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THREE DAYS OUT from D-Day, there’s still an intense battle going on for the final seat in the massive Ireland South constituency.
Candidates will be blitzing the ten county constituency in the coming days, in a bid to shore up as much support as possible across an electoral area that covers the entire southern half of the country — from the outer-Dublin suburbs of north Wicklow to the wilds of west Kerry.
Friday’s election provides a chance for voters to send a clear message on what they make of the current coalition. Issues like water charges and jobs have been the main topics of conversation on the canvass — and while Labour look set to lose out as a result of growing dissatisfaction with the coalition, Fine Gael appear on course to secure two of the four seats up for grabs.
To date, the incident that’s created most headlines in the battle for the south has been sitting Labour MEP’s decision to press the red button and call for her party leader to quit. Phil Prendergast’s surprise move (which, admittedly, gained her acres of coverage in the wake of a poor poll showing) resulted in a short-term bump in support, but she’s been polling back between 5 and 6 per cent in recent days.
The situation’s created some awkward moments in the last few weeks. Prendergast’s declaration that she viewed Eamon Gilmore not just as the elephant in the room, but as an elephant “cantering around the room breaking things” didn’t stop her appearing beside her leader at a manifesto launch last week. Asked by reporters, she confirmed “I stand by what I said” while noting that it had been a “difficult time”.
Back to Brussels
At the other end of a crowded field, Fianna Fáil’s perennially popular Brian Crowley is well on course to top the polls once again. A number of surveys, conducted weeks apart, showed the veteran MEP poised to romp home with a massive lead over his nearest rivals. His surplus is likely to have a major bearing on the final complexion of the constituency.
While the addition of Leinster’s eastern counties in the recent re-drawing of boundaries doesn’t appear to have hampered brand Crowley, it’s created some major headaches for Fine Gael over the last few weeks. The party’s running three candidates — with Senator Deirdre Clune, from Cork, and Wicklow TD Simon Harris both snapping at the heels of sitting MEP Sean Kelly.
[Dave Nowak Photography]
The situation’s led to some discord between the candidates, who theoretically signed-up to a ‘divide and conquer’ strategy — each were supposed to play to their geographical strengths, canvassing and making local media appearances within clearly demarcated areas, with only Tipperary and Waterford deemed ‘up for grabs’ by all three.
‘A nightmare’
The plan hasn’t worked out in practice, however, and candidates’ representatives have regularly accused their competitors of encroaching into rival territory. One campaign source said trying to manage the vote in the constituency had been “a nightmare”.
Despite all the sniping — Enda Kenny’s party look on course to send Kelly, a former GAA President, back to Brussels. Based on the latest polls Clune looks most likely to join him, though Harris isn’t too far behind.
New hopeful
Sinn Féin’s Liadh Ní Riada, a political newcomer, has been polling strongly since the start of the campaign proper — reflecting the national pattern of growing support for her party. The former TV producer and daughter of composer Sean is on 19 per cent in the latest poll, 12 behind Crowley. She’ll be aiming to cover as much ground as possible over the next few days, however, given that SF rarely do well when it comes to transfers.
In terms of the other candidates — first-time Green candidate and former Rainbow Warrior activist Grace O’Sullivan has put in an encouraging performance for the party. Her poll numbers hit 7 per cent in yesterday’s Irish Times survey, putting her one ahead of Prendergast.
Down among the single digits, campaigner Diarmud O’Flynn of ‘Ballyhea says No’ has been the highest profile candidate of the bunch. While he’s insisted his campaign is not a symbolic one, the Irish Examiner journalist is unlikely to be in the mix come Sunday night when the results are officially announced.
Kieran Hartley is the second FF candidate running in the area, but the Waterford-based businessman’s campaign never really got off the ground — he was at just 2 per cent in the Times poll. Also on the ballot on Friday will be non-party candidates Richard Cahill, Jillian Godsil, and Peter O’Loughlin — along with Theresa Heaney (Catholic Democrats), Dónal Ó Ríordáin of Fís Nua and Jan van de Ven of Direct Democracy Ireland.
