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.”
Is this an ad for cornflakes coming through the door?
No its ‘WAKE UP …. to a new Tullamore” from Fine Gael candidate Vinnie O’Brien in the 2009 local Elections.
Vinnie received 185 votes and wasn’t elected to Offaly County Council.
From the Citizenship Referendum in 2004, the booklet produced by The Referendum Commisson. It would have been delivered to most if not all houses in the country.
From 2005 a flyer for an Irish Anti War Movement event. A protest march and Peace concert as part of the ‘US Military Out of Shannon’ campaign. Artists advertised for the day included The Revs, Jimi Cullen, The Chapters, Pete Courtney, Cypher, Dermot Byrne, 22, Idle Hands and Mark O’Connor.
From the 1992 General election in Dublin South, Fine Gael candidate Maurice Manning. Maurice Manning was originally elected as a TD for Dublin North East in February 1982 and held the seat until 1987. Having been elected to the Senate in 1989 this 1992 campaign was his last attempt at winning a Dail seat. He wasn’t elected and served in the Seanad until 2002.
From the 2007 General election in Dublin Mid West, People Before Profit candidate Gino Kenny. Gino Kenny polled over 1000 votes and was elected to South Dublin County Council in 2009 for the Clondalkin LEA.
From the 1994 European Elections in Dublin, Progressive Democrat candidate Stephen O’Byrnes. He failed to win a seat.
O’Byrnes also stood in 1992 in Dublin North East without success. He was better known as a driving force in the background of the party.
From the 1991 Local Elections in Kildare, Green Party candidate Catherine Power. She wasn’t elected.
A Green Councillor isn’t in to horse-trading she writes.
A leaflet given out by the Labour Party in the 2007 General Election Campaign called ‘The story of Labour’s Rose’.
James Larkin, James Connolly and Sean O’Casey all get a mention here.
‘Of Larkin, O’Casey said he was a man who would as soon put a rose in a vase as bread on the table.‘
From the 2004 Local Elections Fine Gael candidate Joe MacEnri running in the Lucan LEA. He wasn’t elected.
Messages include Lucan being under represented on the council, schools, youth facilities and Adamamstown.
From the 2004 Local Elections in Donegal, Independent Fianna Fail candidates Albert Doherty and Columba Doherty. Neither were elected.
From 1912 an original copy of ‘Ulster’s Solemn League and Covenant’ sent in by a kind donor who writes…..
This is not election literature but very political nevertheless and probably one of the most important documents of the 20th century.
In fact, it’s probably the Unionist equivalent of the Proclamation.
It’s ‘Ulster’s Solemn League and Covenant’ known as ‘The Covenant’ from 1912. Many of the most ardent opponents of Home Rule were said to have signed it in their own blood, not the only blood spilled over that bill.
The text of the Covenant is
‘Ulster’s Solemn League and Covenant
Being convinced in our consciences that Home Rule would be disastrous to the material well-being of Ulster as well as of the whole of Ireland, subversive of our civil and religious freedom, destructive of our citizenship and perilous to the unity of the Empire, we, whose names are underwritten, men of Ulster, loyal subjects of his Gracious Majesty King George V, humbly relying on the God whom our fathers in days of stress and trial confidently trusted, do hereby pledge ourselves in solemn Covenant throughout this our time of threatened calamity to stand by one another in defending for ourselves and our children our cherished position of equal citizenship in the United Kingdom and in using all means which may be found necessary to defeat the present conspiracy to set up a Home Rule Parliament in Ireland. And in the event of such a Parliament being forced upon us we further solemnly and mutually pledge ourselves to refuse to recognise its authority. In sure confidence that God will defend the right we hereto subscribe our names. And further, we individually declare that we have not already signed this Covenant.
The above was signed by me at ____________
Ulster Day, Saturday 28th, September, 1912.
God Save the King ‘
A simple flyer from Noel Brownes Socialist Labour Party that was sent to me.
The Socialist Labour Party was short-lived, having been co-founded in 1977 by Noel Browne and Matt Merrigan (who both had been thrown out of the Labour Party). It finally disbanded just five years later in 1982.
From the 2004 Local elections, Independent candidate Tom Crosby running in the Strokestown LEA for Roscommon County Council. Tom Crosby was initially elected as a Fianna Fail councillor in 1991. He has been re-elected to the council ever since.
From the 1999 local Elections in Rathmines, former UCD Students Union President Loughlin Deegan running for Fianna Fail. Loughlin Deegan polled 588 votes.
From the 1989 General election, Fine Gael candidate John Connor. He was elected here in 1989 and again in 1992 in the Longford-Roscommon constituency. He lost his seat in the 1997 elections and failed to regain it in 2002.
From the 1997 General Election the dashing Fianna Fail candidate Dick Roche.
Amongst other things we learn that Dick was the ‘first Irish winner of United Nations Human Rights Fellowship, 1978’. It was Dicks lobbying that got a new sewage plant in Greystones.
Theres plenty more in the leaflet which appears to be tailored towards the Greystones area.
Something that reflects one of the changes in Ireland in the last twenty years.
A Fine Gael membership form in Lithuanian.
My Lituanian wouldn’t be great so I’m at a loss as to what it says. (I guess Endas not fluent either so it could be saying anything about him)
In other words…
Tai, kas atspindi vienas iš Airijos pokyčiai per pastaruosius dvidešimt metų. Fine Gael “narystė formą lietuvių kalba.
Mano Lietuviški neturėtų būti didelis, kad aš ne kaip į praradimą, ką ji sako. (I guess Endas negali laisvai arba kad ji galėtų būti pasakyti nieko apie jį)
Irish Election Literature 
Recent Comments