Election 2011 - Mayo Style

finisklin

Hi folks,

just thought I'd open a new thread to refresh and look ahead to the election campaign that has started in earnest.

Candidates declared (as I know, please add if I have missed any one)

• Dara Calleary FF
• Gerry Cowley Lab
• Rose Conway Walsh SF
• Therese Ruane SF
• Michael Ring FG
• Enda Kenny FG
• John O'Mahony FG
• Michelle Mulhearn FG
• Michael Kilcoyne Ind (not sure if declared yet?)

What will be the key issues? Economy/Recession/IMF/Local Issues etc.

Will social media play apart?

I noticed Gerry Cowley on the canvas in Ballina today....looking dapper in his Red tie! I think the upheaval in FF may have delayed the launch of Dara's campaign though MM has been busy with funerals over the last few weeks......

Positive piece in the telegraph re DC

http://www.con-telegraph.ie/news/politics/2159-daras-gamble

Will Enda participate in the 3 way debate? Diminished his standing in the public view and he has been remarkeably quiet in his public appearances over the last while.

The game is on.......

Cosmo Kramer

The good news for Enda is that he doesn't have to produce anything too special to win this election and become Taoiseach, he just needs to hold it together for a month. However, as a party leader he will have to appear in the debates no matter how much he tries to put the focus on the FG 'team'- I'd expect him to do OK in that environment, FG have reams of policy he can refer to and while it might not be interesting stuff, i think the country would prefer substance to flashy bull**** this time around. Don't expect him to go striking a killer blow in any of them though.

I think the campaign in Mayo will reflect the national mood, FF will get a kicking like everywhere else. FG will of course poll extremely well here - although it would take an incredible performance to secure four seats.

FF under Martin already look a different party to the one Cowen was running as recently as two weeks ago. Martin's approach appears to be to accept the inevitable and try to minimise the damage. To this end he has spoken this week about only running one candidate in some of the biggest constituencies. Although, as the biggest constituency (geographically) and with the only returning TD located at one end of the county, I'm still not sure that this is the best approach in Mayo. However, facing a difficult task of winning two seats they may be deciding to sacrifice the central and west Mayo FF vote this time around to ensure Calleary gets home.

In historical terms the prospect of FF only running one candidate in a county where they once held four seats is quite incredible.

I want to have a go at predicting it now so I can come back in a month and see how things have transpired, but its impossible to predict where the last seat (or maybe two) will go. But I'll have a stab at it anyway!

So I'll go Kenny to top the poll followed by Ring, then Calleary, JOM and maybe Cowley to have a strong month and pick up votes here and there all over the county and scrape in well below the quota, maybe on Mulherrin transfers. I think that would be the best result for the county too.

I just hope we don't waste a seat by voting in an independent candidate, I think its a safe bet that FG/LAB will have a comfortable majority this time out and any independents voted in around the country (there will be quite a few) will spend the next few years kicking their heels on the opposition benches with no real power to achieve anything.

nuac

Amazed that FF only putting up one candkiate in Mayo. Ballina is a long way from significant parts of the constituency - they risk that many FF voters will not come out in those areas.

yop

Out of pure interest, whats the spread of "job experience" with all the candidates there in Mayo?

O'Mahony - Teacher
Kenny - Teacher
Ring - Breadman

What do the rest of them do?

I am just curious as to what the candidates have with regards their previous experience.

finisklin

yop wrote: »

Out of pure interest, whats the spread of "job experience" with all the candidates there in Mayo?

O'Mahony - Teacher
Kenny - Teacher
Ring - Breadman

What do the rest of them do?

I am just curious as to what the candidates have with regards their previous experience.

• Calleary worked for chambers Ireland as a development executive, graduate of Trinity college.

• Mulhearn is a solicitor & county councillor

• Cowley is a GP in Mulranny.

• O'Mahony is a retired teacher (I think) though with his involvement in GAA over the last 20 years I guess the teaching was part time?

• Is Kilcoyne a auctioneer?
• Rose Conway Walsh is a county councillor
• Therese Ruane is also a county councillor

nuac

Re Dáil candidates vocations

Ml Ring left school afaik befroe Leaving Cert and started off as a breadsalesman. He builit up a very successful business and was running at least two vans ( with employees ) before he changed to auctioneering. Likewise he was very successful at that until full time politics took over.

Michelle Mulherin is a highly regarded solicitor

Jerry Cowley is a GP

Ml Kilcoyne is a SIPTU official and a funeral director.

finisklin

Not to take anything away from the vocations of the prospective TDs and for balance I would argue that they are all highly regarded in their fields.....;)

finisklin

DC launching his campaign on Friday night......more details here....

http://www.mayotoday.ie/index.php/browse-mayo-news-by-category/mayo-election-diary/item/2269-tv-dragon-to-launch-callearys-election-campaign.html

Neworder79

None inspire much excitement for me, no new ideas or signs of intelligence beyond the usual platitudes. More of the usual type of politico candidate you'd expect to run.

