FF's 'tint' gone but Galway not forgotten

The parties are already planning for a spot of pre-season navel-gazing. Meanwhile, Mary Coughlan caused a stir among the hacks, and demand for Declan Ganley just grows and grows

FIANNA FÁIL'S Galway "tint" may be gone but the Soldiers of Destiny just can't stay away from Ballybrit.

As one political year winds down, plans are already well in train for the next. Autumn think-ins, now the traditional precursor to the new Dáil session, have been arranged by the main parties for mid-September.

FF decamps to the Clayton Hotel in Galway for a spot of pre-season navel gazing on September 15th and 16th. The hotel, which opened for business just over a year ago, is built on the edge of the famous Ballybrit racecourse, with views over the track and the area that once housed their famous tint.

"It's a tremendous start for us to have the entire Fianna Fáil parliamentary party come here," says the Clayton's John Glynn. "I looked after them over the years during my time at the Burlington, and then in Citywest, so it's good to see them returning the favour." The party has booked the entire 200-room hotel for the two days - an expensive option in these straitened times, but they think it's worth it because they don't want to share accommodation with the grubby media and can restrict their access.

Fine Gael's think-in follows immediately in Limerick's Radisson Hotel. The Blueshirts are more media-friendly - they've been too long in opposition to get notions. The previous week will see the Labour Party exercising its little grey cells, possibly in Kerry. The Greens are contemplating a trip to Kerry, although their dates clash with Fine Gael.

Meanwhile, the loss of the Galway tint does not mean Fianna Fáil's love affair with the turf is over. The party's Meath East constituency hoisted its fundraising tint at Bellewstown races for the third year in a row last week, with a fine attendance from local benefactors, builders included.

Donie's theatrical manoeuvres noted

DONIE CASSIDY, the Leader of the Seanad, wasn't around to take the Order of Business in the Upper House on Tuesday. His absence was noted, and people wondered whether he was tired of being wound up by Fine Gael's Jerry "Butsy" Buttimer, and had gone off to play golf instead. No matter, the Greens' Dan Boyle stepped ably into his shoes.

It transpires that Donie had more important concerns on his mind than a Seanad sitting.

It was his 40th wedding anniversary, and he abandoned Leinster House to spend the day with his wife Anne.

But Donie was back for the remainder of the week, when he found himself in the unusual circumstance of being in full agreement with Senator David Norris. Donie and David are keen supporters of the suggestion that the Abbey Theatre be relocated to O'Connell Street, possibly to the GPO.

"Senator Norris has received great support for such a proposal from those who have been associated with theatre life for many years and have had great achievements in this regard. I will assist the Senator and colleagues in the theatre world to achieve this in any way possible.

"Ultimately, the main reason to so do is to satisfy the demand of the customer. Everyone in Ireland knows the location of O'Connell Street in Dublin," said Donie, strongly of the view that theatre should be easily accessible to everyone. Moving to the GPO would also save the exchequer millions, he argued.

Some cynical Senators wondered afterwards whether Donie's wish to satisfy the demand of customers might extend to Cassidy's Hotel on Cavendish Row, his fine establishment which is a three-minute walk from the GPO.

Tánaiste suspected of ill-timed date with Elvis

NO SIGN of the Tánaiste at Tuesday's gloomy announcement of the Government's new package of "public spending measures". These are difficult times. This was serious business.

So where was the nation's second-in-command? Too busy in Donegal having her photo taken with an Elvis impersonator, it seemed. The evidence, e-mailed courtesy of a PR company, was examined by incredulous journalists after the downbeat press conference.

"For immediate release: Tánaiste launches search for Ireland's best Elvis" it read, followed by details of the inaugural Bundoran Elvis Festival and Pokerfest, which will be held in the town from October 31st to November 2nd.

The release was accompanied by photographs of a laughing Tánaiste and an Elvis impersonator, posing in front of a Las Vegas-style sign with Bundoran in the background.

Levels of righteous indignation began to rise among delighted hacks. Where was the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment's sense of priority? What was she thinking? However, while news of the launch was sent out on Tuesday, further inquiries revealed that the photographs of Tánaiste Coughlan and Elvis were taken the previous Friday.

It was unfortunate they were released to the media on a day when a more stateswomanlike demeanour was in order.

McGrath's Independent rallying cry adds up

AS INVITATIONS go, this one was eminently possible to resist.

