The big breakthrough success story of this year’s Local Elections in Laois was Independent candidate Tommy Mulligan, who won a seat in the Portlaoise Municipal District at his first attempt.
Mulligan pulled in 1,099 first preference votes and eventually took the third seat in the 12th count.
And in an interview with the LaoisToday 2024 Election Podcast at the Count Centre on Monday, he said his decision to run was initially met with bewilderment by his family members.
“They all thought I was crackers to be honest with you,” he laughed when asked what his family reaction was when he told them he was going to be running.
“We wouldn’t be a very political family; we’d be very interested in Irish history, but we wouldn’t be a political family.”
A primary school teacher in Portlaoise, he applied for a job share way back in early 2023 to help tee himself up for a campaign.
“It was only when it came to Christmas that I said to the parents that I was considering going for the elections.
“It was complete news to them, complete shock – they didn’t expect it at all. We had a few strong conversations between myself and the parents.
“They were trying to weigh up all sides of it – I think they just wanted to make sure I was sane and that I knew what I was letting myself in for.
“When I got their go-ahead – and it took a while, if I’m being truthful about it, to get around them.
“From there, I got great support; I went to a few Council meetings; I confided with a few Councillors and one or two of them were very helpful to me as well.
“I made the decision then and the news broke around March that I was going to go for it.”
Why run? “I was always interested in local issues, and I would’ve always had a keen interest in politics.
“While the town has come on a long way in recent years, I feel there are a lot of issues there that could be improved around the town and the district and the county.
“When I look back at my own childhood, looking at the sporting opportunities we had, the amenities and facilities and all that – I think that’s an area that needs to be addressed.
“The opportunity came up then with the election and that was my key issue, and I went with that.
“The other thing then was around opportunities for kids with special needs around enrolment in school, and the opportunities they have outside of school. That is another issue I’d love to be able to address.
“I’ve a huge interest in the community of Portlaoise. I love the community, I love the County, I love my town. I have a big interest in where I’m from; and if I can influence or help in any way to try and improve the quality of life for people in Portlaoise, (I will).”
And that issue of sports facilities is a huge one – and close to Mulligan’s hearts.
A multiple championship winner at all grades with Portlaoise in hurling and football – as well as a two-time All Ireland minor football winner with Laois – he says it’s such a shame that amenities in the town are now less plentiful than when he was growing up, despite the population of town having increased substantially.
“I was very lucky growing up,” he added. “I’d a great childhood, between the number of sports clubs in the town – and I was on great teams with great players, and I was very lucky with what we won.
“But the sad thing about it is, there were more amenities and sports facilities in this town (Portlaoise) 30 years ago when I was growing up – with probably a third of the population.
“There was facilities closed down and they weren’t replaced; some of them were private, some of them were public, but they weren’t replaced.
“And now you’ve a population where we’re heading to 26,000-27,000 and still growing. It’s coming up on doorsteps the whole time, that parents need places for their kids to go. They’re looking for facilities, they’re looking for amenities.
“I know it’s been in the media a lot lately, but I actually think the people of Portlaoise are at a stage now where we need something done. This is the next big dilemma.
“There’s talk of national stadiums; there’s talk of multi-sports complexes; there’s grants that you’ve to apply for; and then there’s talks of different organisations going for their own individual complex. So that’s the next talking point.”
As for the result itself, he says he polled far better than he could have hoped for, after an exhausting campaign.
“I’m still exhausted, it’s been an emotional roller-coaster to be honest with you. I’ve fantastic friends and a fantastic family who gave me great help along the way, and I’m so grateful for them.
“But I would’ve done maybe 90% of it by myself, between the canvassing and stuff in the media and social media – all of that. But I was exhausted, I won’t lie, the last week or two there I was trying to put everything into it day and night.
“It came to the count, and the excitement that goes around that, and then the tallies were coming through, and I was blown away.
“I was always hopeful I was going to do well, and I had a figure in my head being optimistic – I might get 600 or 700; I’d have been delighted with that, I’d have been holding my own.
“Then tallies were coming through that I was getting ahead of that, and I couldn’t believe it.”
“Yesterday, after the first count, I was completely overwhelmed that I was up with the established parties – I couldn’t believe it. I was up there with John Joe (Fennelly), and Catherine (Fitzgerald), Willie (Aird) and Caroline (Dwane Stanley), and I just couldn’t believe it.”
You can listen to our Election Podcast on the Portlaoise Municipal District below.
SEE ALSO – Check out all our top stories from our 2024 Remembered series here
