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  • irishtimes.com - Posted: May 27, 2009 @ 1:40 pm

    It is a beauty contest after all

    Kilian Doyle

    Forget the actual election results. The results that really matter are in.

    According to a poll conducted online by Boylesports, the foxiest candidate running for election this year is… Labour’s Dublin City Council hopeful Maria Parodi.

    Sinn Féin’s blonde bombshell Toiréasa Ferris is beaten into third place by Fianna Fáil’s Sarah Ryan, while Clare Byrne of Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil’s Catherine Ardagh trail in fourth and fifth place respectively. Dan Boyle didn’t get a look in. We suspect a fix.

    The findings also reveal 43 per cent of respondents believe a candidate’s appearance would influence their decision, with over a third saying they would vote for someone solely based on how they looked. 

    Which we find really, really sad. For what died the sons of Roisín? Was it the right to choose to be represented by someone just because they’ve got white teeth and a makeover?


    L-R Maria Parodi (Lab), Sarah Ryan (FF), Toiréasa Ferris (SF), Clare Byrne (FG), Catherine Ardagh (FF)

    • 10 Comments »

    1.
    May 27, 2009
    2:18 pm

    I think it’s a disgrace that the Irish Times has promoted this type of reporting on the elections which is offensive and sexist in the extreme.

    Comment by Peter
    2.
    May 27, 2009
    2:49 pm

    Wouldn’t Ms Ferris be more of a suspect device than a bombshell?

    Comment by Woesinger
    3.
    May 27, 2009
    3:03 pm

    Is Peter being funny or just a humourless wet blanket?

    Comment by An Fear Bolg
    4.
    May 27, 2009
    3:29 pm

    This kind of baseless enterprise which candidates have been subjected to is disgusting to be frank. Humour doesn’t come into the equation when such acceptance of blatant sexism pervades the media.

    Comment by Peter
    5.
    May 27, 2009
    4:19 pm

    Come on peter this is just a bit of a laugh!

    I think it’s a crime that FG’s Emma Kiernan didn’t make it in! If anyone saw that facebook picture doing the round I think they’ll know what I’m talking about

    Comment by Colin
    6.
    May 27, 2009
    5:00 pm

    Gosh Peter’s very easily offended.

    Come on so Irish Times undo the offense by treating us to the same article about the male candidates. Balance of the sexes and all that.

    And Peter, I think you’ll find that political candidates are engaged in quite a range of baseless enterprises themselves.

    Comment by An Fear Bolg
    7.
    May 27, 2009
    10:36 pm

    Woesinger, Heh!

    Peter… sheesh…

    Comment by dealga
    8.
    May 27, 2009
    11:39 pm

    He’s got a point, so called quality papers who just want to print pictures of pretty people. They will be the first ones to turn around and lament the absence of issues and the quality of local reps when they have failed in their duty to lead any debate on the issues at election time

    Comment by Michael Mc Loughlin
    9.
    May 28, 2009
    11:52 am

    The IT are just reporting a story on a blog that’s a bit tongue in cheek!

    This highlights the fact that posters and looks are more important than substance and ideas (otherwise i’d clearly have topped the poll -ahem- of rides ;o)

    Comment by ross o'mullane
    10.
    May 28, 2009
    12:36 pm

    I second An Fear Bolg’s call for a similar bevvy of male beauties…..if you can find any?

    Comment by Aine

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