For the second time in less than a month Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald will be in Portlaoise on the campaign trail ahead of the General Election.
Having attended the party’s Laois convention in early November where Maria McCormack was officially confirmed as the Sinn Féin candidate following Brian Stanley’s resignation, Mary Lou will be back in Portlaoise tomorrow (Wednesday).
This visit was initially due to take place last Thursday but was postponed at short notice. However, it is going ahead now tomorrow instead, just two days before polling day and the morning after the key three-way leaders debate on RTE.
Her visit comes at a time when Fine Gael are showing a decline of up to 6% in the polls, to 19%, while Sinn Féin are enjoying a small increase to 20%. On the most recent Irish Times poll, Fianna Fáil were marginally out in front on 21%.
As well as this being McDonald’s second visit to Laois in recent weeks, Taoiseach Simon Harris has also been here twice – to Mountmellick last Wednesday and to Portlaoise on November 1, for the official turning of the sod at the new Garda station, just prior to the election being called.
Incidentally – and perhaps as a sign that Fianna Fáil see Sean Fleming in a very strong position – Micheal Martin hasn’t been in Laois during the campaign, though that could change in the coming days.
The Sinn Féin leader will visit the National Learning Network in Portlaoise, followed by a trip to St Mary’s Hall to meet local sporting groups and will follow that with a walk down Main Street in the town.
The Sinn Féin itinerary details that the visit to Main Street will include a visit to Jack Nolan’s Locksmiths. Though a former Fianna Fáil Town Councillor in Portlaoise, Jack has been actively canvassing with Maria McCormack in recent weeks.
As well as a locksmith and cobbler, he is also extremely well known in GAA circles through his commentary work for Midlands 103 radio and others.
McDonald’s visit to Portlaoise is a strong show of support for Maria McCormack in the key final days of the election and continues the party’s vibrant campaign locally in the wake of Brian Stanley’s hugely controversial resignation. Mary Lou McDonald’s appearance alongside Maria McCormack will ensure plenty of media exposure, locally and nationally, in the vital last few days before the country goes to the polls.
Maria McCormack, a native of Ballyroan and resident in Portlaoise, contested the recent Local Elections but polled weakly with just 276 first preferences and was never in contention.
But the party are keen to defy their long odds (she is currently sixth in the betting with Boyle Sports at 7/1) and hoping to see a 2020 style showing from a candidate that had previously failed to win a seat at local level.
While a number of Brian Stanley supporters that were previously in Sinn Féin have left the party to support him, a large cohort have remained with the party and are behind McCormack.
Defeated Local Election candidates Aaron Kelly from Graiguecullen, Helen Campion from Rathdowney and Lorna Holohan-Garry from Mountmellick are all key members of the McCormack campaign team while Cllr Aidan Mullins, who resigned from the party in August, has also lended his support to McCormack and was pictured with her during a canvass to his native Portarlington at the weekened.
Brian Stanley’s wife Caroline has been supporting Brian but remains a member of Sinn Féin for now.
Maria McCormack is one of 12 candidates contesting this General Election in Laois. Polling take place this Friday, November 29, across the county. Counting will begin on Saturday morning in the sports hall on the grounds of Portlaoise CBS/Scoil Chríost Rí.
SEE ALSO – Check out all our 2024 General Election coverage here
