Tony Taaffe, formerly a Fianna Fail Councillor who left and ran as Independent Fianna Fail in the 1997 General Election. I’m not sure but I suspect he may have failed to get on the party ticket. He ran again for Fianna Fail in the 1999 local elections and was elected.
His name is recorded in some places as ‘Taffe’ as opposed to ‘Taaffe’
Tony Taaffe – Independent (Fianna Fail) – Dublin NW 1997 GE November 18, 2009
Margaret Forde – Fianna Fail -Seanad 1997
Margaret Forde the 1992 ‘Sligo Business Person of the Year’ from her run for the Seanad on the Administrative Panel in 1997. She had failed to take a seat in the 1997 General election and was unsuccessful here again.

‘Politicians on the Fiddle:Vote Them Out-‘Campaign for Honesty in Politics’ 1991 November 17, 2009
1991 Local Elections and a leaflet from the ‘Campaign for Honesty in Politics’ to Vote Out the Big Parties. As tribunals have shown, they were more than correct about ‘Politicians on the Fiddle’.
I’m not sure who was behind the ‘Campaign for Honesty in Politics’, names such as Michael Smith and Colm MacEochaidh have been suggested, but it may not have been them. (It was in 1995 that the reward was offered that led to the tribunals.)
I had it filed away with Green Party material from Ballybrack if that provides a clue to anyone. The Green Party and The Workers Party were the only ‘Small’ Parties to contest Ballybrack and Blackrock. Sinn Fein contested the Dun Laoghaire ward.
Anyway I’d love to know who was behind the leaflet.
As you can see the issues covered are on the Southside of Dublin. Some of the lands mentioned may have been part of the now infamous ‘Jackson Way’ land. It also illustrates the cynical way councillors were using their vote. Also mentioned is the compensation that councils had to pay developers when they refused planning permission.
Tom Kitt- ‘olé olé’ -World Cup 2002
From the 2002 World Cup / General Election campaign a leaflet from Tom Kitt to get voters in the spirit.
Tony Wright, Fiachra O Ceilleachair- Democratic Left- Waterford 1997 November 16, 2009
Democratic Lefts Tony Wright hands over the reigns on Dungarvan UDC and Waterford County Council to Fiachra O Ceilleachair.
Both Fiachra O Ceilleachair and Tony Wright had been members of the Workers Party and Fiachra O Ceilleachair later stood for Labour.
Wright himself had been elected to Waterford Co Council in 1991.
Ruairi Quinn -Letter to appartment Residents 1987
Many of the issues mentioned here by Ruairi Quinn are still happening today. Management Companies are still an area of contention , the country is crawling with unfinished buildings……
Fianna Fail – Sean Lemass Cumann Maynooth -‘Be a Driver not a Passenger’ leaflet from 1991
A leaflet from the Sean Lemass Cumann in Maynoth, explaining why they are so important . It also has an Ad form the ‘Highlight of the Cumann’s year’ .. the annual Ogra Fianna Fail conference….. Admission included to the ‘BRILL. Party and Disco’….
The 1991 conference took place in Cork.

Ciaran Cuffe -1997 Dublin Central
1997 and SouthEast Inner City Green Councillor Ciaran Cuffe is running in Dublin Central looking ‘To clean up this dirty old town’.
(you may need to click on some of the images to read them)

Eric Byrne -‘Jobs’ -Democratic Left 1997- Dublin SC November 15, 2009
1997 and part of the outgoing ‘Rainbow Government’ The Democratic Left would only enter government on the basis of the biggest jobs plan ever…..
Eric Byrne was made jobless by the electorate as he lost his seat in this election.

Tony Ryan _Green Alliance- 1983 Dublin Central By-Election
This was published in part here previously, but given its amongst the oldest Green material I have, I figured it was worth a post of its own.
A few things here such as the TDs annual salary being £16,400. The honeycomb graphic with all the interconnecting Green ideas. To ‘Outlaw Land Speculation’ was suggested here and its an awful pity that never happened.
Ryan got 458 votes.

Dan Boyle -Green Party-Letter to constituents 1992 November 13, 2009
From the 1992 General Election Campaign, A letter from Green candidate Dan Boyle to constituents.
Letter notes how the Green Party are different from the other politicians. ‘ A Plague on all their houses’ indeed…….
Eithne Fitzgerald- Labour- 1997 Dublin South November 12, 2009
Having fought four general elections since 1981 without success, Eithne Fitzgerald flies home with almost 30% of the vote in 1992s Spring Tide.
Shes back here in 1997 to defend her seat. She loses it and never regained it.

Noel Murphy – Communist Party of Ireland – Seanad 2002 November 11, 2009
Noel Murphy stood in a number of elections for the CPI in Cork during the 1980s. This is his literature from his Seanad campaign of 2002. It also illustrates in detail the CPIs policies. The text on the last page is small, hence It will need to be clicked on to be read.

Christy Burke with Gerry Adams – 1997 Dublin Central
‘Give me your support by voting Christy Burke number 1 on polling day’ writes Gerry Adams. Adams was incredibly popular at the time.
The leaflet also illustrates the role Christy Burke played in Sinn Fein at the time. Amongst other things it mentions that he stood in the 1996 Forum elections.

Marian White -Workers Party 1991 LE -Blackrock
Two leaflets, the first coming after the election.
On the front Marian White thanks voters, she came within 28 votes of winning a seat in Blackrock (First Count Details Here). It illustrates the inroads made by the Workers Party at the time and the future potential.
On the reverse we have Eamon Gilmore proclaiming ‘In Dun Laoghaire The Workers Party are Winning’ detailing the vote increase and election of himself, Denis O’Callaghan, Colm Breathnach and how close Marian White came to being elected.
The Second leaflet was ‘and the last shall be first’…..

Eileen Lemass -Fianna Fail – 1989 European Elections
Eileen Lemass- Daughter in law of Sean Lemass and Sister in law of Charlie Haughey. Here she mentions the Sean Lemass connection, but not the Haughey one.
The Double jobbing reference is a bit rich considering that she had a spell from 1984 to 1987 double jobbing as both an MEP and TD.
I presume the double jobbing jibe was against Prionsias de Rossa and Mary Harney who both stood for the Dail the same day.
Eileen Lemass failed to retain her seat .

1988 National Collection for Alan Dukes led Fine Gael
After the 1987 election Alan Dukes was appointed Fine Gael Leader. On the 2nd of September that year in an address to the Tallaght Chamber of Commerce, Dukes said “When the Government is moving in the right direction, I will not oppose the central thrust of its policy….”
This became known as ‘The Tallaght Strategy’. It is refered to here “….Fine Gael will not obstruct the Government if it seriously goes about correcting our finances”.
This is the parties Fundraising/Membership drive from late 1987/ early 1988.
‘Anglo Irish’ gets a mention too, but its the Agreement rather than the Bank thats being refered to.
Owen Poole -Anti Water Charges Campaign 1997 Dublin North-East November 10, 2009
From the 1997 General Election, Anti Water Charges candidate Owen Poole running in Dublin North East.
The ‘template’ for this was also used by The Socialist Party in 1997, although as they were against the Water Charges it may have been a common template.
Poole polled 641 votes.









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