Kitty perks up no end when she sees Enda. The Fine Gael leader bounds across to her bedside and takes her hand. They have a lovely little chat. "Have you met this lady? She's from The Irish Times," says Enda to Kitty, who appears delighted with this news.
"Is that your wife, Minister? She's a lovely woman, God bless her." Poor gallant Enda. He laughs heartily, managing to conceal his horror. It's not easy being leader of the Opposition on that long, hopeful march towards the general election. If he was Taoiseach, he would have come bearing gifts - the promise of a new extension, or extra staff, or a fat cheque from Brian Cowen.
Instead, the best he can do is smile, listen and linger.
Yesterday, Enda Kenny took a leaf from Bertie Ahern's book and
excused himself from Dáil business to spend the day
electioneering. He had a packed
schedule, which included lots of walkabouts in the
constituency of Cork North West.
He was a long way from home, with no Garda outriders guiding the way and a lot of ground to cover. It bucketed rain for the entire day. The walkabouts had to be abandoned. But he pressed on. It's not easy being leader of the Opposition.
From Ballincollig to Macroom, Ballyvourney to Millstreet, on to Macroom and Kanturk, and thence to Newmarket, finishing up at the end of a long day, and long night, across the border to Rathmore in Kerry.
In between meetings with local party branches, Enda visited hospitals and daycare centres and a school in Millstreet. This was low-key stuff, without much media attention and an attendant posse of local bigwigs and business leaders.
So different from the type of programme the Taoiseach would be
following. When Bertie blows into a
town, he opens hotels, announces the expansion plans of local
companies, cuts the ribbon on new bypasses, launches books, unveils
the plaques on upgraded sports facilities.
Enda moves from day centre to local hospital and listens to
people talk of reduced funding and operational problems. And all he
can really do is squeeze an old lady's hand, empathise, smile
and leave behind intimations of better things to come.
People are nice. The Fine Gael leader is likeable. "And when
you're taoiseach, you'll come back and see us again," calls a nurse
in Kanturk Community Hospital when he leaves. It's worth a shot.
There's a lady in the daycare room with her arm in a sling.
She doesn't need full-time care, but she needs to be minded at home
to an extent that the local services can't provide. "We can't get
enough helpers. There aren't enough physios for us, although I know
there are enough of them qualified around the place. They just
aren't being employed," she says.
"You'll find them working in supermarkets," Enda tells her. "It's a disgrace." The lady tells him he has a lovely smile. In Kanturk Community Hospital there are 48 beds. Matron Peg Fitzgerald tells the Fine Gael leader they are hoping, and have been hoping for a long time, to get the hospital upgraded to a 70-bed facility. Most of their patients are in long-term care, most of them are elderly.
It's a bright, cheery place. Enda goes from bed to bed. Kitty
lost a limb due to diabetes. She goes to art classes in the
hospital twice a week and presents Enda with her latest work. It's
a round tower, set in
rolling hills. He accepts it, like he has just been given a
lost Picasso. "Bertie Ahern, if he came here, would be in and out
in 10 minutes. He wouldn't stay to listen," says the Fine Gael
leader.
The staff give him a round of applause when he leaves. This area
is the stomping ground of Gerard Murphy, the FG deputy for the
constituency. The party hopes to win two seats here in the
election, with former TD Michael Creed their second candidate.
There is a brief walkabout in the driving rain. A piper
welcomes him to the main street where he meets local
activists.
Then they move on to the Alley pub, a wonderful old house where salty bacon wrapped in ewspaper hangs from hooks in the ceiling. Enda addresses local branch members and tells them the two seats are for the taking. "If members of the Government were here, they'd tell you the sun is shining today, they're so used to putting out things that aren't true," he tells them.
Then the music starts and the drinks and cocktail sausages come
out. On to Newmarket, Gerard
Murphy's home town. There is a public meeting in Hourigan's
pub. It was to have been chaired by Alan Dukes, but there's no sign
of him. About 100 people turn out. Enda speaks from the small stage
- talking up the Mullingar accord and talking down the Government.
He seems to be enjoying himself. "I'll be going 150 per cent for it
until the next election. I'm up for this," he says later.
But it's a tough slog. Back at the hospital, one old lady who
had just been brought in following a fall asked what was
happening. "It's Enda Kenny," the photographer told her. "Give me
my stick. Give me
my stick!" she cried. "I'm leaving." It's not easy, being
leader of the Opposition.