Irish Election Literature

… what you maybe meant to keep…

Eamonn O’Liatháin- Workers Party -Dublin South 1987 General Election January 20, 2010


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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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.

 

Tom Parlon- Progressive Democrats -2007 GE Laois-Offaly January 17, 2010


From the 2007 General Election, former IFA president Tom Parlon. Parlon then a junior Minister was big on decentralisation.

Having won a seat in 2002, he lost it in this 2007 election. (Parlon on ElectionsIreland.org) . He then became DG of the Connstruction Industry Federation.

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John Bruton-Fine Gael- Meath 2002


John Bruton stands for the last time in 2002 in Meath where he was elected on the 8th count. Former Taoiseach and Fine Gael Leader, Bruton resigned his seat to take up the role of EU Ambassador to Washington in 2004.

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Paddy Bourke, Michael O’Halloran -Labour Party -1985 LE January 15, 2010


Former Dublin Lord Mayor Michael O’Halloran and running mate Paddy Bourke. O’Halloran was one of only two Labour Councillors to be elected to Dublin City Council in these 1985 Local Elections.

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Pat Talbot- Immigration Control Platform -2009 Dublin Central By-Election


Pat Talbot from the 2009 Dublin Central by-election where he got 614 votes……..

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John De Courcy Ireland -Democratic Socialist Party- Dublin- 1984 European Elections January 14, 2010


This is from the 1984 Euro Elections. De Courcy Ireland, aside from his political interests was heavily involved in the foundation of the Maritime Museum in Dun Laoghaire. The profile below shows the calibre. He had been Jim Larkins election agent and  aside from the DSP, had spells affiliated or involved with the Northern Ireland Labour Party, the Irish Labour Party, the Communist Party of Ireland, the Workers Party, Democratic Left and the Socialist Workers Party. (Party details from Wikipedia)
He was a founding member of Irish CND and also involved with The Irish Anti-Apartheid Movement.
He passed away in 2006.

(This leaflet was previously part of another post)

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Joe Leonard, John Perry and Gerry Reynolds- Fine Gael- Sligo-Leitrim 1997 General Election.


Joe Leonard, John Perry and Gerry Reynolds from the 1997 General Election in Sligo-Leitrim. With Ted Nealon having retired and Labours Declan Bree holding a seat, Fine Gael had a challenge to win a second seat. In the end John Perry and the Leitrim based Gerry Reynolds won seats, with Decklan Bree losing out.
John Perry mentions work having started on a 15 acre Tourism park in Ballymote. Was this completed?

 

“Students- Everything you wanted to know about the Workers’ Party” -circa 1990 January 13, 2010


A leaflet produced around 1990 to help recruit Student members to The Workers Party.
Leaflet explains core Workers Party policy, issues that impacted student, the party’s position on the North, Womens issues, international policy, as well as what Democratic Centralism was.
It also goes on to say what a party member would be expected to do.

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Owen Hammond Letter to the Electorate- Fianna Fail- November 1982 GE Dun Laoghaire


A Letter from Fianna Fail candidate Owen Hammond in the November 1982 General Election where he stood in Dun Laoghaire. The fact that it’s personally signed illustrates the changes over the years…These days it would be a ‘sorry I missed you’ card with the pre printed signature.

Hammond polled 893 votes as Fine Gael won 3 of the 5 seats.

 

Liz McManus -Democratic Left- Wicklow-1997 GE


Liz McManus, Minister for Housing and Urban Renewal, from the 1997 General Election in Wicklow. The Democratic Left produced leaflets in this style for each candidate, all pictured walking purposefully, often by the sea. Here Liz walks on Bray seafront.
It has praising quotes about the candidate from newspapers . The achievements both in Wicklow and Nationally of The Rainbow government are listed. Amongst them  ‘Tour De France 1998 for Wicklow’

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Karen Canning -Independent Health Alliance (IHA) -Dublin South 2002 January 12, 2010


Karen Canning of the The Independents Health Alliance who stood eight candidates in the 2002 General Election.
Amongst them Finian McGrath who was elected. Others included the now Fine Gael Councillor Molly Buckley in Laois Offaly and former Limerick Hurling manager Tom Ryan.
Karen Canning polled over 2000 votes which was impressive.

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Sadhbh O’Neill, David Healy -Green Party -1992 GE Dublin NE


David Healy, a prominent Green member/councillor in Dublin for many years. The mention of Esperanto is interesting as a number of Founding members such as Christopher Fettes were enthusiastic about Esperanto.
Sadhbh O’Neill who famously was elected to Dublin City Council in 1991 despite not having campaigned (She was in the US at the time).
Oddly enough, that victory is attributed as part of why the Greens did not do particularly well (or as well as they thought they would) in the 1992 General Election, as some candidates/branches felt that the vote would turn out, canvass or no canvass.
The 6 Billion would have refered to money Albert promised we’d get from Europe.

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Killian Forde -Sinn Fein- Donaghmede 2004 LE January 9, 2010


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.

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Flor O’Mahony, Jane Dillon Byrne -Labour- Dun Laoghaire 1989 January 8, 2010


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…

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Eamonn Murphy -Independent -1994 European Elections Dublin


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.

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Gemma Hussey, Godfrey Timmins -Fine Gael- Wicklow 1987 January 7, 2010


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.