cringe!! Us women are our own worst enimes sometimes!
Now let’s be politically correct, “sure aren’t they all lovely girls”
Could you tel me what was that all about ? . what does the women stand for or is that out of the question .or is this a Waterford whisper spoof ?
So if she left her apartment at 12 like the article says, then how is she applying make up in her apartment at 1pm?
6 1/2 hours her make up wont be dry
She leaves the apartment at one and finishes at six thirty. She will be no good to anyone if she keeps burning the candle at both ends like that.
Teachers & barristers , does anyone else stand ?
Just thinking the same. They are professions that are not going to produce people who can analyse departments, systems and services. Work out how to improve them and oversee implementation of change. So government departments and services carry on same as ever. They don’t know how to change anything even if they wanted to..
No-one else has the free time or money.
She has a hole in her jeans
Saw Fianna Fáil and stopped reading. Went to comments instead.
I don’t see her on the list of Co Wicklow Councillors. Was Cllr Cuffe secretly co-opted?
She’s A dun laoighre councillor, don’t think she’s fine anything since elected
She gets my vote!
Generally political crooks are not attractive — Mary Hannifin needed Photoshop Pro to transform her picture into what looks like — lets be honest, a politician.
Jennifer checks her emails. Jennifer puts on her wellies. Jennifer stops at Kilpedder for a quick doobie. Jennifer stops in Baltinglass for a quick wazz.
Wicklow covers Arklow too… Lots of votes there…
Here comes femininazi crowd isn’t out calling us all misogynists and saying people wouldn’t be commenting on what she’s wearing or calling her a lovely girl if it was a man…
Willie O’Dea is on a mad horn apparently!
Why not have a go of getting on the gravy train,snout in the trough, noway babe.
Looks like she has good connections into the journal.ie , sure isin’t that how it works in Irish politics.
She could have found a better place to stop to put on her wellies.
Whatever her politics herself and Helen McEntee in Meath would get my 1 2 on the election rides website
You must be hard up Mick
This governments policy is not to increase income tax, but what we will do is introduce a property tax and then we will introduce a water charge without inquiring of the ability to pay. OK so far, we will then increase prescription charges by 400% after that we will increase car tax and then abolish the phone and electric allowence and we will then increase the enviromental tax on coal and briquettes what we can try then is take the medical cards we might get away with it, and then we will scrap the death grant you see that looks better than increasing income tax or the tax 12.5% we charge inward investment companies. Basically we can screw the elderly and those less fortunate in society.
I have a strange feeling of deja vu reading that comment.
“You seem like a lovely girl”.
That’s why the country is the way it is.
I think Pat Casey will Get the Seat in Wicklow for FF. To Many high profile candidates in North Wicklow. Simon Harris and Stephen Donnelly.
have your say