Irish Election Literature

… what you maybe meant to keep…

Helen Keogh Crime Survey -Progressive Democrats- Dun Laoghaire 1996 March 7, 2010


A Crime Survey from Dun Laoghaire Progressive Democrat TD, Helen Keogh in 1996.
Crime is one of the political constants, being seen to be tough on Crime or tougher than the others.
So here we have a survey asking about Crime and then asking the constituent to send it back to the TD. Needless to say I’d assume that people who had been victims of crime would be more inclined to return the survey. So hey presto the TD can say “In a survey of constituents I did 50% had been robbed…. etc etc”
It was in 1997 that Fianna Fail ran with its Zero Tolerance policy.

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Anne Brady, Michael Cotter, Paddy Madigan -Fianna Fail -Blackrock 1985 LE March 3, 2010


From the 1985 Local Elections, The Fianna Fail candidates for Blackrock Anne Brady, Michael Cotter and Paddy Madigan. As far as I’m aware Anne Brady and Paddy Madigan were elected. Paddy Madigan was elected again in 1991. He then fell out with Fianna Fail (or they fell out with him) somewhere along the way and ran as an Independent in the 1994 European Elections and the 1997 General Election.
Michael Cotter ran again in 1991 and failed to win a seat. He is a Lecturer/ Academic in DCU.
Anne Brady a councillor since 1979 lost her seat in the 1991 Elections.

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Monica Barnes, Sean Barrett, Liam Cosgrave-Fine Gael -Dun Laoghaire Feb 1982 March 1, 2010


From the february 1982 General election in Dun Laoghaire. The Fine Gael candidates Monica Barnes, Sean Barrett and Liam Cosgrave. Sean Barrett and Liam Cosgrave were both elected.

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Eugene Regan- Fine Gael -2007 GE Dun Laoghaire February 26, 2010


From the 2007 General Election in Dun Laoghaire, Fine Gael candidate Senator Eugene Regan.
Regan an economist, Barrister, SC also has had spells in Brussells.
He Specialises in European Law.

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Vincent MacDowell -Green Party -Dun Laoghaire -1997 General Election February 16, 2010


The late Vincent MacDowell from the 1997 General Election in DunLaoghaire where he stood for the Green Party. His daughter Nuala Ahern had two terms as an MEP for Leinster (and was an MEP when this election took place in 1997).
Vincent MacDowell had a long and varied career (at electionsireland.org). He was a member of ‘The Socialist Republican Party’  which was founded in 1944 (wikipedia entry) and the group joined the Labour Party in 1949. In more recent times he was a founder of save our seafront.
This leaflet covers in-depth the major Green issues of the time. Nuclear Power (Sellafied ,Chernobyl),Neutrality , jobs for people not machines and other areas are covered.

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Democratic Left – “Budget ’97 and how it benefits You” February 8, 2010


From 1997. The Democratic Lefts Eamon Gilmore sends out a detailed leaflet about the 1997 Budget.
It’s interesting to look the tax allowances, tax rates, mortgage interest relief of the time. Also covered are the PRSI/Levies , various Social Welfare rates, Education and Health schemes.

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Liam Cosgrave – Fine Gael – Dun Laoghaire 1989 February 1, 2010


The now disgraced former Fine Gael TD Liam T. Cosgrave from the 1989 General Election in Dun Laoghaire.
From a Fine Gael dynasty, Liam T Cosgrave is son of former Fine Gael leader and Taoiseach Liam Cosgrave and also grandson of another former Fine Gael leader W. T. Cosgrave.
Having lost his seat in 1987 Liam Cosgrave again failed to win a seat in 1989 despite having won the fourth most first preferences in a five seat constituency.
In 2003 he resigned from Fine Gael, after evidence in the Mahon tribunal heard that Cosgrave had accepted illegal payments from property developers in return for voting to rezone property in Dublin. In 2005, Cosgrave pleaded guilty to a charge of failing to disclose to the Standards in Public Office Commission a political donation of £2,500 received from lobbyist Frank Dunlop. He was sentenced to 75 hours Community Service.

Liam Cosgrave Junior

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“How many Councillors does it take to turn off The Water Tax?”-Democratic Left -1994 January 25, 2010


The Democratic Left were opposed to Water charges, Water Tax or Water Rates. They wanted to put pressure on other councillors to oppose them too.
Looking at the previous years vote thats shown, some Fine Gael and Fianna Fail voted against the charges.
The Government were seen to be bringing in these extra taxes whilst at the same time having the Tax Amnesty.
In 1985 the Councils in Dublin, following the election of councillors such as The Democratic Lefts Eamon Gilmore…….” took a bit of phrasing considering Gilmore was elected for The Workers Party.

