How apt was this, If all of the below propositions had been in place at the time, we may not be in as bad a state as we are now.
Its this 1989 election where Gilmore was first elected to the Dail.
‘We buy our homes and developers buy the big parties’-Eamon Gilmore -Workers Party-1989 Dun Laoghaire November 5, 2009
Pat Upton- Labour- Dublin South Central 1997 November 4, 2009
The late Pat Uptons last election campaign. This leaflet gives the mark of the man , his experience, his attitude to fairness in Society and you can see that his politics is in the mould of the late Frank Cluskeys. His early passing at just 54 years of age deprived the public of an excellent representative.
Paula Desmond – Labour -1999 Euro Elections Munster. November 3, 2009
Paula Desmond – Labour -1999 Euro Elections Munster.
A stylish Paula Desmond from the 1999 Euro Elections Munster constituency.
Paula was daughter of the late Eileen Desmond and the late Dan Desmond.
Eileen Desmond had served for many years as a TD and had also been elected to the European Parliament in 1979. Eileen Desmond initially won a Dail seat at the 1965 Cork Mid By-election caused by the death of her husband Dan Desmond. Dan Desmond had been a TD for over 16 years.
Roisin Shortall -Labour -1997 Dublin North West November 2, 2009
Plenty of good facts about 1997 here.
The Childrens allowance was £39, its now €166
‘84% of students now finish second level’ -Whats the figure now?
Water charges and Residential Property Tax both scrapped look to be on the way back.
Other bits of interest there too.
Labour Party 1969 GE- ‘Instructions to drivers on polling day’ October 19, 2009
This is fantastic, gives a glimpse of domestic life in the late 60s as well as warning the many many pitfalls that may arise.
At the time too not that many had cars, so the Driver was a very important figure at election time, especuially in rural areas.
Yet You’d think that giving lifts to voters was a simple enough matter…….
Its full of handy tips
“Try to have your car as clean as possible….. do not take any alcohol while polling is in progress”
“…Encourage the women to vote early as this will leave the men free in the evening… ”
and of course “Don’t forget to vote yourself!”
Emmet Stagg- Labour – Kildare 1989 October 14, 2009
A Socialist Emmet Stagg, complete with Starry Plough in 1989 . The issues mentioned and the organisations he is a member of tell us a lot about the time.
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.
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.
‘Ten reasons to be a Labour Student’ October 2, 2009
This is from around 1990 , mentions Red Wedge and the reader would be under no doubt that the Labour Party were Socialists. Also covers issues related to the time such as Apartheid.
Kildare Labour News- December 1989- Stagg, Howlin ,Kemmy
This is an interesting little pamphlet where we have a Labour party ‘a socialist alternative’. Very much of its time in both the articles on the falling of Communism, The National Question, our Health Service, Women at Work and also the ads.
It also features some of the late Jim Kemmys poetry.
Click on the images if you have difficulty seeing the whole page.
Mary Robinson ‘A President with a Purpose’ -1990 Presidency October 1, 2009
From the landmark 1990 Presidential Election a leaflet promoting Mary Robinson as ‘A President with a Purpose’. The leaflet has also an endorsement from Dick Spring.
Labour Party- Yes to Amsterdam Treaty September 28, 2009
The thing that strikes me when reading this is …
Have the reasons to vote in favour actually happened and if they have ,have they made a positive difference?
are we any closer to a “..just and equal Europe for all”?
1997 General Election Leaflet from Michael D. Higgins -Labour -Galway West September 27, 2009
From the 1997 General Election a leaflet from Michael D. Higgins running for Labour in Galway West. The leaflet sings the praise of the Rainbow and lists their achievements in Galway.
Joan Burton 1989 -Dublin Central September 24, 2009
Joan Burton lost her deposit as she ran for Labour alongside Joe Costello in 1989 in Dublin Central. She subsequently moved to the Dublin West Constituency.
Barry Desmond -Labour Dun Laoghaire Feb 82
How times have changed…. Food Subsidies, AnCO and still no Garda Station in Ballybrack either.
Barry Desmond served 7 Dail Terms before in 1989 he was elected to The European Parliament for Dublin. He held a number of ministerial appointments and also served as deputy leader of the Labour Party. He then served on the European Court of Auditors.
Labour -Yes to Divorce 1986
This is from the 1986 Divorce Referendum. The Yes side had the simple argument of recognising when a marriage had broken down and giving people a second chance. The No side had legal, moral and other arguements against. As Far as I’m aware Fine Gael whilst in favour of the referendum didn’t officially campaign. Labour were the only major party advocating a Yes vote.
“Partnership That Works” -Rainbow Coalition Flyer 1997 election September 23, 2009
This is a joint document from the 1997 Rainbow Government. Highly unusual that 3 parties have a joint platform for an Irish General election. For the odd referendum you may find a common leaflet but certainly for a General Election its fairly Unique.
Their 21 goals for the 21st Century are spelt out as are their achievements in Government to date. Some nice poses from the three party leaders too.
1997 Rainbow Government- “Partnership Works” slogan
In 1997 the Rainbow government went to the country looking for a new term. It was an already agreed joint platform which is highly
unusual. Each party had a ‘Partnership works’ slogan on their literature asking voters to continue their preferences to other
Government parties.
They also produced a joint policy document. And some joint election material.
In previous times Fine Gael/Labour had on occassion asked voters to continue preferences to the other party. At times it was unrequited as Fine Gael asked , but Labour didn’t. Indeed there are examples here where Fine Gael asked for Transfers to Labour where no Labour Party candidate stood.
Irish Election Literature 
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