Meet your Candidates: Your General Election hopefuls on political memories, who they admire the most, great Laois people – and the event they’d most like to attend

As well as podcast interviews and attending a canvass of the General Election candidates, we also asked them a selection of light-hearted questions.

On Tuesday we published the first part of that Q&A. Now we ask them about their political memories, the politician they admire the most, who they think is the greatest Laois person of all time, the event they’d most like to attend – and what four guests they’d ask to a dinner party.

Here are their responses.

Willie Aird (Fine Gael)

What event, any where in the world, would you most like to get tickets for? Laois in an All Ireland Final in Croke Park

Greatest Laois person of all time? My late grandfather William Aird TD

The politician/s you admire most? Michael Collins

Your earliest political memory? Canvassing for Oliver J Flanagan and Charlie McDonald

What four people (dead or alive) would you invite to a dinner party? Depends on who is paying!!!

Pauline Flanagan (Independent)

What event, any where in the world, would you most like to get tickets for? When Laois win an All Ireland Hurling Final. It might not be as long as we thought now that the great Tommy Fitz is a the helm.

Greatest Laois person of all time? The one and only James Fitzmaurice, Portlaoise born aviation pioneer who co-piloted the first east-west transatlantic flight in 1928. He put Laois on the map – literally – before half the country even had cars!

The politician/s you admire most? Mary Robinson. Her sense of social justice is most admirable. I had the honouor to meet her recently and although she agreed to take a pic with me, she was rightfully insistent that my student took precedence. I love how she has hope in the youth of tomorrow. Don’t we all.

Your earliest political memory? crap Saturday. It was like a religion in our house to tune into it. And the other memory is the shouting and roaring at the kitchen table on the family farm. Our neighbours would be in if there was any news about Charlie Haughey on the radio and the slagging between different party followers would start unholy rows. Nobody every fell out though thanks be to God.

What four people (dead or alive) would you invite to a dinner party? Elvis Presley and members of Portlaoise GAA Mothers & Others. Jaynie. That would be some night.

Sean Fleming (Fianna Fáil)

What event, any where in the world, would you most like to get tickets for? World Cup Soccer Final

Greatest Laois person of all time? John L. Fleming

The politician/s you admire most? Bertie Ahern

Your earliest political memory? 1965 when I was a toddler asking my dad how the election was going each day as it was a big topic in our house

What four people (dead or alive) would you invite to a dinner party? Lady Di, Eric Cantona, Garth Brooks and Michelle Obama

Mary Hande (Aontú)

What event, any where in the world, would you most like to get tickets for? All Ireland Senior Hurling Championship Final

Greatest Laois person of all time? Tommy Murphy the footballer – The Boy Wonder

The politician/s you admire most? Peader Toibin

Your earliest political memory? Charlie Haughey in the 1980s addressing the Nation saying “we have to tighten our belts” and he himself living the high life! Sound familiar?

What four people (dead or alive) would you invite to a dinner party? Katie Taylor, Darina Allen, Jim Gavin and JP McManus

Maria McCormack (Sinn Féin)

Greatest Laois person of all time? My Mammy

The politician/s you admire most? Pearse Doherty

Your earliest political memory? The Good Friday Agreement

What four people (dead or alive) would you invite to a dinner party? My late Dad, Martin L King, Robin Williams and Marie Curie

Aisling Moran (Independent)

What event, any where in the world, would you most like to get tickets for? Glastonbury ! Anyone got tickets?

Greatest Laois person of all time? Pat Kelly – St Abban’s Athletic Club. He kept us all on an even keel through our teenage years

The politician/s you admire most? Jacinda Ardern for her work ethic, communication style and her Integrity.

Your earliest political memory? On a global scale one of my earliest memories, is the enduring image of the lone student standing in front of the tanks in Tiananmen Square in 1989. It symbolised to me the difference one person can make.

What four people (dead or alive) would you invite to a dinner party? Graham Norton, Jennifer Saunders, Maya Angelou, Robin Williams

Elaine Mullally (Independent)

What event, any where in the world, would you most like to get tickets for? I would love to get tickets for Olympics 2028 in LA, because I believe that a very talented Laois athlete may qualify to compete at these games, Jack Fenlon, son of friends of ours John and Suzanne Fenlon.

Greatest Laois person of all time? Sue Ramsbottom, (who played football with my sister Aisling on the Laois team). She is a true legend and great ambassador for Ladies football in Laois, as a footballer she was a different class. The second ‘greatest’ Laois person is Anna May McHugh, an exceptional lady who has truly put Laois on the map nationally and internationally.

The politician/s you admire most? Michael McDowell – He was a great Minister for Justice.

Your earliest political memory? My earliest political memory was a car driving around my home town of Portarlington with a megaphone asking people to vote for a candidate, in particular I remember Music would play “Arise and Follow Charlie” followed by a local man naming the local candidate and asking people to vote. Funnily enough I’m using the same tactic (Megaphone) myself in my own campaign!

What four people (dead or alive) would you invite to a dinner party? Princess Dianna, Dr Wayne Dyer (Motivational speaker) for his depth and wisdom. Tom Cruise (my hall pass) and George Lucas.