Calleary's blind self-serving loyalty to Cowen, and denial of reality recently has showed a side I don't like, lost a lot of respect for him.

Had hoped someone with a strong business background like FG Cllr Peter Flynn might run. Articulate, practical strategic thinker with multinational experience and an understanding of infrastructure needs of the county.

He'd be far better asset to the region than the ministher for funerals and handouts.

finisklin

John Carey from Kilmaine has announced his candidancy for the Green Party. Is this the Green's first foray into Mayo?

More info here on John.....

http://www.mayotoday.ie/index.php/browse-mayo-news-by-category/mayo-election-diary/item/2274-kilmaine-man-standing-for-green-party-in-mayo.html

He's gonna be up agin it......especially since he's not in a big urban area (Castlebar, Ballina etc.)

Cosmo Kramer

The Greens have run in Mayo before, I remember Ann Crowley(?) accosting me outside Hanley's on Station Road some years ago, it was probably the 97 elections, I wasn't quite old enough to vote at the time, but that didn't stop her telling me why i should have been voting for her as soon as I was old enough to !

Sugarfree

Any chance of putting a poll up. See who we're giving our number 1 to.

Kristopherus

My call is :Ring, Kenny, Calleary, O'Mahony/Mulherin and O'Mahony/Mulherin(loser) & Cowley & Kilcoyne for the last seat.

Ilovelucy

What is ichael Kilcoynes pedigree? On what basis will he be running? I have googled and cant find a lot of info. Thanks.

yop

I can't see Calleary coming in 2nd, his blind love for Cowan will prob pee a lot of people off but it will probably come down to local politics.

finisklin

Fresh off the Mid West News Desk........

Michael Kilcoyne Declares as An Independent Candidate

Tuesday, 01 February 2011 09:42

CASTLEBAR TOWN AND COUNTY COUNCILLOR MICHAEL KILCOYNE HAS DECLARED THAT HE WILL RUN IN THE UPCOMING GENERAL ELECTION AS AN INDEPENDENT CANDIDATE.

THE SIPTU OFFICIAL AND MEMBER OF THE NATIONAL CONSUMER AGENCY WAS A FORMER MEMBER OF THE LABOUR PARTY BUT HAS BEEN AN INDEPENDENT COUNCILLOR FOR SOME YEARS.

SPEAKING TO MIDWEST NEWS TODAY HE SAID HE HAS DECIDED TO CONTEST THE 2011 GENERAL ELECTION AFTER CONSIDERABLE REFLECTION AND IN RESPONSE TO THE PUBLIC’S REQUEST TO HAVE A VOICE IN THE DAIL.

HE SAID HE WILL DO HIS BEST TO ADDRESS THE ISSUES OF CONCERN TO THE PUBLIC PARTICULARLY REGARDING EMIGRATION AND THE NEED FOR JOB CREATION.

yop

Interesting that. I would give him a vote but been 100% greedy then we need to get FG into Government and Kenny as the leader if we are ever going to get any right jobs / infrastructure down here.

Avns1s

finisklin wrote: »

Fresh off the Mid West News Desk........

Michael Kilcoyne Declares as An Independent Candidate

Tuesday, 01 February 2011 09:42

CASTLEBAR TOWN AND COUNTY COUNCILLOR MICHAEL KILCOYNE HAS DECLARED THAT HE WILL RUN IN THE UPCOMING GENERAL ELECTION AS AN INDEPENDENT CANDIDATE.

THE SIPTU OFFICIAL AND MEMBER OF THE NATIONAL CONSUMER AGENCY WAS A FORMER MEMBER OF THE LABOUR PARTY BUT HAS BEEN AN INDEPENDENT COUNCILLOR FOR SOME YEARS.

SPEAKING TO MIDWEST NEWS TODAY HE SAID HE HAS DECIDED TO CONTEST THE 2011 GENERAL ELECTION AFTER CONSIDERABLE REFLECTION AND IN RESPONSE TO THE PUBLIC’S REQUEST TO HAVE A VOICE IN THE DAIL.

HE SAID HE WILL DO HIS BEST TO ADDRESS THE ISSUES OF CONCERN TO THE PUBLIC PARTICULARLY REGARDING EMIGRATION AND THE NEED FOR JOB CREATION.

In fairness, Brian Cowen and Brian Lenihan "did their best" and see the mess we're in.

I don't think that independents will have any balance of power after this election so arguably, electing an independent is close on a waste of time.

