Rosaleen McDonagh, the first Traveller to seek election to the Seanad. Rosaleen McDonagh stood in both the 2002 and 2007 Seanad elections. Whilst not being close to winning a seat, she finished far ahead of many candidates on both occasions.
Alan Shatter -Dublin South 1987
Not quite the fancy stuff he produces now! At least it was a proper ‘Sorry I missed you’ rather than the pre printed ones we get now.
Brian Hayes – “Say No to Single Party Government” 2002 October 10, 2009
This is interesting in that it wasn’t just the PDs who were saying no to one party government in 2002, it was Fine Gael too. Funny thing is this was out before the PDs poster campaign
Here we had a case of two parties saying the exact same thing, but reading the PD posters they implied keeping their few TDs in government as ‘watchdogs’, whilst FG were looking for an anti Fianna Fail vote.
On the back we have his achievements and Stanley Lang urging votes for Brian.
Thank You – Conor Lenihan 2002
A ‘Thank You’ card arrives on the doorstep…. you open it to see who is thanking you…. Conor Lenihans mug pops out.
Support Palestine Demo for Ireland vs Israel game in 2005 October 9, 2009
4th of June 2005 and Ireland take on Israel at soccer, a two all draw which costs us dearly in our qualification hopes for the World Cup. This leaflet was to advertise a protest and ways to protest at the game.
The leaflet was issued by the Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign.
Adi Roche -1997 Presidential Election October 8, 2009
Adi Roche, the highly respected Founder of The Chernobyl Children’s Project ran in the 1997 Presidential election. She had been nominated by the Labour Party, Democratic Left and Green Party.
She was expected to do well and was an early favourite to replace Mary Robinson. However stories of Bullying by a former workmate surfaced during the campaign and her chance went.
John Noonan- Sinn Fein 1984 European elections Dublin
This is unusual in that at the time Sinn Fein were Anti EEC. It details the reasons why Ireland should withdraw. It was only 11 years since we had joined. Some of the images are big, I’ve tried to pare them down whilst still making them readable.
Eric Byrnes Lotto -Local Elections 2004
Eye catching leaflet from Eric Byrne on house prices and the money being made by developers . It made a lot of sense at the time . Although what those houses are worth now is anyones guess.
Mary O’Riordan -Seanad 2007
The leaflet of Mary O’Riordan, sister of John O’Donoghue, in her bid for the Seanad in 2007.
Michael Gleeson – South Kerry Independent Alliance (SKIA) 2009 October 7, 2009
Another small party – The South Kerry Independent Alliance (SKIA). Its been running since 1995 at least. As far as I know, ex Kerry footballer, Michael Gleeson has been its only successful candidate to date.
South Kerry Independent Alliance was formed by ex Labour members in South Kerry, Gleeson is a former Labour Party member. This is just a flyer I shall put up the full SKIA doc in due course.
Frank Dobbs -Progressive Democrat Sligo-Leitrim 1987
Frank Dobbs flyer from 1987 in Sligo Leitrim. The text is as corny as you’ll get.
What’s unusual is that four years later in the 1991 Local elections Frank Dobbs stood for Declan Brees Sligo-Leitrim Independent Socialist Organisation.
Some conversion….
Jackie Fahey letter and FF candidates (Fahey,Donal Ormonde, Brain Swift) Waterford 1987
From the 1987 General Election in Waterford.
A letter from Jackie Fahey who pleads with voters to help him out after the constituency has been redrawn.
Also Profiles of the 3 Candidates, Brian Swift, Donal Ormone and Jackie Fahey.
Brian Swift looks as if hes listed his mundane hobbies to fill space.
Faheys brithplace of Clonmel, County Waterford is still the postal address for some parts of West Waterford, such as The Nire and Ballinamult. Fahey and Swift won seats for Fianna Fail. That election also marked the election of the then PD Martin Cullen to the Dail and the defeat of Fine Gael TD Eddie Collins who had held a seat since 1969.
Louis Belton, John Connor, Liam Naughten -Fine Gael 1992 Longford-Roscommon
In 1992 the newly founded Longford-Roscommon constituency. John Connor was the only one of the 3 candidates to be elected. The Jobs proposals may bring back memories of how desperate we were to create jobs and stop the awful flow of emigration.
Richard Greene – Muintir na hÉireann 1997 Dublin South
In the wake of the Lisbon 2 result, Cóir are considering becoming a political party. This is some of the election literature of Richard Greene one of the main Cóir spokespeople. Greene initially elected a councillor for the Green Party in Clonskeagh, left and founded his own party Muintir na hEireann. This is some of his literature from the 1997 General election.
Eamon Gilmore – Workers Party- Dun Laoghaire- November 1982 October 6, 2009
The now Labour Party Leader .The then 27 year old Trade Union Official in his first election standing for the Workers Party in Dun Laoghaire – November 1982.
In 1985 he won a council seat in Ballybrack, before winning a seat in the Dail in 1989.
Tomas MacGiolla Workers Party -Euro 94 – Pub Quiz
There are many gimmicks to get a voter to hold on to your leaflet, it may list telephone numbers of local services, be a fridge magnet calendar , a sporting fixtures guide, a match programme….. and then there’s the quiz!
A nice picture of yourself on the front and A Quiz where you also sneak yourself in as two of the answers on the back!
‘A Daddy is for Life not just Saturday’ – Eamonn Quinn- Fathers Rights 2002
This is from 2002 GE in Dublin North. There have been a number of candidates and groups going under various Fathers rights banners. The Fathers Rights-Responsibility Party being possibly the most prominent.
Evelyn White – Fianna Fail Carlow-Kilkenny 1992
Not a great success in that Evelyn polled just over a thousand votes.
Looking at the leaflet she says ‘Since being selected as the third candidate at the FF convention….’
Was the fourth Fianna Fail candidate Kevin Fennelly added by HQ? Given his and his families sporting prowess it wouldn’t have gone down well with the other Kilkenny based candidates.
Irish Election Literature 
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