Irish Election Literature

… what you maybe meant to keep…

Dermot Fitzpatrick – Fianna Fail – Dublin Central 1992 January 22, 2010


Fianna Fails Dermot Fitzpatrick from the 1992 General election in Dublin Central where he failed to retain his seat. This despite Fianna Fail getting two quotas,of which Bertie Ahern took the lions share, they only won a single seat. He didn’t stand again until the 2002 General election when he was elected.
He is father of Fianna Fail Councillor Mary Fitzpatrick.

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Aine Brady -Fianna Fail -2005 Kildare North by Election


Former teacher ,Aine Brady, who not alone is the sister of two Fianna Fail TDs Michael Kitt and Tom Kitt, but is also married to former Fianna Fail TD Gerry Brady.
This is from the 2005 Kildare North By-election where Aine failed to win the seat. She did however win a seat in 2007.

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Leaflet from the 1954 General Election


Another item received from a most kind donor.  The prices are in old old money and from brief calculations the increases are bad.
Amongst the things to go up in price were Cigarettes (can you imagine any party giving out about that now) and the Wireless licence. The bread in the picture is what looks like a batch loaf (none of your sliced pans back then!) and all the other staples of tea, butter, flour, sugar and porter are there too. 

I actually don’t know what party issued this though, other than it mustn’t have been Fianna Fail.  I presume it’s from the 1954 General Election also.
Any ideas?

 

Liz O’Donnell -Progressive Democrats -1992 General Election -Dublin South


From her first General Election in 1992, Liz O’Donnell of the Progressive Democrats in 1992.
The PDs Anne Colley won a seat here in 1987 but lost it in 1989. Liz O’Donnell won the seat in 1992 and held on to it until her defeat in the 2007 General Election.
(Liz O’Donnell at electionsireland.org)
She had a spell as Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs with responsibility for Overseas Development Assistance and Human Rights. She was also for a time Deputy Leader of the Progressive Democrats.

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Lily Moynihan- Independent -2004 European Elections -South


Cork Based Lily Moynihan from the 2004 European Elections. She stood on a justice reform and victim rights ticket.
The RTE profile from the time wrote…”She has been active, but unsuccessful, in demanding prosecution of those believed to be responsible for the death of her 23-year-old son, Adrian, who was killed during an altercation with nightclub bouncers in 2001. Her husband, who went on hunger strike outside the Dáil on two separate occasions in 2003 to highlight the case, is her election agent.

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John Pender -Fianna Fail -Tullow 2004


From the 2004 local elections where Fianna Fail candidate John Pender (John on electionsirealnd.org) was comfortably elected to Carlow County Council in the Tullow LEA.

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John Gormley ‘Its time.’ -Green Party -2007 GE Dublin South East January 21, 2010


Green Party leader John Gormleys leaflet from the 2007 General Election.

“We’ll deliver…
…24 Hour health centres and more acute hospital beds…
…2,400 extra teachers to reduce class sizes…

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‘Elect a Local TD’ Aidan Culhane-local man


I love this little leaflet as its main target is the other Labour Candidate Alex White.

White had an office in the constituency, but didn’t live there. There was a small bit of fuss about it and next of all this leaflet appears!

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Barbara Culleton, Donal Marren,Colm Brophy- Fine Gael 1991 LE Ballybrack


From the 1991 local elections. Donal Marren retained his seat and Barbara Culleton lost her seat. Colm Brophy, former President of Young Fine Gael, turned up again in 2008 when he was co-opted to South Dublin County Council and won a seat in Tallaght Central in 2009.

 

Martin Ferris- Sinn Fein- 1999 Euro Elections Munster


This is what went through the letterbox of the voters in Munster in 1999. It is unusual as it tell you nothing about the candidate, despite the fact that Ferris wasn’t a TD yet.
Martin Ferris polled 6.5% of the vote.

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Tony Gregory-1991 Local Elections January 20, 2010


This the Late Tony Gregorys Leaflet from the 1991 Local Elections (From my own collection I see that Tony Gregory used this style leaflet for the 1985 Local Elections as well as the 1987,1989 and 1992 General elections so they can be confusing to date) .  In it he mentions support of the Postal Workers who went on Strike in 1991.

