Hillery name back on ballot in Clare as FF pursues familiar strategy

CONSTITUENCY PROFILE:THE HILLERY name is back on the ballot paper in Clare, as Fianna Fáil finds itself under pressure in what was once fertile electoral territory.

When one of its two outgoing TDs, former minister for defence Tony Killeen, retired on health grounds, he was replaced by Dr John Hillery, son of former president, minister, EU commissioner and Clare TD, the late Dr Patrick Hillery.

His father is recalled with affection in Clare as a humanitarian doctor and outstanding local representative. When Micheál Martin was elected Fianna Fáil leader, he listed Dr Patrick Hillery, Seán Lemass and Donogh O’Malley, as political role models.

Born in Clare but raised in Dublin, where his parents lived during his father’s ministerial career, Dr John Hillery, a former president of the Irish Medical Council, has taken to the hustings with relish.

“I see the Clare People claiming I have yet to ‘brave the door of Clare homes’,” said an early Hillery tweet. “I have been canvassing the entire county for two weeks.”

Fianna Fáil’s strategy is to run the son of a famous local political figure to help rescue its fortunes. It worked in the past, when Síle de Valera won a seat, having moved her political base from Dublin to Clare, which was once represented by her grandfather, Éamon de Valera.

However, in these challenging times for Fianna Fáil, the view locally is that there is likely to be only one seat for the party in Clare this time unless it defies national trends.

In 2007, in much more favourable circumstances, the party secured almost 45 per cent of the first preference vote, followed by Fine Gael at 35.21 per cent. A resurgent Fine Gael is now in a strong position to secure an extra seat at the former’s expense.

Outgoing Fianna Fáil TD Timmy Dooley topped the poll with an impressive 10,791 votes last time. An active backbencher in the last Dáil, he might well have seen ministerial office if fellow Clare TD Tony Killeen was not already a minister.

The other outgoing TDs are Fine Gael’s Pat Breen and Joe Carey, who are expected to retain their seats.

With Fianna Fáil likely to take one seat, an intense battle is then expected for the fourth.

Fine Gael’s third candidate is Mayor of Shannon Tony Mulcahy, who polled 3,408 first preferences the last time.

Labour is running Michael McNamara, from Scariff, who worked with the OSCE in eastern Europe and with the United Nations in Afghanistan, before returning to Ireland in 2005 to run his family farm and practice at the Bar.

The 1992 “Spring tide” yielded a political sensation when Dr Moosajee Bhamjee won a seat in Clare for Labour, and, while the “Gilmore gale” does not carry the same strength in rural constituencies as it does in Dublin, McNamara’s chances should not be underestimated.

However, he is building from a low base, given that Labour candidate Pascal Fitzgerald polled just 892 first preferences in 2007.

The Green Party is running Brian Meaney, who polled 2,858 first preferences last time.

Among the Independents, former TD James Breen, who lost his seat after one Dáil term in 2007, is a man to watch, given the strong performance by Independents in national opinion polls.

The other Independents are Jim Connelly, Gerry Walshe and JJ McCabe.