The by election was caused by the death of George Colley. After much insistence by Bertie , former TD Tom Leonard, was selected as the Fianna Fail candidate. He duly won the seat. In the Message from Fainna Fail Leader Charles Haugheys he appears to take full credit for the Gregory deal as if he did it off his own bat. The By-Election was Fine Gael candidate and future MEP Mary Bannottis first electoral outing.
The Late Tony Kett from the 1991 and 1985 local elections. Kett was an integral part of the ‘Drumcondra Mafia’ and of course served in the Seanad. The Leaflet from Bertie is interesting in that it outlines their friendship also doesn’t give the other candidates much of a look in either.
Joan Burton lost her deposit as she ran for Labour alongside Joe Costello in 1989 in Dublin Central. She subsequently moved to the Dublin West Constituency.
The late Tony Gregory spent 25 years in the Dail, yet it was for “The Gregory Deal” in his first term that many remember him most for. He was an avid community activist and worker, staunchly anti drugs and was jailed for his stand with the Street traders. This leaflet is from the 1985 Local elections.
You got your picture taken once with Esther Rantzen ….so have it as the centrepiece of your campaign for the 1991 Local elections…..
Wonder did the electors know you had your picture taken with Alice Glenn and Michael Keating 10 years earlier though?
Bertie had a reputation for electioneering with the ‘Drumcondra Mafia’ being part of a fantastic electoral machine.
Below I’ve posted samples of what a Dublin Central resident would have got through the door or personally from Bertie, the majority being from the 1980s….
Click on these to enlarge
‘A Woman voting for Divorce is like a Turkey voting for Christmas’ says Alice
We’ve moved on a bit since Alice, but this gives an idea of attitudes in the mid 80’s. Alice wasn’t a crackpot either as these views were fairly mainstream. She was a Fine Gael TD for Dublin Central at the time.
Well worth a read.
Christy Burke Leaflet from the 1983 Dublin Central By-Election
Click on IMAGE TO ENLARGE
Irish Election Literature 
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