From the 1992 General Election in Dublin Central. A letter from Bertie Ahern to constituents. ‘Dear Friend’ it begins with…..
Amongst other things, Bertie writes that he has “one simple aim in life as a public representative: to work with the community of Dublin-Central in improving the quality of life for as many constituents as possible.”
‘Good Morning Voter from your Local Representative’, Bertie Aherns letter that arrived on door steps on Election day 2007 in Dublin Central.
Bertie writes that “Its a choice whether Ireland goes forward or back, between costed policies that are working or a gamble with Irelands future”.
Was it not Bertie that gambled with Irelands future?
Bertie also shows where his preference lies regarding Cyprian Brady.
Tom Allen of the Progressive Democrats from the 1991 Local Elections in the North Inner City. Tom Allen failed to win a seat. As far as I’m aware ,Allens Chemist is still on the go.
Tom also had a decent sporting pedigree and was involved with Clonliffe Harriers, Dorset United and Whitehall Gaels to name but a few. The pity for him was that most of these were based outside his electoral area.
Fianna Fails Dermot Fitzpatrick from the 1992 General election in Dublin Central where he failed to retain his seat. This despite Fianna Fail getting two quotas,of which Bertie Ahern took the lions share, they only won a single seat. He didn’t stand again until the 2002 General election when he was elected.
He is father of Fianna Fail Councillor Mary Fitzpatrick.
This the Late Tony Gregorys Leaflet from the 1991 Local Elections (From my own collection I see that Tony Gregory used this style leaflet for the 1985 Local Elections as well as the 1987,1989 and 1992 General elections so they can be confusing to date) . In it he mentions support of the Postal Workers who went on Strike in 1991.
One of his major issues, especially in the 80s and 90s, was that when developments were taking place in the area , local labour was not often enough employed, this is referenced here with regard to the Custom House scheme. The small bit about ‘ …strongly supports Tax relief for mortgage holders’ .. is a rebuttal of a constant issue that was used to attack the left, and scare the middle classes, at the time. Labour also came in for the same treatment in 1991 and the 1992 General election (an example) .
Tony Gregory is also pictured with the Street Traders, fighting for their rights he ended up in Mountjoy. His record as a founder member of the Concerned Parents is there also.
From the 1992 General Election, Dr Pat Lee of Fine Gael attacks Labour.
With the Spring led Labour party on the up, they were being attacked not just by Fianna Fail (an example) but by Fine Gael also.
Pat Lee (electionsIreland.org record) had originally been elected for Dublin Central, however due to boundary changes he ended up standing in Dublin North Central, where he lost his seat.
Items such as the Residential Property tax and means testing Childrens allowance get a run out as Fine Gael try to portray Labour as about to attack the middles classes again.
From the November 1982 General Election, the now Judge Michael White (refered to here as Mick White in the profile). White stood in a number of Elections and despite hard work on the ground had no electoral success.
The Workers Partys achievements are listed as are their plans. We also have the picture Prionsias De Rossa, Paddy Gallagher and Joe Sherlock outside the Dail.
If using any of these images it would be nice to give me some credit for scanning them and posting them up (Unlike the Irish Independent who again used images from the site without crediting me)
Mike Jennings who had previously stood for the Workers Party from the 1992 General Election in Dublin Central where he polled 467 votes.
A leaflet advertising Berties forthcoming Walkabout in the St Peters Parish area along with Tony Kett. I had thought that ‘Berties Walkabouts’ were somewhat impromptu but it wasn’t the case.
Like an awful lot to do with the Ahern organisation it had a military precision about it.
The Advice Centres are held in conjunction with Tony Kett and Willie O’Byrne.
Tony Kett was a councillor and later a senator. In the obituary of Tony Kett, Bertie Ahern wrote that he was ‘a man I am so proud to have been able to call my best friend’.
Willie O’Byrne stood for Fianna Fail in the 1991 local elections but failed to win a seat.
Throughout the Advice centre details, Bertie puts emphasis on the fact that he would deal with any queries ‘personally’.
The night before the 2007 General Election, this leaflet was distributed in almost all areas (note the ‘your area’) of Dublin Central (Such stunts are not unusual). Mary Fitzpatrick wasn’t best pleased, especially as she didn’t have time to respond before the election.
Having received just 939 first preference votes, Cyprian Brady gets elected. How? He got the lions share of transfers from Bertie Aherns surplus, it was enough to put him ahead of Mary Fitzpatrick. When Mary Fitzpatrick was eliminated, Cyprian got the bulk of her transfers and finished comfortably ahead of Paschal Donohoe to win the final seat.
So this letter was deemed to have worked.
Dublin Central 1992 leaflet of Niamh Nic Mhathúna, involved in Youth Defence, daughter of Una Bean nic Mhathuna of “G’way ye wife-swapping sodomites’ fame. I gather she was involved in Coir too.
As the General Election was being held on the same day as the Abortion Referendum a higher than usual number of pro-life independents stood. Not many fared well. Niamh Nic Mhathúna polled 514 votes.
Erick Dillon received 71 votes for his troubles.
Ernie Beggs running for Fianna Fail in 1991 local elections, his running mates were Tony Kett and Tom Stafford. Both Stafford and Kett were elected, Beggs got 593 votes.
An interesting title he had too ‘Fianna Fail Trade Union Co-Ordinator’.
Ernie Beggs later ran as an Independent… so must have fallen out with ‘Dublin Central Fianna Fail’…
1997 and SouthEast Inner City Green Councillor Ciaran Cuffe is running in Dublin Central looking ‘To clean up this dirty old town’.
(you may need to click on some of the images to read them)
This was published in part here previously, but given its amongst the oldest Green material I have, I figured it was worth a post of its own.
A few things here such as the TDs annual salary being £16,400. The honeycomb graphic with all the interconnecting Green ideas. To ‘Outlaw Land Speculation’ was suggested here and its an awful pity that never happened.
Ryan got 458 votes.
‘Give me your support by voting Christy Burke number 1 on polling day’ writes Gerry Adams. Adams was incredibly popular at the time.
The leaflet also illustrates the role Christy Burke played in Sinn Fein at the time. Amongst other things it mentions that he stood in the 1996 Forum elections.
This was delivered during the 1983 Dublin Central by-election campaign. In tight times the Social Welfare Christmas Bonus was to be paid thanks to Labour Minister Barry Desmond. The voters weren’t thanking him as Somers finished fifth on the day behind the Fianna Fail, Fine Gael, Workers Party and Sinn Fein Candidates.
Jimmy Somers is a former President of SIPTU and was previously in the ITGWU. He was also a local to the area.
The last local elections that the late Tony Gregory stood in. Gives a good illustration of his work since being initially elected in 1979.
Irish Election Literature 
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