Name games for the numbers game

WHILE parties are happy to blow the trumpet when they capture a big name candidate, they are understandably reticent about declaring their interests in advance.

A rare on the record comment came this week from the Progressive Democrats when, responding to Joe Duffy's assertion that he had been approached at one time or another by all the parties, a spokeswoman declared categorically that he had never been approached by the PDs.

Fianna Fail remains the source of most "parachute" speculation, particularly concerning the constituencies of Dublin South East and Dun Laoghaire. In the former, the party would like to buttress the Ringsend centred popularity of Eoin Ryan with a candidate who could, in the words of one party source, "cater for the Baggot Street end of the market".

A name being conjured with is Mary Finan, doyenne of the public relations industry and the first woman president of Dublin Chamber of Commerce. It is this role which has convinced some observers she might by interested in a career in politics, but she says no such signals have been sent out. "I've never been approached and I've never approached anybody either. Quite frankly, I've never given it a moment's thought," she said.

The co presenter of RTE's Crimeline, David Harvey, has been strongly linked to Fianna Fail's hopes of winning a second seat in Dun Laoghaire, but that trail appeared to dry up when Mary Hanafin, daughter of former senator Des, was this week added to the already selected David Andrews and Larry Butler.

The strongest rumours concerning Fine Gael surround veteran journalist and scourge of politicians, Vincent Browne. The rumour is well founded in that Browne is a former member of Fine Gael and a friend since college days of the Taoiseach, John Bruton.

It is understood he declined an invitation to stand in the European election in 1994 and that he has been approached at least once since. He says his disposition about a political career is "generally unenthusiastic" at the moment.

Of like mind, almost certainly, is Olivia O'Leary, another high profile journalist who has been linked with Fine Gael. She is understood to have politely rebuffed an approach from the party and, while also not ruling anything out, is probably even less convinced than Vincent Browne of her place in politics.

THE GAA no longer plays the role it once did as the charm school for politicians, but it's still a big player. It is a joke in political circles that Fianna Fail has approached every member of the Dublin football team at one time or another.

But based on anecdotal evidence, this appears less of a joke than a useful summary. Goal keeper John O'Leary has certainly been sounded out since last September's All Ireland victory; 1970s veteran Tony Hanahoe is a perennial rumour, and even Kevin Moran, Dublin Gaelic football hero, soccer legend and successful businessman has been the subject of apparently unfounded speculation.

A much more plausible candidate comes from rugby. Jim Glennon, manager of interprovincial rugby champions Leinster and a former international, has been associated with Fianna Fail for more than a decade.

It is believed he was offered a Seanad seat during the Haughey era, and he has been the subject of periodic approaches about Dail candidacy ever since.

His father was a Fianna Fail councillor (an uncle was a Labour TD in the 1930s, but this strain of politics has not infected the nephew), and any ambitions he does have would be confined to the Dublin North constituency which embraces his home town of Skerries.

The woman who has become synonymous with the cause of the children of Chernobyl, Adi Roche, is understood to have been approached by a number of the parties, including the PDs.

She could not be contacted this week by The Irish Times but, insofar as any of the political observers know, it seems mere wishful thinking on the part of the parties that they might recruit the charismatic talents of a woman who is well on the way to popular sainthood.