Today 2,500 hopefuls will be watching the local election count. Some are big names such as Nora Owen, Pat Rabbitte and Ivan Yates who are hoping to regain the seats on local authorities which they relinquished on going into government. Many, though, are first-timers seeking to reach the bottom rung of the political ladder from where they can start the climb all the way to the cabinet room. Since a number of candidates come from political families, their elders, or in the Taoiseach's case junior, will be watching their progress today very closely indeed.
Bertie Ahern has two brothers running in Dublin, Noel Ahern TD and Maurice Ahern. Other FF political scions being tested this weekend include: David Andrews's son, Barry and Niall Andrews's son, Chris; Michael Woods's daughter, Aileen; Brian Cowen's brother, Barry; Micheal Martin's brother, Sean; Dan Wallace's son, Damian; Ned O'Keeffe's son, Kevin; Sean Ardagh's wife, Maire; Liam Aylward's brother, Robert; Joe Jacobs' son, Noel; Rory O'Hanlon's son, Shane and daughter, Fiona O'Hea; Mary Hanafin's brother, John; Michael Ahern's brother, Maurice; Johh Ellis's brother, Cillian; Denis Foley's daughter, Norma; Mick Lanigan's son, Michael and Camillus Glynn's son, Ken.
In FG there's Enda Kenny's brother Henry, W.T. Cosgrave's granddaughter, Louise, Tom Enright's daughter, Alwyn, Theresa Ahearn's husband, Liam, Alan Dukes's wife, Fionnuala and Donal Carey's son Joseph.
Des O'Malley's daughter, Fiona ran for the PDs in Stillorgan. Labour has Brendan Howlin's brother Ted, Willie Penrose's brother, John and Dick Spring's sister, Maeve running for local seats, as well as the husband-and-wife team of John and Liz McManus.
Finally, there's Constance Short for Labour in Co Louth and she's unique. One cousin is British cabinet minister, Clare Short and another is our minister, Dermot Ahern.