European election hopefuls, busy on the campaign trail, have sought pearls of wisdom from a wide range of experts, including a drag artist, writes Arthur Beesley
Figures from the worlds of business, public relations, journalism and entertainment are advising candidates in the European election.
While many of the candidates are relying on people within their party structures, others have enlisted professional advisers into their campaign. A drag artist is helping with the campaign of the Labour candidate Prof Ivana Bacik.
Several figures associated with the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, are involved in the campaign of the Dublin Lord Mayor, Mr Royston Brady, who is running in Dublin for Fianna Fáil.
These include Mr Paddy Duffy, a public relations consultant and former special adviser to the Taoiseach who resigned in 1999 when it emerged that he was a director of a public relations company which advised NTL on its purchase of Cablelink from two State companies.
The public relations consultant Mr Conor Dempsey of Slattery Communications was advising Mr Brady at the outset of his campaign, but is no longer involved. It is thought he left the campaign over differences in strategy.
Mr Brady's brother, Senator Cyprian Brady, Fianna Fáil fundraiser, Mr Des Richardson, and Mr Nial Ring, a director of IDA Ireland, are also involved. Mr Brady's campaign manager is Mr Rory Scanlan, a member of the Fianna Fáil national executive. The Taoiseach's former partner, Ms Celia Larkin, is said to be involved in the periphery of Mr Brady's campaign.
Those involved in the campaign of the other Fianna Fáil candidate in Dublin, Mr Eoin Ryan TD, include his brother, Mr Mark Ryan, a management consultant with Accenture.
Mr Ryan's team includes former RTÉ reporter Ms Cathy Herbert, who advised Dr Jim McDaid when he was minister for tourism and sport. Advertising industry figures such as Mr Martin Larkin of the Larkin Partnership are also involved.
The Fianna Fáil campaign of Mr Seán Ó Neachtain MEP involves Mr Pádraig Ó Neachtain (no relation), who is known for his journalism with the Farmers Journal.
Others more generally involved in the Fianna Fáil campaign include the public relations adviser Mr Paul Allen and, to a lesser extent, the former government press secretary, Mr P.J. Mara.
The Fine Gael candidate in Dublin, Mr Gay Mitchell TD, has hired Unique Media, a PR firm run by former radio journalist Ms Breda Brown. His campaign team also includes Mr Colm Brophy, who was campaign manager for Ms Mary Banotti MEP, who is retiring from politics.
The Fine Gael campaign of the former agricultural journalist Ms Mairéad McGuinness includes a PD candidate in the last general election, Ms Mairéad Foley.
A former civil servant who has also worked for Carr Communications, Ms Foley is a director of the Whichcraft design shop in Dublin. Others involved in Ms McGuinness's campaign include Mr Jim Miley, the chief executive of the myhome.ie property website, and Mr Jim O'Brien, who has also worked as a journalist with the Farmers Journal.
The campaign of Fine Gael's candidate in the South constituency, Mr Simon Coveney, includes Ms Breffni Clack, a freelance journalist. The campaign of Senator Jim Higgins, who is running for Fine Gael in the North West constituency, involves Mr Tommy Marron, who hosts a show on Mid-West and North-West radio.
Labour MEP Mr Proinsias de Rossa's campaign team includes the trade union activists Ms Kay Garvey and Ms Rosheen Callender. Those on the campaign of Labour's other candidate in Dublin, Prof Ivana Bacik, include Ms Catherine Heaney, former chief executive of the Irish Family Planning Association, and Ms Linda Doyle, a Trinity College Dublin academic.
Ms Bacik's campaign team also includes Mr Rory O'Neill, a drag artist whose stage name is Panti. He is involved in the Alternative Miss Ireland event.
The singer Sandy Kelly is involved in the campaign of the Independent candidate in the North West, Ms Marian Harkin. The two have been friends since childhood.