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“150 words about local issues in Dun Laoghaire” Eamon Gilmore -Workers Party- 1989 GE January 23, 2010


From the 1989 General election where the then Councillor Gilmore wins a Dail seat. It was a breakthrough for the Workers Party as they had 7 TDs elected.
I wonder how many of the “150 words about local issues in Dun Laoghaire” are still valid today.
I’m curious about the reference to ‘..Maternity pay for teachers..” though. Is Hogweed still a problem too?

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John De Courcy Ireland -Democratic Socialist Party- Dublin- 1984 European Elections January 14, 2010


This is from the 1984 Euro Elections. De Courcy Ireland, aside from his political interests was heavily involved in the foundation of the Maritime Museum in Dun Laoghaire. The profile below shows the calibre. He had been Jim Larkins election agent and  aside from the DSP, had spells affiliated or involved with the Northern Ireland Labour Party, the Irish Labour Party, the Communist Party of Ireland, the Workers Party, Democratic Left and the Socialist Workers Party. (Party details from Wikipedia)
He was a founding member of Irish CND and also involved with The Irish Anti-Apartheid Movement.
He passed away in 2006.

(This leaflet was previously part of another post)

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Owen Hammond Letter to the Electorate- Fianna Fail- November 1982 GE Dun Laoghaire January 13, 2010


A Letter from Fianna Fail candidate Owen Hammond in the November 1982 General Election where he stood in Dun Laoghaire. The fact that it’s personally signed illustrates the changes over the years…These days it would be a ‘sorry I missed you’ card with the pre printed signature.

Hammond polled 893 votes as Fine Gael won 3 of the 5 seats.

 

Flor O’Mahony, Jane Dillon Byrne -Labour- Dun Laoghaire 1989 January 8, 2010


With Barry Desmond off to Europe, Labours chances of retaining the seat were slim, especially with the Workers Partys Eamon Gilmore on the up. A two candidate strategy made it harder and despite the stature of both candidates the seat was lost to The Workers Party.
Jane Dillon Byrne is still a councillor and the brief pen pic below only gives brief highlights of her career (another leaflet from 1985 gives a better detail) .She was also a swimming teacher…

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Fianna Fail ‘Dun Laoghaire News’- 1989 GE -Brain Hillery, Betty Coffey, David Andrews January 4, 2010


From the 1989 General Election Campaign, where Fianna Fail called an unneccessary election in the hope of gaining an overall majority. Lots here of interest although these lines…..
“FIANNA FAIL IS THE PARTY
Don’t Interupt its good work”
..take some beating.
Pictured under the corny heading of ‘Tuning in to a working majority’ greeting musicians are Charlie Haughey, Betty Coffey, Brian Hillery and David Andrews behind him. (as an aside if I’m correct and its Dun Laoghaire Shopping Centre in the picture…the escalator in view is where Georgie Burgess exclaims his love for Sharon in the Film ‘The Snapper’)

Click on Images to increase size

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Eamon Gilmore -Labour -DunLaoghaire 2007 December 29, 2009


Eamon Gilmores 2007 leaflet. Pat Rabbitte was still Labour Party Leader. A stylish leaflet with the continued fashion of using quotes from Journalists. Also why print a picture of yourself as a five year old?

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Paddy Madigan-Independent -1997 Dun Laoghaire


Former Fianna Fail Councillor Paddy Madigan from the 1997 General Election where he stood as an Independent in Dunn Laoghaire. He had also stood as an Independent in the 1994 European Elections. He polled 1082 votes.

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Victor Boyhan -Progressive Democrats- Blackrock 1999 LE December 17, 2009


Victor Boyhan of the Progressive Democrats for the 1999 local elections in Blackrock. He won a seat, lost it in 2004 and was elected as an Independent in 2009. Boyhan grew up with Paul McGrath and some of his 2009 literature had recommondations from Paul McGrath as opposed to Liz O’donnell as we have here. (I’ll post that in due course)

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Martin McAneny -Natural Law Party – Dun Laoghaire 1992 December 15, 2009


 Martin McAneny listed as the “Natural Law Candidate for Dublin South East” ,  it was actually Dun Laoghaire where he stood in 1992 gaining a massive 48 votes.

 

Betty Reeves, Michael Dunphy -Green Party- Blackrock 1991 LE December 12, 2009


In the 1991 local elections in the Blackrock Ward, the late Betty Reeves was elected to the council having polled 491 First preferences, well short of the 1,623 quota. She served one term. As written on the leaflet she was a founder member of the Green Party. Her niece is married to John Gormley. I think the Newtown Park/ Carysfort bus committee was to do with the lack of service and the state of the buses used, on the 6 and 6A routes.
In 1991 Greens were still thought of as outside the mainstream, yet here we had a candidate Michael Dunphy who ran his own business, was an active member of the GAA and so on.
Amongst the issues covered are ‘The Owen Rua proposals for a huge infill and a 630 unit luxury housing estate out in the bay” and opposition to ‘Dalkey gun club’….

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