Union official (and since President of SIPTU) Geraghty stood for the Workers Party in the 1984 Euro elections getting 19,590 votes, almost 7%.
Tim O’Malley – Progressive Democrat -1998 Limerick East By-election October 24, 2009
Tim O’Malley’s first Dail attempt in the 1998 Limerick East By-Election , caused by the death of Jim Kemmy. In a constituency where a year earlier they had held two seats, O’Malley polled 4,287 (10%) votes.
Tom Stafford “He’s a true blue” – Fianna Fail 1985 LE October 23, 2009
This is a tiny card from Tom Stafford in the 1985 local elections campaign. Its not often Candidates write their message in verse.
‘Get Up Stand Up’ ICTU Letter Oct 2009
Got this in the door. First time I’ve ever got a leaflet from a Union with the pizza menus and Jackie Skelly offers. Shows theres a battle ahead.
Berties Newsletter 1993
Berties Newsletter from around 1993 I think. Its some production and really illustrates the image on the ground as the person who gets jobs done. Literally every road in the area has had a problem addressed at Berties behest.
Mairead Duchon- Tax Reform League- Dublin South 1987
1987 and the tax burden on the PAYE worker was massive. The tax rates for PAYE workers were 40% and 65%.
Even after the tax marches of the 70s and 80s there was still a major issue in that sectors of society such as the self-emplyed/farmers and the super rich were able to avoid paying tax. In hindsight, we also know now of the non resident accounts, Ansbacher and so on.
As far as I’m aware, The Tax Reform League only fielded candidates in one general election and may not have been registered as a party at the time.
Their call to arms failed to excite the electorate with none of their candidates being elected. Mairead Duchon polled 1,253 votes.
From the records I have a second TRL candidate, Padraig O’Neill, may have stood in the constituency also, without much success either.
Stephen Riney, Damien Fee, Ann Ormonde – Rathfarnham 1991 Local Elections
Stephen Riney ran Orchard Estate agents in Rathfarnham (its now the Remax office) and was also a keen local historian. ( Another leaflet produced by him was a heritage map of the area which I’ll post in due course). Theres still no sign of the Comminity Centre/ Swimmong pool proposed by hime either.
Ann Ormonde ran a number of times without success in General elections however has served a number of terms in the Seanad. Damien Fee is/was a school principal. Ann Ormonde was elected.
Donal Moynihan -Fianna Fail -1997 Cork North West October 22, 2009
Its usual for a candidate to emphasize their surnames at election time. In this case though, its the ‘Donal’ thats in large letters, due to the fact that both Fianna Fail candidates had the surname Moynihan.
Both Donal and Michael Moynihan were elected.
Peter Considine, Raymond Greene, Josie Nevin-Fianna Fail – Ennis 1991 LEA
Fianna Fail -Ennis 1991 LEA.
Just a simple card that would have been handed out on a canvass or at the polling station.
For the record Greene and Considine were elected.
John Ryan- Democratic Left- Limerick East By Election 1998
John Ryan from the 1998 Limerick East By-election (Caused by the death of Jim Kemmy). It took place on the 11th March along with the Dublin North By-election. As far as I’m aware it was the last day the name Democratic Left appeared on an Irish ballot paper.
The By-Election was won by Labours Jan O’Sullivan. Fianna Fail only got 23% of the vote.
John Ryan had been elected to Limerick Corporation in 1991 as a Workers Party candidate and there were hopes that he would build a substantial base from that.
Here we have testaments about Ryan from ‘Limerick people’ and also from the Parties top table.
Liam MacElhinney – Sinn Fein Letterkenny 1985
In 1985, the troubles and their impact were still very much part of life.
Compare Liam MacElinneys profile here which is in effect his CV as a Republican volunteer to the Sinn Fein of today and its very different.
It is of course of its time. At roughly the same time in Dublin, candidates were emphasising their work in the community as well as giving a brief mention to their Republican CV.
‘Section 31’ gets a mention. Also prominent is the fact that Sinn Fein Councillors “.. play a full and active part in the work of their councils…” a nod to let the public know that they took their council seats ?, especially given that Gerry Adams had been elected an MP two years previous and continued the party policy of abstentionism from Westminister.
Catherine Murphy , Michael Enright -Workers Party- Leinster 1989 Euro Elections
There were high hopes that both Michael Enright and Catherine Murphy could put down a marker for future Dail progress. A General election was held on the same day and it was hoped that their candidacy in the Euro Elections would give them a boost.
Although the Workers Party vote increased from 1984s Euro Election, both candidates lost their deposits with a combined 4.38% of the vote.
In the General election Enrights vote actually fell, whilst Murphys 1,520 vote was decent enough in the circumstances (An ‘Army Wives’ candidate, Carol Tiernan also stood in Kildare polling 2,690 votes, some of which would have gone to Murphy).
The thorny issue of party policy towards Farmers must have also had an impact on the vote. “Reorganisation of Agricultural production…”
wasn’t the policy to have rural voters flocking to the party. Also we had another new party ‘Logo’.
Royston Brady Fianna Fail – Dublin 2004 -‘Missing- Can you help?’
The 2004 European Elections and Fianna Fail have high hopes that Berties boy Royston Brady may help win a second seat for the party.
A popular Lord Mayor Brady was seen as having a great chance and opinion polls early in the campaign had him winning a seat……..
…then came a series of gaffes in interviews.. among them, being unable on a number of occasions to name the new countries joining the EU and also a claim that his fathers Taxi was stolen and used as a getaway car by the loyalists who bombed Dublin in 1974.
From hogging the limelight he suddenly went off the airwaves with a number of weeks left in the campaign. … This poster was seen around Dublin at the time.
Michael Finneran – Fianna Fail Longford-Roscommon 1992
Michael Finneran on his first attempt for the Dail in 1992. It was in the new Longford-Roscommon constituency.
He was part of very strong Fianna Fail ticket with Sean Doherty, Terry Leydon and Albert Reynolds. He finished the fourth of the Fianna Fail ticket.
Fine Gael- Bernard Durkan, Gerard Callery, Catherine McGarry- Celbridge LEA 1991 October 20, 2009
Not too many candidates these days would include beagling in their hobbies and interests as Catherine McGarry does.
Labour Party 1969 GE- ‘Instructions to drivers on polling day’ October 19, 2009
This is fantastic, gives a glimpse of domestic life in the late 60s as well as warning the many many pitfalls that may arise.
At the time too not that many had cars, so the Driver was a very important figure at election time, especuially in rural areas.
Yet You’d think that giving lifts to voters was a simple enough matter…….
Its full of handy tips
“Try to have your car as clean as possible….. do not take any alcohol while polling is in progress”
“…Encourage the women to vote early as this will leave the men free in the evening… ”
and of course “Don’t forget to vote yourself!”
Liam O Gogain -Fathers Rights -Euro 2004 East
Liam O Gogain is amongst a group of Fathers rights campaigners that have stood for a number of elections to raise the profile of the issue.
This is his 2004 European Election -‘East’ – leaflet.
Irish Election Literature 
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