Emmet Stagg attacks the cuts in the Health Services in 1989.
“If you can pay,
your child gets heart surgery in a week.
If you can’t pay,
join the waiting list or die. “
Emmet Stagg- “Cuts Kill, defend your right to Health”- 1989 GE Kildare December 6, 2009
Brendan Ryan – “A Voice for the Voiceless” NUI Seanad 1989
Brendan Ryan, former Independent Senator and former Labour Party Senator (as well as European and General Election candidate) in 1989.
In 1989 we faced similar challenges than those we face at the minute. This leaflet from Ryan is especially interesting as Ryan challenged the economic consensus of the time.
He finsihes with the lines….
“The cruel values of selfish competition, greed, individualism and indifference, which currently dominate our country are resisted. Our country must be drawn together and this can only be done if the cult of greed and selfishness is resisted.”
Anne Colley -Progressive Democrat- Dublin South- 1987 December 5, 2009
Anne Colley, Daughter of George Colley, Granddaughter of Henry Colley (who lost his seat to Charles Haughey!) from the 1987 general Election.
With such a background it was no surprise when she joined the Progressive Democrats and subsequently topped the poll with well over a quota.
She lost her seat in the 1989 election and retired from politics.
Marcus McCabe -Green Party – Cavan-Monaghan 2002 GE
Marcus McCabe (who kindly sent me this) stood in the 2002 General Election in Cavan-Monaghan for the Green Party. It was the first time the Green Party stood there. He polled 1,100 votes, 843 votes behind Monaghan based Independent councillor Vincent Martin (a former president of the Students Union in Maynooth) who subsequently joined the Greens and stood in 2007.
Donegal Labour /Labour Youth -1985 LE
Donegal Labour weren’t happy about being in coalition with Fine Gael. Being Socialists they didn’t want coalition with Fianna Fail either.God knows what they would have thought of the yet to be formed Progressive Democrats.
That small piece shows the problems parties (especially of the Left) have when going into Coalition. Here were Donegal Labour in effect, disavowing the party that they were standing for. Maybe thats why the literature differs from the 1985 Labour Party template.
Under the No Coalition is a small bit about Labour Youth and a recruitment ‘form’. The name to send off to is F McCafferty. Francis McClafferty stood in the 2004 local elections for the Socialist Party. In 2009 he was part of the group that set up the ‘Letterkenny Residents Party’ which had Tom Crossan elected to the UDC.
On the Reverse is a profile of Anne Wilkinson who was standing in the 1985 local elections for Labour.
Frank O’Flynn , Kevin O’Keefe -Fianna Fail- Fermoy 1999 December 4, 2009
Frank O’Flynn and Kevin O’Keefe (Son of Ned O’Keefe) from the 1999 Local elections (A Thanks to Frank for sending me these a few years back). Both candidates have been returned at each local election since.
Benny Cooney- Independent- Athlone TC 2009
For those of you like myself who are consumed with all things elections, Benny Cooneys name may ring a bell.
He polled 18 votes in the 1998 Dublin North by-election, 21 votes in the 1996 Dublin West by-election, has stood on at least eleven occasions and in that time has a top vote of 239 votes. (Benny at ElectionsIreland.org)
Yet theres not much wrong with his policies….
Breeda Moynihan-Cronin, Andrew McCarthy -Labour -Killarney 1999 Local Elections
Breeda Moynihan Cronin, Labour TD for Kerry South from 1992 until 2007 and Andrew McCarthy running in the 1999 Local Elections in Killarney.
Breeda Moynihan-Cronin won a seat and with the deemise of the Dual Mandate in 2003 Andrew McCarthy was co-opted onto the Council.
(Judge) Henry Abbott -Fianna Fail – 1987 Longford-Westmeath December 3, 2009
Another member of the judiciary with a political past, Judge Henry Abbott.
He had one term in the Dail in 1987 (where the specimen ballot paper below is from) before losing his seat in 1989.
Note Helena McAuliffe Ennis has her occupation as ‘senator and housewife’.
