‘Leinster House Visitors Guide’
A lovely little booklet produced by Fine Gael Senator Nicky McFadden.
Lots of areas are covered including the History of the House itself, our electoral system, famous visitors, The Dail and The Constitution.
Leinster House Visitors Guide -Nicky McFadden -Fine Gael 2009 June 22, 2010
From 2002 Paul McGraths Irish World Cup Fixture Guide -Fine Gael -2002 GE June 20, 2010
The 2002 General Election was held on the 17th of May. World Cup Fever wasn’t quite at its height as the Roy Keane Saipan saga didn’t fully start until the 21st of May.
This is a card from Fine Gaels Paul McGrath with his details on the front and the world cup fixtures on the reverse. A number of candidates produced similar cards.
The TDs namesake had retired in 1998.
Willie Penrose -Labour Party -2007 General Election -Westmeath May 24, 2010
From the 2007 General Election a leaflet for Labour Party candidate Willie Penrose running in Westmeath. First elected in 1992 , Penrose held his seat in 2007.
The System (P.R) Of Voting In Ireland -Paul McGrath -Fine Gael 2001 April 30, 2010
Quite an interesting leaflet produced by Westmeath Fine Gael TD Paul McGrath on ‘The System (P.R) Of Voting In Ireland’.
Explained in detail are the Irish version of Proportional Representation and how it works.There are Sections on the following…
The Tally, County and Mixing of Votes.
Spoiled ballot papers.
Calcualting the quota.
Transferring a Surplus.
What happens to the Votes of an Eliminated candidate?
Being Elected without Reaching the Quota.
There are also details on voter registration and the 1997 General Election count for Westmeath.
Stephen Price -Independent -1992 GE Westmeath April 7, 2010
From the 1992 General Election in Westmeath, Independent candidate Stephen Price.
An Abortion Referendum (Right to Travel , information etc) was held on the same day which led to quite a number of pro-life Independent candidates.
This in part due to Fianna Fail , which had been previously seen as Pro-Life falling out of step with SPUC and others. This in turn led to the setting up of
a number of Parties such as The Christian Principles Party, Christian Solidarity Party and The National Party.
Stephen Price polled 747 votes.
Marie Reddin -Independent -Athlone TC 2009 April 4, 2010
From the 2009 Local Elections. Independent candidate Marie Reddin who was unsuccessful in her attempt at winning a seat on Athone Town Council.
John Henson- Labour Party -Athlone 1991 Local Elections March 3, 2010
From the 1991 Local Elections in Athlone, Labour candidate John Henson. I’ve no idea if he was elected or not. Issues covered include moneylending and gaming machines in Mullingar.
Noel O’Gara -The Planning Reform Party 2007 GE December 19, 2009
The 2007 Manifesto of Noel O’Gara, current owner of Dartmouth Square. He is the only Candidate to have stood for The Planning Reform Party. In 2007 he stood in Dublin South East(27 votes), Laois Offaly (45 votes), Longford Westmeath (84 votes), Roscommon South Leitrim (66 votes) and
he also stood in the 2009 Dublin South by-election (172 votes).
Noel O’Gara is not a fan of planning permission.
Benny Cooney- Independent- Athlone TC 2009 December 4, 2009
For those of you like myself who are consumed with all things elections, Benny Cooneys name may ring a bell.
He polled 18 votes in the 1998 Dublin North by-election, 21 votes in the 1996 Dublin West by-election, has stood on at least eleven occasions and in that time has a top vote of 239 votes. (Benny at ElectionsIreland.org)
Yet theres not much wrong with his policies….
(Judge) Henry Abbott -Fianna Fail – 1987 Longford-Westmeath December 3, 2009
Another member of the judiciary with a political past, Judge Henry Abbott.
He had one term in the Dail in 1987 (where the specimen ballot paper below is from) before losing his seat in 1989.
Note Helena McAuliffe Ennis has her occupation as ‘senator and housewife’.
She was also the only Labour member of the Oireachtas to join the PD’s in the months after their formation.
Colm Callanan – Christian Solidarity Party 2007 November 4, 2009
Colm Callanan who stood in Laois-Offaly and Longford-Westmeath in the 2007 GE and also in 10 different LEAs in the 2009 local elections….
His electoral record at Elections.org
Its nice to put a face to a name.
Colm only wants your Number 1 votes (“…a No 2 vote, regrettably, is of little use to me”).
Colm promises “…to take action on … homosexual adoption, increasing levels of porn in newsagents, sexual innuendo in TV ads, etc”
PJ Coghill, Sean Fallon, George Ledwith, Kieran Molloy, Egbert Moran, Cieran Temple -Fianna Fail- Athlone LEA 1991 September 19, 2009
From the 1991 Local Elections in Athlone. Fianna Fail candidates PJ Coghill, Sean Fallon, George Ledwith, Kieran Molloy, Egbert Moran and Cieran Temple. A strange layout of the candidates in this leaflet. Its unusual that there are no names beside the candidates pictures.I’d hazard there haven’t been too many ‘Egberts’ put before the electorate either.
Euro 2004- Seamus Kirk mock GAA Programme. September 15, 2009
6th of June 2004 outside Croke Park… Westmeath are playing Dublin and Kildare play Wexford. Seamus Kirk and his team give out mock programmes. The Kildare and Westmeath lineups are listed as well as a message from Seamus in the middle, with a play on a slogan used by the Bank Of Ireland in its GAA themed ads.
Seamus uses the leaflet to copy an article from the Sunday Independent which tells the reader of his political career, his triumph over adversity and his GAA pedigree both on and off the field. You would do well to have something more tailored to your potential audience.
It’s very clever too as it covers a team from both matches and may well be looked at for the afternoon. Given that Westmeath beat Dublin that day (on their way to their first ever Leinster title), it may well have been held on to by a few Westmeath fans. Sport is theme used by many politicians to try to get the voter interested. (more on that another day).
You may also notice that the leaflet is printed by BCR press. (On the List of TDs expenses at http://thestory.ie/2009/08/31/donation-to-tds-1997-2008/ BCR contribute over €10,000 to Fianna Fail Meath TDs Noel Dempsey and Johnny Brady).
Flyer and specimen Ballot paper for Albert Reynolds -Fianna Fail- 1987 General Election Longford Westmeath September 10, 2009
From the 1987 General Election a Flyer and Specimen Ballot paper for Fianna Fail candidate Albert Reynolds running in Longford-Westmeath. He topped the poll and was elected on the first count.
The specimen Ballot paper lists the candidates with Reynolds highlighted. ( Result from electionsireland.org)
Irish Election Literature 
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