Irish Election Literature

… what you maybe meant to keep…

Richard Bruton 1992 – ‘A Fresh Start’ and Letter to constituents. September 17, 2009


This is a Richard Bruton Leaflet and a letter to constituents from the 1992 General Election.

In the Middle part of the first leaflet we see  ‘reforming Fas’, tax benefits on third level fees  and so on. Would the job creation ideas of 17 years ago work again?

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Leaflet from Brain O’Shea- Labour Party Waterford 1987 General Election September 13, 2009


Brian O’Shea of the Labour Party from Waterford 1987 .

He wants to “Legalise Local Radio”, we only had the State stations legally broadcasting at that time.
He had plenty of other aspirations there, that have yet to be done.

Click on Images to make them larger

 

Adrian Hardiman, Elizabeth Gregan, Betty Coffey,William Harvey- Fianna Fail 1985 LE Dun Laoghaire September 11, 2009


From the 1985 local elections in Dun Laoghaire, Adrian Hardiman, Elizabeth Gregan, Betty Coffey and William Harvey all running for Fianna Fail.
The Adrian Hardiman is the now Judge Adrian Hardiman that was standing for Fianna Fail and who later had connections with the PDs.
(Theres quite a number of our current judiciary such as Pat McCartan, George Bermingham, Henry Abbott and Michael White who have also put themselves before the electorate in the past)

 

Martin Cullen- Progressive Democrats- Waterford 1987


A young Martin Cullen in 1987. Cullen had been an Independent councillor(as his father had been too) before joining the PDs.
Here in 1987 he was ‘A fighter for Waterford’ …….
Martin was, amongst other things, looking for  ‘……a more Professional Dail with fewer TDs….’
He switched to Fianna Fail after the 1992 General Election.

 

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Barnes, Barrett, Cosgrave -Fine Gael -Dun Laoghaire November 1982 September 10, 2009


Monica Barnes, Sean Barrett and Liam Cosgrave running for Fine Gael in the November 1982 General Election in Dun Laoghaire. All three were elected as Fine Gael took 3 seats, Barry Desmond a seat for Labour and David Andrews a seat for Fianna Fail.

The candidates pictures haven’t changed since Feb either, indeed some candidates used the same pictures for the three elections that were in quick succession.That Barnes, Barrett, Cosgrave ticket ran for five successive elections for Fine Gael in Dun Laoghaire. They all stood in the 1981 General election too, but Aine Elliot was also on the ticket.

Click on the images to enlarge.

 

‘He puts the Nation First’ -Fine Gael – Dun Laoghaire February 1982


From the second of the three elections held within 18 months a Fine Gael leaflet from Dun Laoghaire. The candidates were Monica Barnes, Liam Cosgrave and Sean Barrett.
‘He puts the Nation First’ was the slogan for that Election. In part a dig at Haughey.
The reasons surrounding the budget defeat are listed and Fine Gaels plans also.
‘Garret’ was also now on first name terms with the electorate. Since then…’Charlie’ ,’Bertie’ and not too many more.
Garrets message could apply almost word for word today.
Liam Cosgrave and Sean Barrett were both elected.

Click on images to see full size

 

Sean Dublin Bay Loftus -Independent- 1997 General Election -Dublin North Central


Alderman Sean, was elected to the Dail on just the one occassion in June 1981. Unluckily for him he lost his seat 8 months later at the Feb 82 election. He Stood in Dublin North Central.

This was just as the Tribunals had started and he is running on an ‘anti sleaze’ ticket. He makes some good observations in the manifesto.

For a period he was known as Sean Dublin Bay ‘Rockhall’ Loftus after a territorial dispute over Rockhall and its surrounding Waters.

 

 

 

 

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Leaflet from Noel Ryan- Sinn Fein -Waterford 1987 General Election


From the 1987 General Election a leaflet from Noel Ryan standing for Sinn Fein in Waterford. Ryan poled 758 votes and failed to win a seat. He also stood in the 1985 and 1991 Local Elections without success.
Sinn Fein used a generic manifesto for all candidates with just the Candidates picture and profile changing.
There would also be a reference to the area in the document too.
Note the ‘Make sure you can vote’ section.  As far as I’m aware no other party carried that in 1987.

Apologies for the middle pages, but I dont think they had my scanner in mind when putting the document together all those years ago.

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John De Courcy Ireland -Democratic Socialist Party- Dun Laoghaire November 1982 September 9, 2009


From the November 1982 General Election, a Flyer for John De Courcy Ireland running for the Democratic Socialist Party in Dun Laoghaire. Despite the calibre of the candidate he polled 1,036 votes.
The Democratic Socialist Party were founded by Limerickman Jim Kemmy who had been elected to the Dail initially as an independent. They lasted until 1990 when they joined up with Labour.   Labour TD Jan O’Sullivan and Councillors Michael Conaghan, Eamonn Maloney are former DSP members.

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