One of his major issues, especially in the 80s and 90s, was that when developments were taking place in the area , local labour was not often enough employed, this is referenced here with regard to the Custom House scheme.  The small bit about ‘ …strongly  supports Tax relief for mortgage holders’ .. is a rebuttal of a constant issue that was used to attack the left, and scare the middle classes, at the time. Labour also came in for the same treatment in 1991 and the 1992 General election (an example) .

Tony Gregory is also pictured with the Street Traders, fighting for their rights he ended up in Mountjoy. His record as a founder member of the Concerned Parents is there also.

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Eamonn O’Liatháin- Workers Party -Dublin South 1987 General Election


Eamonn O’ Liatháin from the 1987 General Election in Dublin South. (O’ Liatháin at electionsireland.org).
He polled over 1000 votes. His membership of groups such as CND, The Irish Anti Apartheid movement and,support of ‘Nicaragua must survive’ tells much of the International politics of the time.
In the 1987 election The Workers Party doubled their Dail representation from 2 to 4.

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“Who’ll protect my daughter from the pushers?” -Fianna Fails ‘Zero Tolerance’ 1997 GE


“Who’ll protect my daughter from the pushers?” ask Fianna Fail in 1997. Answer -Bertie Ahern and his Zero tolerance policy.
‘People Before Politics’ was the Fianna Fail catch phrase.
As for the Zero Tolerance promises….. did we get the 2000 extra prison places? were the Courts reformed? etc etc

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“Left-Wing Government? NO thanks!” -Progressive Democrats 2007 January 19, 2010


From the 2007 General election. The Progressive Democrats quote Labour, Sinn Fein and Green Politicians to illustrate what they would do if a Rainbow Left Coalition got in.
Amongst the quotes
Pat Rabbitte – “It’s my job to comfort the afflicted and to afflict the comfortable”
Gerry Adams- “We are actively looking to be in government after the election”
Green Party Policy on housing -“The Green Party wants to apply commercial rates to second homes and to investment properties”

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“Has your Labour Candidate been telling you the Truth?- NO!”-Dr Pat Lee -Fine Gael – 1992 Dublin NC


From the 1992 General Election, Dr Pat Lee of Fine Gael attacks Labour.
With the Spring led Labour party on the up, they were being attacked not just by Fianna Fail (an example) but by Fine Gael also.

Pat Lee (electionsIreland.org record) had originally been elected for Dublin Central, however due to boundary changes he ended up standing in Dublin North Central, where he lost his seat.
Items such as the Residential Property tax and  means testing Childrens allowance get a run out as Fine Gael try to portray Labour as about to attack the middles classes again.

 

UK Conservatives ‘Tree’ logo inspired by old Progressive Democrat ‘Tree’ logo? January 18, 2010


Just noticed that the current UK Conservatives Tree logo is very similar to one our own Progressive Democrats used for years.
mmmm… maybe the Tories were inspired. Whilst not exactly the same , it certainly has the ‘inspired by’ feel about it.

 

‘Who is Alan Foran?’- Fianna Fail- 2004 LE Rathfarnham/Terenure


From the 2004 Local elections Terenure/Rathfarnham Ward.(Result from electionsireland.org).
Fianna Fail candidate Alan Foran is the ‘big 30’ …. He failed to get in.

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A selection of 1948 Election Posters


I got emailed these by a kind donor, apparently they are from Life Magazine.
First off the Posters are all pasted on to the wall in billboard slots, not a poster to be seen on the lamppost!
The 1948 election will be remembered for the coming of Clann na Poblachta. Here in Dublin North Central constituency. (Result from Electionsireland.org) they didn’t win a seat.
There is also a picture of Fine Gael Leader General Richard Mulcahy Fine Gael leader from 1944 to 1959. When Fine Gael did come to power in 1948 it was John A. Costello rather than party leader Mulcahy who became Taoiseach. This was due to Mulcahy having been in government during the post Civil War executions. In the 1948 government he held the role of Minister for Education.
Note how the Fianna Fail poster has been defaced with ‘And Emigrate!’.
The sender notes …”I found a TIME article about the election which stated that adulterating and appending derogatory statements to posters was a frequent occurrence during the campaign”


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