Life changed completely for Thomas Gildea on June 6th when the voters of Donegal South West elected him to Dail Eireann.
His election was almost as big a shock to the small farmer from Glenties as it was to the rest of the county. Uinsionn Mac Dubhghaill has been following his life since.
By UINSIONN MAC DUBHGHAILL
Wednesday, June 11th:
FIVE days after Thomas Gildea's surprise election as TD for Donegal South West, and the celebrations are still in full swing. It's a sprawling constituency, with more than loo miles between Bundoran to the south and Creeslough to the north, and there are a lot of people to thank for their support.
Last night the victory cavalcade swung down through the southern end of the constituency, taking in Donegal town, Ballyshannon and Bundoran before a triumphant return to Glenties, passing the now inevitable bonfires en route.
Whatever some commentators in Dublin may think about the Independents and their shopping lists, there is a genuine sense of jubilation in south-west Donegal at Gildea's election. There is a widespread feeling that local TDs in the past have done little to combat the general neglect of the area by Dublin, and a conviction that turning the most predictable of constituencies into a marginal can only improve the situation.
The man at the centre of attention is taking it all in his stride, however. "I'm a cool type of person: I don't get too excited about a small thing."
The excitement has been matched by a media onslaught the likes of which the area has rarely seen. An RTE crew accompanies him for two hours, around deflector sites and up to Ailt na gCapall, the planned site for a MMDS transmitter and the focus of anti-MMDS protests for many months.
Raid in na Gaeltacht.a is also looking for a word with Tomas Mac Giolla De, a native speaker from an area now largely English-speaking. The demands on his time - from friends and supporters, the media, and new-found fans - have been flying in thick and fast. "Bhi se hectic, ach ni raibh se chomh olc sin," he says.
This morning he is meeting advisers to work on "the shopping list". He says he has not been contacted by Fianna Fail, but he is not the type to sit around waiting for the phone to ring. "I'm allowing things to take their course."
His casual dress sense was the subject of some gentle teasing in a song written in his honour. So far he has not had time to get himself measured for the new suit for his first day in the Dail. "I'm still in the pullover," he laughs.
Later in the evening another motorcade is planned, heading in the direction of Dungloe and Burtonport, with stops in places like Fintown and Doochary.
Other TDs, seduced by the round of celebration and carousing might have fallen by the wayside by now. But Thomas Gildea has a secret weapon: he doesn't take a drink. "I'm not exhausted: I'm a teetotaller and I take it in my stride."
Thursday, June 12th:
HIS first official engagement as a TD is the initiation of the Teic Eile summer camp at the Community and Business Enterprise Centre in Kilcar near Killybegs. Kilcar is a maritime parish, with seven miles of coastline. Teic Eile is a bit like Irish college, except that instead of the language the focus is on television production.
It is a week long video training workshop for 25 people between 18 and 22, who come from both sides of the Border. The project is organised by the National Youth Council of Ireland and Open Channel, the community television organisation, and the main sponsor is the EU Peace and Reconciliation Programme.
Thomas Gildea is delighted to be associated with such a worthy cause close to his own heart. He gives a short speech about the importance of community television, which goes down well with his audience. He urges them to set their own agendas in making television programmes, regardless of mainstream media.
In general we only hear about the sensational things. We never hear that much about day-to-day life," he says.
Friday, June 13th:
AFTER the excitement of the past few days, it's time to take a day off from the public and concentrate on more humdrum activities such as answering the letters that have begun to pour in. There is little time for rest and relaxation, however, with clinics to be organised and a filing system to get together. So far he hasn't had time to look for a secretary, and the absence of one is making itself felt.
A small farmer who also worked part-time outside the farm to supplement his income, he is no stranger to hard work but this has different stresses. He has taken leave of absence from his part time job, which also involved farming. Unfortunately, there is no time for that kind of work now.
Saturday, June 14th/Sunday, June 15th:
ANOTHER constituency tour, and meetings with some of the volunteer workers who helped during the election campaign. On Sunday he presents medals to the winners of the community games in Ardara, who range in age from five to 16 years.
Monday, June 16th:
IT IS going to be another long day, bout Mr Gildea is philosophical. We re quite accustomed to long days in Donegal," he says. He rises early and drives down to Dublin with a friend to have a look around the Dail. "I've been to Dublin quite often, but I ye never had any business in the Dail before.
Once he signs the official Register the staff of Leinster House show him around, and although he has not yet been allocated an office they go over the nuts and bolts of being a deputy. He peeks in at the Dail chamber from the entrance hall but is against going in.
Then it's time for the long drive back home: almost five hours each way.
Wednesday, June 18th:
MORE constituency work, phone calls, meeting visitors and planning. In the afternoon he has a date with TnaG in the RTE studios in Sligo. Things have settled down after all the initial excitement. With only a week to go before the Dail resumes, it is a time to watch and wait and keep your counsel.
Thursday, June 19th to Tuesday, June 24th:
THE number of media inquiries has begun to rise again, as D-day approaches and speculation about the formation of the next government intensifies. Thomas Gildea is giving nothing away. "There's nothing exceptional going on; I'm continuing to work around my constituency," he says.
He is planning to drive down to Dublin with some friends and advisers tomorrow morning, but his plans are still fluid. Imperturbable as ever, his voice betrays little as he politely fields questions about his voting intentions once the Dail resumes. "It remains to be seen what I'll do on the day," he says, and then he chuckles softly.