Now or never for FG as Heydon hits the ground running to reclaim Dukes seat

CONSTITUENCY PROFILE:IT'S SHAPING up to be the battle of the two Seáns in Kildare South where Fianna Fáil's Seán Ó Feargháil and Seán Power are fighting to hold their seats.

The party took more than 50 per cent of the vote the last time around but it’s difficult to find anyone who believes Fianna Fáil will retain its two seats. Who will lose out?

Some observers believe Seán Power’s outspoken stance against Taoiseach Brian Cowen and his support for new party leader Micheál Martin will win him votes but others see it differently, saying party loyalists will side with Seán Ó Feargháil.

He supported Cowen and had been lined up for a ministry in the botched reshuffle which led to the Taoiseach’s resignation as party leader.

The third seat in the constituency is held by Labour’s Jack Wall. He was elected on the third count in 2007 but Labour is expected to do better this time around and it won’t surprise many if he tops the poll.

It’s a case of now or never for Fine Gael as the party is determined to win back the seat famously lost by former party leader Alan Dukes in 2002. Its candidate is 32-year-old farmer and councillor Martin Heydon. He has been very active on the ground, canvassing for over a year now. And, like Jack Wall, his GAA links will give him a boost. Newbridge has been identified as the town that could win or lose the election for candidates and Fine Gael has established a prominent presence there with its campaign office.

Independent candidate Paddy Kennedy is expected to poll strongly, thanks to his high profile as a community activist. He topped the poll in the Kildare electoral area of Kildare County Council, got 1,000 first preference votes in the Newbridge town council elections and was elected mayor of Newbridge for the second time in three years. If there’s any swing towards Independent candidates, he is bound to benefit.

Sinn Féin has yet to make its presence felt in the campaign with its candidate Jason Turner. The farming country of south Kildare is not typical Sinn Féin heartland, apart from some pockets of support here and there, so Mr Turner, a Newbridge-based father-of-four will have a battle on his hands.

Another Independent candidate is Clifford Reid, who ran in the European elections under the campaign slogan “Stop the Paedophiles”.

He struggled to keep his eye-catching posters on the poles as many were removed by souvenir hunters. The former prison officer, Carlow IT students’ union president and Athy town councillor got more than 10,000 votes in that election.

He must surely hold the distinction of being the general election’s only candidate to live on a barge and he is likely to appeal to younger voters, through his use of social media sites such as YouTube and Facebook.

His campaign this time focuses on issues such as jobs and enterprise. He has also been calling for the retention of St Luke’s hospital in Rathgar, where he successfully received treatment for cancer many years ago.