Dermot Tobins literature from the 1989 General Election. Times were not unlike today, with fiscal considerations the main issue.
A public jobs scheme is suggested, De Rossas message to the electorate is almost as relevant today as it was back than.
Tobin polled a disappointing 2049 votes down 1500 from John McManus two years previously.
‘Thatcherism has not Worked in the UK. It will not work in Ireland’ proclaims Padraig. Also shows the Tax rates of the times in a little chart. He got 142 votes….
Up until 2004 if your child was born in Ireland, you were entitled to citizenship. It was felt that this left the country open to people coming into the country to give birth so they could automatically gain citizenship. It was passed by 79% Yes to 21% No.
Michael McDowell was Minister for Justice at the time.
The 2007 Manifesto of Noel O’Gara, current owner of Dartmouth Square. He is the only Candidate to have stood for The Planning Reform Party. In 2007 he stood in Dublin South East(27 votes), Laois Offaly (45 votes), Longford Westmeath (84 votes), Roscommon South Leitrim (66 votes) and
he also stood in the 2009 Dublin South by-election (172 votes).
Noel O’Gara is not a fan of planning permission.
Saw these and couldn’t resist….
Not quite sure when this is from, as some of the press cuttings look to be from different years. Young Fine Gael went to the USSR, they called for State Funding for Parties, Weren’t too happy about a rugby tour to South Africa and lots more in the press clippings. Hugh Gillanders is listed as the National Youth Officer.
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)
Donogh MacCarthy Morrogh (Mr Mac) from the 1992 General election where he polled 818 votes. He was the Gardener on Cork Multichannel, how big a role that was I don’t know.
Given the current prominence of ‘Green Jobs’ here we have them being promoted in 1992 by Donogh MacCarthy Morrogh. Amongst the proposals were recycling and insulation, the Green jobs still being touted today.
I don’t know if the Beautiful City – Garden Festival ever took place.
All Ireland Medal winner Michael Gleeson of SKIA from the 1999 local elections.
In 1999 he wanted to abolish holy hour on a Sunday
There were issues around potential conflicts of Interests of councillors. Hence “I Have no vested interest in any property in Killarney”.
As a tourist attraction, Michael Gleeson also wanted a GAA Museum in Killarney (I suppose the rest of the country needs to be reminded how good Kerry are at the football, even on holidays).
Lots more here besides.
A Letter from Carmencita Hederman looking for help and funds for the 1985 Local Elections. Carmencita Hederman served from 1974 to 1999 on Dublin City Council as an Independent. She was also elected to the Senate for Trinity in 1989.
Another Joe Higgins Leaflet from the 1996 Dublin West By-Election. This time Ballyfermot focused. It was the election that put Joe on the map, as he came close to winning the seat won by our current Finance Minister Brian Lenihan.
He asks Voters to vote for him and ‘Other Genuine Left Wing Candidates’ which is fairly uncommon.
We also learn that in 1996 a TD earned £32,000 a year. In 1983 it was £16,400 a year .What is it now?
I think this is from 2002 Dublin Central (A Tom Simpson also stood in Dublin North West for the Greens in 1997). Tom Simpson, a founder member of the Green Party and also an active Trade Unionist.
Regarding the Fianna Fail government of the time…
‘They still want to poison our air with incinerators’ ………
Sinn Fein Candidate Anne Speed from the 1989 European Elections in Dublin where she polled 11,582 votes (2.58%), down from the 14,604 (5.17%) achieved by John Noonan in 1984.
Sinn Fein are still anti EC in 1989. “Sinn Fein is the only party standing in this election saying that there is an alternative to the EC…”
Also “Please transfer your preferences to other anti-EC candidates” Presumably this meant to Ray Crotty.
In the past 20 years Dublin has had two Lord Mayors which have changed their names to include a locality, Sean Dublin Bay Loftus and Vicent Ballyfermot Jackson.
This is a Jacksons flyer from the 2002 General Election. A good deal of it is taken up with a message from Tony Gregory.
Jacksons Ballyfermot base has been moved between \Dublin West, Dublin Central and Dublin South Central over the recent past.
John Dardis, a former Agricultural journalist served four terms in the Seanad and failed 3 times to win a seat in the Dail.
In this 1994 European Election he polled 12,591 votes and was never in the running for a seat.
The 9th of June 1994 was also the PDs first electoral outing under new Party Leader Mary Harney.
Athlone Town Councillor Mick O’Connell from the 2009 local elections. A fantastic take off of a certain brand of Stout. Also gets in the drink driving message and the local cab companies on the back.
(thanks to the sender)
A Lucinda Creighton Beer Mat posted Here
Growing up it was common to see ‘Free Nicky Kelly’ graffiti around the place. In 1978 Kelly, a then IRSP member was wrongly convicted along with Osgur Breatnach and Brian McNally of The 1976 Sallins Train Robbery. After a campaign for his release, he was release on “humanitarian grounds’ in 1984 and was pardoned in 1992.
Here having been elected to Arklow UDC in 1994 (topping the poll), Kelly stood in the 1995 Wicklow by-election. These leaflets are from the 1997 General Election, where he polled almost 5000 votes but failed to get in.
Derek McDowell flew in on the Spring tide in 1992 getting almost a quarter of the votes in Dublin North Central. He held on in 1997 but lost his seat in 2002 to Finian McGrath.
Irish Election Literature 
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