And finally, sheep…
The main candidates have an intense few days ahead, as they aim to hit as many shopping centres, sporting events and local radio stations as possible before the polls open at 7am on Friday.
And if you happen to be in the Gorey area in the latter half of the week, you can expect to see a few familiar political figures. Tens of thousands of spectators are due in the area for the international sheep-shearing championships, the ‘Golden Shears‘.
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Massive disappointment, the headline sucked me in, I thought she was on the aircraft when he partied in his undies.
Deliberately misleading headline alright.
The very best headline I’ve read on thejournal.
Legend get him on the late late
You have to be a presenter of another RTE show to get on that hot ticket.
Just give him a ticket to the show. He’d jump up on stage and make the show watchable for more than 2 whole mins.
It’s a fair point Jambon. If Tubs starting giving yippers and erb to everyone in the audience not only would the atmosphere be ELECTRIFYING, I for one would be queuing around donnybrook awaiting the night of our lives.
Was it Enda Kenny??
I bet he got a kick in the Caucasus for his trouble…
Probably a pat on the head. Sit ubu sit.
I think the Germans will have special methods of punishment for this humour filled individual
She was checking out Dacchau ; how appropriate rubber !
Luftpantsa
Maybe he was trying to get higher..
Pathetic joke
Why are so much of yous idiots that every article has something to do with enda kenny. Is your brain so lowly capacitated that you can’t actually bring a proper comical sentence to the forumbin relation to the incident.
Can you repeat that in English please.
Enda kenny
Enda Kenny, when asked recently on how he felt about Mayo’s All Ireland chances avoided the question and blamed the whole thing on the previous Fianna Fáil government.
What I want to know is where were the rest of the A-Team. I’d expect this type of behaviour from Murdock – but from Mr. T? What’s the world coming too!
The reason he didn’t try to fly it?
“I ain’t flying in no plane fool…”
Mr. T wouldn’t get on no plane, fool.
Ah… that explains the drugs – clearly Hannibal mixed up the meds in his milk.
Mr T is doing a show on BBC3, World’s Craziest Fools. It’s dumb but hilarious.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VlIPx6MYE-U
Definitely wasn’t Irish. We don’t have money to spend on marijuana and ecstasy. Or underwear.
Speak for yourself fool.
Aw Gaz, give us a score. i promise I’ll buy leopardprint second skin speedos. And disco biscuits lol
“Enda, mein lickspittle, DAS IST VERBOTEN!!”
It wasn’t that mad Irish priest was it.
I really hope it turns out to be enda kenny:)
Oh yes I did!!
Probably because she had taken the shirt off of his back. :)
Headline had me thinking we had flying high bunga bunga party.
It was Mr Merkel.
It would have been great if he got the plane going.
There’s been serval high profile embarrassing news stories for Merkel over the last 2 weeks. Interesting given there is a major election coming up in September.
I don’t know the lady and don’t think she has been a great leader, certainly in European terms…. but ya gotta wonder why this is all happening now….
“Butch Merkel and the Wingdance Kid !”
We all partied
He must have been out of his vulkan mind….
Must have been Silvio thinking it was bunga bunga party night.
What are maijuana pills?
They’re like magic beans ; If the cops catch you with them you can’t emigrate !
German version of our dancing priest fella
Guess you could say
It’s all “up in the air” at this stage
Seriously, who the fu*k is Angela Merkel?
Anything for a few bob these days
Tear the underwear of Angela with me teeth so I would.
You might get a surprise with what you might find if you did.
One of the Bushes perhaps….
According to the bible John the only good bush is a burning bush ; Satan and his son dubya read the passage and thought “Middle East !”
Shit I hope it wasn’t Enda !
Angela’s wingman is going around in underpants ; t’would remind you of Top Gun .
More underpants parties!
have your say