Fogra

Avns1s wrote: »

In fairness, Brian Cowen and Brian Lenihan "did their best"

Yeah. They did their best to destroy the country you mean.:rolleyes:

Avns1s

Fogra wrote: »

Yeah. They did their best to destroy the country you mean.:rolleyes:

Well, outside of the Fianna Fail arogance and the fact that they without exception treated taxpayers money as their own personal slush fund that they could spend and squander as they wished, looking after their own friends and party followers in the process, I don't think there was a particular malice in Cowen or Lenihan. I do think that they believe they did their best "for the country".

finisklin

Avns1s wrote: »

Well, outside of the Fianna Fail arogance and the fact that they without exception treated taxpayers money as their own personal slush fund that they could spend and squander as they wished, looking after their own friends and party followers in the process, I don't think there was a particular malice in Cowen or Lenihan. I do think that they believe they did their best "for the country".

Is this thread getting a bit like Monty Python? Maybe the reverse/opposite of What did the Romans ever do for us?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ExWfh6sGyso

I am not trying to put FF in the same league as the Romans here....but this is a funny sketch. FF are in a calamitious league of their own making! Untouchable.

Coillte_Bhoy

yop wrote: »

Interesting that. I would give him a vote but been 100% greedy then we need to get FG into Government and Kenny as the leader if we are ever going to get any right jobs / infrastructure down here.

Oh ffs, talk about small minded parochialism. We need to move on from this parish pump syle politics. There is no hope for the country with that attitude still so prevalent.

Cosmo Kramer

Coillte_Bhoy wrote: »

Oh ffs, talk about small minded parochialism. We need to move on from this parish pump syle politics. There is no hope for the country with that attitude still so prevalent.

As long as our existing PR system remains in place its the reality I'm afraid, its dog eat dog between one constituency and the next so if we're not looking after ourselves in Mayo, you can be sure nobody else is going to. Even within the county individual politicians will look after their own patch ahead of the rest of the county. Calleary openly admits his priority is Ballina over the rest of Mayo and the contrasting fortunes of Castlebar and Ballina in the last 30 years show who Kenny and Flynn have looked after during their times in power. Yop is spot on in his comments, this time around a vote for FG or Labour is a better vote for improving Mayo in the next five years, that's the reality - and I say that as someone who has never voted for either party in my life.

If I though they would hold the balance of power I'd suggest voting independent, but I can't see it transpiring that way, so I think it would be a wasted seat if we voted in someone like Kilcoyne.

yop

Coillte_Bhoy wrote: »

Oh ffs, talk about small minded parochialism. We need to move on from this parish pump syle politics. There is no hope for the country with that attitude still so prevalent.

Lol, well its the reality as you should know. If FF get back in, shoot me if they do, then we will once again be left in the sh*T. Why is it that so many are moving out of Mayo for their work, myself included, when in the area I work in they CAN'T fill all the jobs up in Dublin?

Look around at our roads, drive the N5, where do all the good roads start??? Leinister is it not.

Call it what you like, its the reality, I don't like it and I dont agree with it, but if we dont vote this way we are going to be even further behind.

finisklin

First blood to CALLEARY as he has his poster's going up on the sligo Road tonight. He's not holding back.....hsven't seen any other posters yet.

BTW what type of fund would a prospective candidate for a general election need to have in place to drive his campaign? €30K? I assume the guys that put up the posters and take them down get paid?

Any thoughts would be appreciated.....

finisklin

One more independent declared...... Loretta Clarke fighting for OAPs & healthcare system reform.

yop

finisklin wrote: »

One more independent declared...... Loretta Clarke fighting for OAPs & healthcare system reform.

Ok, where is that lady based? Any idea of her background?

finisklin

yop wrote: »

Ok, where is that lady based? Any idea of her background?

She was on MWR at lunch time.....sounded a bit dramatic to me. She's 75 years old, was on Frontline before. Her nephew is former SF local councillor for Ballina Peter Clarke.

BTW Ming Flanagan was on RTE 1 news and could cause a shock in Roscommon as an independent candidate.

Kilcoyne strong runner in Mayo. He should get 5th seat...my bet is on 3 FG, 1FF & Kilcoyne. 3rd FG seat between MM & JoM.

yop

She is 75!! Fair play to her!

finisklin

Ballina-based pensioner to contest election in Mayo

Wednesday, 02 February 2011 15:39


ANOTHER INDEPENDENT CANDIDATE HAS TODAY THROW HER HAT IN THE RING IN THE 5-SEATER MAYO CONSTITUENCY.


BALLINA-BASED LORETTA CLARKE, AN OLD-AGE PENSIONER, HAS DECIDED TO RUN AS A VOICE FOR THE ELDERLY IN THE COUNTY

HarryPotter41

finisklin wrote: »

First blood to CALLEARY as he has his poster's going up on the sligo Road tonight. He's not holding back.....hsven't seen any other posters yet.

BTW what type of fund would a prospective candidate for a general election need to have in place to drive his campaign? €30K? I assume the guys that put up the posters and take them down get paid?

Any thoughts would be appreciated.....

Nope, they don't get paid, certainly not within FF, still have a good on the ground organisation that is backing Dara full tilt.