1987 was the PDs first Gerneral Election. There was a bit of a buzz about Dessie (another such as Bertie,Charlie and Garret that the electorate were on first name terms with). This shows what their initial policies were.
They included abolition of the Seanad and Ministerial Pensions……
Fianna Fail November 1982. This was the second election in the year and also the shortest serving Government. It was the GUBU government that did the ‘Gregory Deal’ and was to an extent dependent on support from Sinn Fein The Workers Party who later withdrew their support. That doesn’t get a mention in Haugheys message. Instead he refers to the death of Bill Loughnane and the illness of the late Jim Gibbons for this ‘unwanted and unneccessary General Election’. Yet it was a motion of confidence proposed by Mr Haughey upon which the government fell.
We have a stern Haughey trying to look Statesmanlike on the front …… a friendly but menacing looking Charlie on the inside….
The Pro-life Amendment is now an issue. The usual stuff about stability (give me an overall majority please) is there too.
The part regarding “a sovereign Independent Nation with own policy on international issues …..settlement of international disputes by peaceful means” is a reference to the Falklands war. Haughey whilst initially not supportive of Britain towed the EEC line, He broke ranks after the sinking of the Belgrano, much to Britain’s displeasure.
From 2009 a leaflet from Alan Shatter. As usual with Shatter there’s an eye catching theme that makes it look like something else. He has done ones in the style of Star Trek and X-Factor amongst other things previously.
Mind you €50 to celebrate 25 years of representing Dublin South is a bit steep.
Brian O’Shea of the Labour Party from Waterford 1987 .
He wants to “Legalise Local Radio”, we only had the State stations legally broadcasting at that time.
He had plenty of other aspirations there, that have yet to be done.
Click on Images to make them larger
A young Martin Cullen in 1987. Cullen had been an Independent councillor(as his father had been too) before joining the PDs.
Here in 1987 he was ‘A fighter for Waterford’ …….
Martin was, amongst other things, looking for ‘……a more Professional Dail with fewer TDs….’
He switched to Fianna Fail after the 1992 General Election.
A Leaflet for President Mary McAleese from the 1997 Presidential Election. The Slogan and theme of the campaign being ‘Building Bridges’.
Interesting to note that she was a joint Fianna Fail /Progressive Democrat candidate.
Fianna Fail Feb 1982, a lovely picture of Charlie with him claiming that FF Do a better job. His message is interesting also.
1987 General election and Bernie Murphy, having been elected to the council two years previous to much ado, stands for the Dail. As you’ll read he was seen as a Joke candidate and his election caused uproar.The only manifesto I’ve ever bought.
Quite amusing and may bring back memories of the man to many Corkonians.
Christopher Fettes from the 1984 European Election Dublin Constituency.
Fettes is a hugely important figure in the Irish Green Party. Not alone was he a founding member of the now Green Party, It was Christopher Fettes who ‘called’ the initial meeting in 1981 that led to the foundation of The Ecology Party… which became the Green Alliance/An Comhaontas Glas and was renamed again as the Green Party/An Comhaontas Glas.
The Christian Principles Party, one of the many ‘Right wing Catholic Parties’ to spring up since Fianna Fail started showing liberal tendencies.
This is from the 1991 Local Elections where Sean Clerkin narrowly missed out on winning a seat, polling over 1,000 votes in the Drumcondra ward!
‘Jobs for Youth-Not Condoms’ has to be one of the worst election slogans ever.
There is all these Christian messages and then we find that Sean is a GAA man who jumped on the Italia 90/Euro 88 bandwagon and is ‘an enthusiastic supporter of Jack’s Irish Soccer team’
‘Pull The Plug On The Water Rates Fraud’ ask the Communist Party of Ireland in a leaflet from around 1983. With Water Rates supposedly on their way back, its worth a read.
There is a Join The Communist Party Form at the back.
These are interesting in that they are related to elections conducted by e-voting.
Joe Reilly gives a sample Ballot paper and instructions on how to use the machines.
Whilst Mary Wallace wants you to ‘Press the right Button’
And while we’re at it, the e-voting pamphlet that was sent out to each household in e-voting areas.
Mary Harney in the 1989 European Elections….
‘She has the courage to stand up for what is right’
‘She Champions the cause of the weak and underprivileged’
‘An outspoken critic of wrongdoing’
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This is a letter Sent by Eamon Gilmore, Colm Breathnach and Denis O’Callaghan post 1992 Workers Party Split. It outlines the policies and aims of the group. Polices look like those of The Workers Party but without the Democratic Centralism.
The breakway group were initailly called ‘New Agenda’ and contested the 1992 Westminister Elections under that name. However the name didn’t last long and the party called then itself ‘The Democratic Left’, which itself joined the Labour Party in 1998.
Irish Election Literature 
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