Now that it’s all over, we look back on this year’s General Election – and give out some very unofficial awards as well as pick out some of the standout quotes from the candidates.
Gracious Loser
It can’t be easy to be at any election count, knowing the result is not going to go your way.
But showing up is a sign of respect to the people who supported you, those who voted for you and it’s the sporting thing to acknowledge the winning candidates.
Aisling Moran deserves huge credit here. Her and her large base of supporters were there from early on Saturday and stayed until the close of business on Saturday night, long after the gig was up.
Aisling and many of those supporters returned again on Sunday to be there for the official elimination and they remained to the bitter end.
Fair play.
Unquotable quote
“He acted like a tramp and should have been kicked off the ticket.”
What a Fine Gael supporter said about the party’s much-discussed candidate in Louth, John McGahon. Needless to say they wouldn’t actually say it on the record.
Quotable quotes
“I am able to hold my head up high. There was 12 candidates and only three seats … I am thinking of a longer game to be honest. I am never going to make the mistake I made before and say never, ever, again.”
Independent Portlaoise-based candidate Pauline Flanagan was eliminated early on – but she told the Leinster Express that she’s not ruling out another shot at election whenever the opportunity arises again.
“Coming into the contest so late was a huge disadvantage … however for me this was about building for the future … I will build towards the next Local Elections to ensure an increased Fianna Fáil representation on Laois County Council.”
As Fianna Fáil’s second candidate in the race, Austin Stack was never in the reckoning for the seat but as a long-time supporter of the party, he now has an election experience behind him and is looking forward to the next opportunity.
“I was hoping I could take a seat, but to come on my first time and top the poll like its a dream come true and I am absolutely delighted.”
Poll-topper Willie Aird tries to describe what it was like taking the first seat – after 45 years of local representation.
“There are three seats in Laois. It looks fairly obvious to the people of Laois – two of the three to be government TDs. Because governments deliver, oppositions can’t. They can talk, but it takes government action.”
Sean Fleming argues that there’s only one place to be when you get to the Dáil. And that’s not on the opposition benches.
“When I was in Sinn Féin, there was never one penny put into this constituency. And I just note that on this occasion, they poured money in. They poured thousands of euro in.”
Elected for the fourth time, but on this occasion as an Independent Republican, Brian Stanley takes another swipe at his former party Sinn Féin.
“No matter what way it ends, I feel really proud. I feel really proud as a first-timer to stand up and to end up coming out with this vote.”
Sinn Féin’s Maria McCormack was thrust into a General Election campaign after the whole Brian Stanley saga. Though she finished well adrift in the end, she got almost 5,000 first preferences and was comfortably in fourth place.
“There’s not one single regret that I have. We all agreed at the start of this that we were going to enjoy every minute of it.”
Independent candidate Elaine Mullally from Portarlington was disappointed by her result in the end – but thoroughly enjoyed the election experience overall.
“I’m disappointed for the fact that we have no change and we’re going back to the same old, same old again.”
Aisling Moran ran a very energetic campaign and despite growing her local vote, she couldn’t attract the support she needed from across the county.
Character of the count
You come across some great characters at election count centres.
Our interview with Conor Dunne and Ross Molloy, die-hard teenage supporters of Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil respectively got huge traction, we’re going for a different choice on this occasion.
Michael Mannion from Clifden in Galway was a regular throughout the campaign supporting his uncle Willie Aird, pounding the streets of Portlaoise, knocking on doors and fully immersing himself in the whole thing. Geography wasn’t coming into it for him.
And he was a ball of energy in the count centre too, the self-appointed spokesperson for that wing of the family support group for Aird.
He’s back at the day job now in financial services in Dublin but no doubt he’ll be front and centre for the first day in the Dáil on December 18.
Interview of the weekend
While many of the candidates did fine interviews, our chat with the aforementioned Conor Dunne and Ross Molloy got more traction than any of them.
Conor Dunne, the 16-year-old Fine Gael man, got more than he bargained for when he was asked straight away about the party’s controversial Louth candidate John McGahon.
After batting that one away like a true pro, we then asked him about Simon Harris’s infamous moment in Kanturk with a care worker.
When we suggesting he was beginning to “waffle” he realised that he was being set up. Cue plenty of cursing and blinding and laughter all round.
But he dusted himself down and started again. Not a bother on him. He’s ready for the Dáil already.
Best dressed
There’s only one winner here. Gavin Deering from Killeshin was campaign manager for Independent candidate Aisling Moran and he was very sharply presented from early on Saturday morning in a smart navy sports jacket and beige slacks.
Indeed the competition was tough in the Moran camp alone with the ever-dapper James Kelly a close contender as well as the slightly quirkier and more casually-attired John Whelan.
We aren’t short-listing anyone for the best dressed lady as to quote Fr Ted, “that wouldn’t be fair on the girls”.
Major disappointment
LaoisToday was inundated with calls from various national media outlets prior to the election for some local insight but TG4 was one that was bit different than usual.
Generally not ones to turn down publicity, we joked that an interview with TG4 would be beyond our capabilities.
But chatting with their reporter Joseph Mac Aoidh, from Gweedore in Donegal, we cobbled together some basic sentences about the Laois constituency and did the interview on Sunday morning.
“So it’ll be on the telly,” we asked Joseph excitedly afterwards.
“No – social media channels,” he said. In the heel of the hunt it doesn’t seem to have appeared anywhere.
Perhaps we need to practice our delivery. Maybe next time!
For what it’s worth, you can check it out below.
SEE ALSO – Laois is a conservative, comfortable county – change will only ever come slowly
