It is 0° Celsius on a bone-chilling Tuesday evening in Portlaoise, but Brian Stanley and his team are undeterred and out in force.
The group convened on Collier’s Lane around 6.45pm before making their way through the estates to knock on doors and start another evening on the canvass.
Brian no longer has the Sinn Féin machine behind him since stepping down from the party in mid-October and becoming an Independent Republican.
Nevertheless, a strong team of ten supporters are out on the canvass with Brian, while a smaller team are also making the rounds in Mountrath.
“I still enjoy getting out and meeting the people,” Brian says as he pulls on his gloves.
“I’ve a great team of people out here with me, sure I couldn’t do it without them.
“We’re getting an absolutely brilliant response on the doors. People are very friendly and very receptive.”
True to to his word, Brian and his team are warmly welcomed at almost every door in Collier’s View.
“Ah Brian!” is the common response as people seem genuinely happy to see the TD on the other side of their doors.
“I love Brian,” one woman tells a supporter on the door. “Ask him to do anything he’ll do it – he’s fantastic.”
“You’re wasting your time coming to my house anyway Brian,” the man in the next house says with a laugh. “Sure I wouldn’t vote for anyone else.” This a very common response.
This General Election is looking like it could be the election of the Independents, but Brian has found a way to differentiate himself from the pack.
The posters read: ‘Brian Stanley, Independent Republican’, as the long-time TD tries to stand out from the crowd.
“I’m going as an Independent this time,” Brian reminds everyone at every door.
Once synonymous with Sinn Féin, Brian is determined to hammer home his new political identity.
Despite all the controversy surrounding his leaving Sinn Féin and the rumours that circulated around that, the only time the topic was mentioned was when we brought it up. Other than that it was a complete non-issue.
Brian has been canvassing for well over quarter of a century, but still calls to the doors with a great deal of energy and vigour.
“You have to do it – it’s so important – there’s only eight or nine days left and I want to talk to as many people as possible,” Brian says.
He was first elected to Portlaoise Town Council in the 1999 Local Elections and retained his seat in 2004 and 2009.
Brian first ran in the General Elections of 2002 and 2007 before being elected to the Dáil for the first time in 2011 and again in 2016.
In 2020, he topped the poll in Laois-Offaly, was elected on the first count, more than doubled his first preference vote from 2016, and had over 5,000 of a surplus.
Eamonn McMenamin was coordinating the canvass, making sure every door was knocked – and no door knocked twice.
“I’ve been a supporter of Brian’s for over 20 years,” Eamonn says.
“This is my second time to canvass with him and honestly, everything coming back on the doorsteps is very positive.
“We have gotten a lot of people over the past couple of weeks out canvassing that they may not have voted for Brian in the past, but now the fact that he has left Sinn Féin is actually going in his favour in some cases.
“There’s also going to be people who are not going to vote for him for that same reason, but in the vast majority of it, the reaction on the doorstep is incredibly positive.”
Eamonn says he enjoys canvassing: “Getting to meet new people; talking to people on the doorsteps.
“You actually get to have a really good idea of the fundamental things that are wrong in the country – people’s worries, people’s issues – it’s just a massive learning point.”
Brian has ten supporters with him as they make their way through the estates, and it’s clear to see the high esteem in which they hold their man. It’s almost worship.
Veteran canvasser Bernie tells us “Brian is the only TD that ever did anything for Portlaoise as far as I’m concerned.
“Ask him to do anything and he’ll always try his very best; he might not always get you the answer that you want, but he’ll come back with an answer one way or another. That’s important.”
Another supporter, affectionately known as ‘Break Lights’ for her canvassing attire, said: “We absolutely love Brian – he’s the only one who really puts in the effort to get things done.
“All these people we’re talking to tonight, they know Brian, they see him regularly. He’s not like certain people who just get elected then you don’t see him for for four or five years.”
The group moved on to Hawthorne Drive before calling it a night.
The reception, again, is strong, although not as ‘in the bank’ as Collier’s View appeared to be.
“You won’t get my number one Brian, but you’ll get my number two,” was a fairly common answer – although there were some who, as earlier in the night, seemed pleased to see the newly Independent candidate.
“I never would have voted for you before, Brian, ‘cos you were Sinn Féin – but I’ll be giving you a tick this time.”
SEE ALSO – LoveLaois Podcast: Week 2 of the General Election campaign as we go ‘On the Canvass’
