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.
John McGettrick Independent 1992 Sligo-Leitrim October 5, 2009
John McGettrick stood in the 1992 General Election for the ‘Arrow-Owenmore Drainage Committee’. It was ‘Now or Never’ back then. It turned out to be ‘Never’.
Eddie Cogan in the 1985 FG Ballymote literature had ‘drainage of the Owenmore and Arrow rivers’ as one of his priorities ‘when elected’
Fine Gael Ballymote 1985 LE-Eddie Cogan,Leo Conlon,Neil Henry, Tommy Lavin, Tony McLoughlin, John Perry.
The 1985 Local elections Ballymote LEA. The Fine Gael ticket of Eddie Cogan,Leo Conlon,Neil Henry, Tommy Lavin, Tony McLoughlin and John Perry. Current Fine Gael TD John Perry wasn’t elected. The leaflet also urges voters to ‘continue your preferences for the Labour Party’. There was no Labour Party candidate.
Independents Health Alliance 2002-Ciaran Goulding
The Independents Health Alliance fought the 2002, fielding 8 candidates with Finian McGrath being elected. Amongst the other candidates were former Limerick hurler and manager Tom Ryan and the then Independent Councillor (now FG) Molly Buckley.
‘Nothing at the End of the Rainbow- Shame on Them!” Pat Carey-FF DubNW 97
A very aggressive looking leaflet from Pat Carey in 1997. Oddly enough its similar in colour to the Good Friday Agreement leaflet that went to each house.
The web address at the end of the leaflet was fairly hard to remember too. That campaign featured some fairly negative leaflets from Fianna Fail and wonderfully positive oness from the Rainbow parties. Some of the language is Haugheyesque “Fianna Fail… have never failed to provide for Dublin North West”…
John Goodwillie -Green Party- Dublin SC 1997 October 4, 2009
John Goodwillie’s 1997 manifesto from Dublin South Central. Author of many articles in papers and periodicals over the years also.
‘Goodbye to all that, says CJH’ -Sean Haughey Dublin NC 1992 October 3, 2009
This is from a ‘paper’ ‘The North Central Leader’ issued by Sean Haughey in his 1992 General Election campaign. Charlie says goodbye to his electorate…. it would bring tears to your eyes.
You’ll probably need to click on the image to read all the wonderful prose.
Irish Election Literature 
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