CARL O'BRIEN'Ssideways look at Election 2011
What’s in a name for running mates
Whoever said "Fianna Fáil" is the smallest type on a FF candidate's poster?
Not when it’s Cyprian Brady. The Dublin Central TD has managed to put his running mate’s name, Cllr Mary Fitzpatricks name, in even smaller type than the party logo in this poster.
In literature being circulated to households in Dublin Central, Brady says that under the strong, new leadership of Micheál Martin, “we need to pull together”.
Try telling that to the Brady and Fitzpatrick teams, who will be tearing lumps out of each other in their efforts to grab the last seat in the constituency.
Fitzpatrick, for her part, has managed to avoid mentioning Brady at all in election literature which she’s circulating in the same constituency.
This looks like being a celebrity death match and will yield even more twists and turns over the coming weeks.
Harney coughs up for lavish farewell bash at department
It’s reassuring to see the age of austerity has - belatedly - arrived in Government.
Mary Harney held a farewell bash for her erstwhile colleagues at the Department of Health at Hawkins House during the week.
Sources tell us there was a lavish array of bottles of claret as well as copious quantities of Guinness and Heineken. The party later migrated a short distance across the road to Mulligan’s pub (possibly the closest Harney will get to seeing her “co-location plan” realised).
And who paid for it all?
For once it wasn’t the taxpayer. Harney - who officially resigned as minister last month - no longer has access to an entertainment budget. Her officials confirmed yesterday that she paid for the booze and bar staff herself.
Could this be a sign of things to come?
FF candidate blaming Greens for meltdown
So, who’s to blame for Fianna Fáil’s electoral meltdown? Bertie Ahern, maybe? The Galway tent? Successive giveaway budgets? Lax financial managment?
None of the above, according to Wicklow FF candidate, Pat Fitzgerald. The Arklow-based candidate says there’s only one culprit: the Greens.
“I’m glad to see the back of the Green Party,” he told the party faithful during the week. “They have destroyed Fianna Fáil and we should never have gone into government with them.”
The Arklow man, who must be the only Fianna Fáil deputy to express confidence that he will be returned to the 31st Dáil, assured WicklowNews.net that Fine Gael and Labour would not be a credible alternative.
“They haven’t come up with anything new,” he said. “If given the chance, Fianna Fáil will show what we can really achieve.”
Election Online The Best Bits From Youtube
HASTE TO THE WEDDING
Tomás Ó Carthaigh’s withering assessment of the election so far - in verse. Includes choice lines like: Fine Gael she is blushing as the pregnant bride/ Labour Party the groom to stand at her side/ The Sinn Féin as proud parents look on in pride/ Their day for the party they will not be denied.
http://tinyurl.com/48dsqn2
UPSTART POSTER DAY
A peek inside the weird and wonderful world of art collective upstart.ie, the group erecting alternative election posters across Dublin.
One of the best bits is footage of John Gormley posing with them for photographs, before wondering aloud if the whole thing is a stitch-up.
http://tinyurl.com/494vu5l
Quote of the Day
I love Vincent Brown
- Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin reveals his true feelings for the TV3 presenter
Poster Of The Day
"thank God O'leary's Dead, Or This Would Have Killed Him."
From the people behind upstart.ie
Of bridges, banks and television
"We could prove a bridge-builder between Fine Gael and Labour in marrying inconsistencies between their economic policies if it was in a new rainbow coalition."
- Dan Boyle, Green Party
"The banks must go to work for the negative equity generation".
- Michael Noonan, Fine Gael
"If the Fine Gael leader can't cope with a robust television journalist, how can he ask the people to have faith in his ability to cope with a real crisis?"
- Barry Andrews, Fianna Fáil