She was also the only Labour member of the Oireachtas to join the PD’s in the months after their formation.
George Allen assists the presiding officer- Fine Gael- Athlone 1991 LE
An odd leaflet as there must surely be no way this piece of paper will assist the presiding officer.
Especially as it asks you to vote for George Allen.
I can only presume, this little trick got him a few extra votes.
Arthur Morgan – Sinn Fein – Louth 1989
The 1989 General Election and Fish Merchant Arthur Morgan stands for Sinn Fein in Louth. Amongst the issues were the Rod Licence (a number of Independent candidates stood in the 1989 General Election on the Rod Licence issue) and Environmental issues. Louth, because of its proximity to Sellafield, was an area where there was continued suspicion of the health impact of Sellafield.
Saving the counties Hospitals were an issue also. Arthur failed to win a seat.
Tomas MacGiolla -The Workers Party-1994 European Elections December 2, 2009
On this we have ‘litir um thoghcán’ usually its spelt ‘litir um thoghchán’.
Having been Lord Mayor of Dublin Tomas MacGiolla writes to the ‘Dear Citizens’ of Dublin looking for a vote.
He Writes…
‘At a time when there is literally enough wealth being created to serve the needs of everyone we have 32% unemployed …’
Joseph C. Lalor – Greystones Town Commission 1985
A leaflet and a letter from Independent Community Candidate Joe Lalor for the 1985 Greystones Town Commission elections. Lalor later stood for the PDs.
Amongst the items mentioned are the coming of ‘Advanced Micro Devices’ who were to provide a projected 1000 jobs. That never happened, I dont know why.
By 2011 A.D. (sounded a rather long time in the future) the Greystones / Delgany district had a projected population of 42,500. I think its around 30,000 at the minute.
Phil Hogan, John Browne ,Andy Cotterell -Fine Gael Carlow-Kilkenny- 1992
From the 1992 General Election a leaflet from Fine Gael Carlow Kilkenny candidates John Browne, Andy Cotterell and Phil Hogan. Both Hogan and Browne were elected with Cotterell again falling short as he had done in 1989.
Click on Image to enlarge.
Joe Higgins- Militant Labour -1996 Dublin West By-Election (Leaflet 1 -Water Charges) December 1, 2009
Joe Higgins from the 1996 Dublin West by election, where Brian Lenihan junior won the seat caused by the death of his father Brian Lenihan senior.
Joe was standing for Militant Labour (the forerunner of the Socialist Party) and caused a major shock when he polled just 252 first preferences less than Brian Lenihan.
He was running on an Anti Water Charges platform and must have been very annoyed to find that his Water charges had been paid for him by the council!!
Sean Misteil -‘Vote No 1 Adi Roche’ -Labour 1997
Sean Misteil – Labour Councillor in Blackrock ( who had been co opted to replace Niamh Breathnach) urges voters to Vote for Adi Roche for President. Increasing his own profile in the process. He lost his seat in 1999.
Chris O’Malley -Fine Gael- 1989 European Elections Dublin
Chris O’Malley was Co-opted to replace Richie Ryan in the European Parliament in 1986.He then lost his seat here in 1989. The Reference to being an Expert on 1992 is to down with the Single European Act where Europe was to be a Single Market by 1992. His fluency in French and German may have been a dig at some of the Mark Killilea stories that were about at the time.
Chris O’Malley later surfaced as a Labour Councillor on Dun Laoghaire/Rathdown County Council having been co-opted to replace Eamon Gilmore.
He lost his seat the following year in the 2004 local elections.
Austin Currie – 1990 Presidential Election- Fine Gael November 30, 2009
Austin Currie from the 1990 presidential election. Austin Currie, a candidate of some calibre, finished third behind Brian Lenihan and Mary Robinson. His poor showing was one of the factors of Alan Dukes demise as Fine Gael leader.
There are not too many political leaflets where on the front a candidates wife takes up more space than the candidate themselves. Here you wouldn’t be too sure if it was Annita or Austin Currie you were being asked to vote for. The fashion in the family photo was very much of the era.
Irish Election Literature 
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