In what sounded like an exercise more suited to a club in a dark basement, FG trumpeted that Enda Kenny would be "unveiling" Councillor Derek Keating on the plinth outside Leinster House on Tuesday morning.

The thought was enough to put us off our breakfast. It was playing on Deputy Finian McGrath's mind too. He issued a statement.

"McGrath calls on all Independent councillors to hold their nerve." Right enough, Independent councillors around the country must be waking up in cold sweats these nights, haunted by naked visions of a grinning Enda Kenny publicly unveiling them on the plinth.

"Following today's defection by Cllr Derek Keating, Deputy Finian McGrath has called on all Independent councillors to be brave and hold their nerve. The Irish people will always have respect for the independent voice and Independents at times can deliver more to their communities than some Ministers," advised Finian.

The statement continued: "This year alone Deputy McGrath has delivered over €24 million on local projects to his constituency. He also commended all of the Independent councillors for their work and wished them well in the local elections." The Dublin North Central TD's concern for his fellow Independents is not entirely selfless. Should he lose his seat in the next general election and decide to go for the Seanad, Finian does not have a well of party support to draw upon.

He'll need the votes of Independent councillors to scrape in. Hence, one suspects, his interest in keeping their numbers up.

Gilmore sold short, then stumps up

DON'T TELL the Mahon tribunal, but the leader of the Labour Party has been bought off for a shocking amount of money. And what price Eamon Gilmore? Eh, €85.

The mortification. Bertie Ahern would blow twice that on a horse.

Deputy Gilmore sold himself to the highest bidder at Labour's recent Tom Johnson summer school in Galway. He was part of the goods on offer at a fundraising auction in aid of Labour Youth members who are standing in next year's local elections.

"I suppose you could say he was the main item, along with bottles and stuff and Barack Obama's autobiography, signed by members of the parliamentary party," Cian O'Callaghan, Labour's Youth officer, told us. About 200 people attended the summer school fundraiser in the Menlo Park Hotel. Dinner with Eamon Gilmore was among the attractions.

After a frenzied bout of bidding from the Labour Youth - slight exaggeration, perhaps - Siptu employee Lorraine Mulligan from Longford emerged with the prize following a tense tussle with a young solicitor.

And so to last Wednesday night in the Dáil restaurant, where Lorraine and three friends turned up for their dinner date with the deputy from Dún Laoghaire. To be fair to her, she wasn't trying to extract four meals - Eamon told her to bring some friends along.

"We really enjoyed the evening in Leinster House. Eamon was great company and the meal was lovely," said Lorraine afterwards. "I think I got good value for my investment, he was well worth it," she joked.

The happy occasion can be chalked down as a loss leader for Deputy Gilmore - Labour's €85 man picked up the tab for dinner, and then stood drinks in the bar.

'Freedom fighter' Ganley is hot stuff

LIBERTAS FOUNDER Declan Ganley is a man in demand following Ireland's rejection of the Lisbon Treaty.

On Tuesday in Washington, he addresses American conservative think tank The Heritage Foundation, whose mission is to "formulate and promote conservative public policies based on the principles of free enterprise, limited government, individual freedom, traditional American values and a strong national defense". Ganley will address the topic of "No means No: How Ireland blocked the European Union's Lisbon Treaty." The Heritage Foundation describes army reservist Ganley as "a modern-day freedom fighter" who successfully took on the might of the European Union.

Freedom fighting - that's something else Sinn Féin will be delighted to know it has in common with its fellow No activists in Libertas.

Nothing malicious about Minister after all

FOLLOWING A request, a Government official very kindly sent an Irish Times reporter a transcript of an interview Mary Harney did on Wednesday's Morning Ireland. In the course of it, the Minister for Health responded to a question about the proposed deferral of the nursing home Fair Deal scheme.

She began: "No, no, well, can I just say it's not about saving money actually. The delay, it's delayed for very good legal reasons. The Attorney General has been utterly malicious and contrary to what was said earlier in the programme, it's been long-fingered. I am confident this Bill can be taken through the Oireachtas when the Dáil resumes after the summer break." After he picked himself off the ground, the reporter decided to listen to the actual report before hitting the alarm buttons.

"The Attorney General has been utterly meticulous . . ." is what Mary said.

Pity. It would have made a wonderful start to the silly season.