From the 1985 Greystones TC election. I’m not sure who of the three, Mallie Jacobsen, Shay Monaghan and Joe Sweeney were elected.
It’s unusual to see ‘….we understand that the Commissions powers are very limited…..’, where often in Town Council elections you see candidates promising to change a lot of things that would be outside the Town Councils remit.
“From the desk of Ivor Callely T.D., Dail Eireann” ….. A guide to Internet Safety.
From the 2007 General election campaign. It must have been prompted by some News Story (or urban myth) about children and the Internet.
In the run up to the 2009 European Elections a Primetime Special was done on Declan Ganley and Libertas.
Arising from the show this was sent out to Libertas canvassers.
From the 1991 local elections in Ballybrack. Richard Conroy held on to his seat, the long serving Owen Hammond lost his and Noel Long and Noirin Butler failed to be elected.
There had been a lot of accusations regarding planning decisions in the area (see here for an example) which would not have favoured Fianna Fail nor indeed Fine Gael.
Killian Forde from the 2004 LE in Donaghmede where he topped the poll and got in on the first count. He was re-elected in 2009 although his vote fell.
Luke ‘Ming’ Flanaghan once considered a joke candidate as he campaigned for the legalisation of Cannabis and once sent a joint to each member of the Oireachtas as part of the campaign. He modeled himself on ‘Ming The Merciless’ from the Flash Gordon series.
Elected first in the 2004 local elections, where he topped the poll, he has gained a reputation as an excellent councillor which was reflected in 2009 when he was returned on the first count again.
He has a special interest in gaining recreational facilities for Castlerea. After his 2004 election, in relation to recreational facilities he was quoted “I’m not exactly looking for the Olympics to be held in Castlerea, but we are asking for something to be done.”
This is from either Dublin South 2007 (or Meath 2005?). Liam O’Gogain continuing his election campaigns to promote fathers rights.
Simple but effective messages.
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…
From the 2002 General Election a leaflet from Labour candidate Joanna Tuffy who just missed out on the final seat in Dublin Mid-West. She polled 2,563 votes.
Eamonn Murphy from the 1994 European elections. It has one of the strangest reasons to vote for a person I’ve seen.
Based on an apparition of the Blessed Virgin to a Japanese Stigmatist in 1973, accepted by the now Pope Benedict XVI (Cardinal Ratzinger) , Murphy wants to prepare for the prophesies and other forthcoming disasters by maximizing food production.
He is also a Pro Life Candidate. He had stood for the Short Lived Christian Centrist Party in 1991 and was standing for a group called
“Independent European Alliance’ in 1994.
Amongst those he outpolled in 1994 were PD candidate Stephen O’Byrnes, Fianna Fails Olive Braiden and Sinn Feins Larry O’Toole.
The then Independent Peter Ormond from the 1999 local elections in Birr where he was elected.
He duly switched to Fianna Fail and was elected in 2004 and 2009 on the Fianna Fail ticket.
Peter Ormond illustrates here many of the issues that went ignored since 1999. Roads being flooded, planning issues and so on.
Gemma Hussey and Godfrey Timmins from the 1987 General Election. Having been in government since November 1982 Fine Gael lost 20 seats in the 1987 election amongst them Godfrey Timmins. The advent of the PDs hit Fine Gael badly.
Gemma Hussey only served as a TD from 1982 to 1989 yet made an impact. Hurricane Charlie is mentioned too.
Liam Blaney (son of Harry Blaney, Brother of Niall Blaney, nephew of Neil T Blaney etc….), Joseph Cullen and Michael McBride from the 2004 Local Elections which were not brilliant by any means for Independent Fianna Fail. In Milford Liam Blaney held on to his seat but McBride and Cullen failed to get elected.
(kindly sent by IFF at the time)
From 1987 Ruairi Quinn outlines the achievements of the Labour Government and himself in the previous four years, especially his time as Minister for Labour and Public Service.
It’s quite a good read,especially the final page which has examples of the Social Employment Scheme (SES) –which he set up in action. Also there is the work done by AnCO on the renovation and restoration of the Irish College at Louvain.
The “Did you know?..” lists some of the worthy achievements of Labour in government…. alas one “Politics have been taken out of planning” didn’t last too long.
Found this in the attic over Christmas, the programme for the Self Aid concert in May 1986. Lets Make it work…
The day itself was great fun, the musical highlights were many.. Rory Gallagher playing ‘Follow Me’ (The theme tune to MT USA)
..and lots more including of course U2s performance of Maggies Farm.
Yet why were all these people there? Why watch were all the people watching?
Unemployment. The political classes, Government and the State weren’t able to provide employment, so maybe a concert would?
Tony Boland and Niall Matthews message is whats relevant (ie a failure of State and political system) for this Blog.
Jobs were promised, the Self Aid Trust was set up …. did it have any long term impact?
From the 2004 European Elections, a leaflet from Sinn Fein candidate Mary Lou McDonald, where she won a seat in Dublin.
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
Mary Flaherty who at this stage had been a TD since 1981. She was also married to former Fine Gael TD Alexis Fitzgerald. She lost her seat in this 1997 election and retired from Politics. She was outpolled by her party colleague Brendan Brady who also failed to get in.
The long awaited Luas to the airport and Ballymun is amongst other things mentioned here.
Irish Election Literature 
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