ALMOST EVERY lamppost in the country is now festooned with election posters, provoking some indignant letters to the editor of The Irish Times. But it needs to be pointed out that election posters go back as far as Irish democracy itself – and provide a unique insight into times past, writes STEPHEN COLLINSPolitical Editor
The current set of posters, no matter how tawdry, self-serving or misleading some of them are, actually reflect the state of Irish politics today and tell us something about the country we live in.
The National Library of Ireland has a wonderful collection of election literature and posters going back to Daniel O’Connell’s mobilisation of mass democracy in the 1830s and beyond. The collection graphically illustrates the development of Irish politics through election battles, political campaigns, the establishment of an independent state and the development of the party system as we know it today.
One striking difference between posters of earlier eras and those now hanging from our lampposts is the current emphasis on the face and the name of the candidate as almost the sole message. Posters from previous generations contained facts, slogans, political invective and a strong political message, as well as the names of the candidates.
Sometimes the message was wrapped up in genuinely witty and cutting language. Probably the most famous poster in the history of Irish politics was a classic example of negative campaigning produced by Cumann na nGaedheal in the 1932 general election. Modelled on a poster for Duffy’s Circus one of the quips read: “Devvy’s Circus, absolutely the greatest road show in Ireland today – Senor De Valera, world famous illusionist, oath swallower and escapologist. See his renowned act. Escaping from the strait-jacket of the Republic.”
Fianna Fáil also had sharp posters and election literature. An election message from the five candidates in the Dublin County constituency in the first election of 1927 was in the form of a playing card which read: “The Winning Card. The Five beats the King and the Knave. Vote straight for Fianna Fáil and Ireland.” On the other side were pictures of the five candidates Belton, Brady, Brennan, MacEntee and Morris.
GOING BACK TOa much earlier era the National Library has a series of posters promoting the cause of Daniel O'Connell and his Repeal Party in the 1830s and 1840s. One poster from O'Connell's successful bid to become Lord Mayor of Dublin in 1841 was clearly produced in the middle of the poll as it warns electors that O'Connell's opponent is 49 votes ahead in the open ballot. In the event the nationalist vote was mobilised and O'Connell became the first Catholic Lord Mayor since 1690.
The collection includes posters and literature from the Parnell era while material from the early years of the 20th century illustrates the struggle for Home Rule and also for the right of women to vote. Some are hard edged but others humorous. “Home Rule. Votes for the Colleens. Arragh now the bhoys will never refhuse us the vote when they get a Parlyment of their own,” says one clearly tongue-in-cheek piece of suffragette literature.
Another from the same period reflects Unionist opposition to Home Rule, portraying the centre of Belfast as an overgrown ruin, reverting to a state of nature as a Green flag with a harp flies from City Hall and statues of Redmond and Dillon stand at the entrance.
By contrast, the posters from the current election campaigns carry little or no political message but focus solely on getting the face and name of the candidate across to voters. Still, that in itself says something about the state of Irish politics today.
THE CURRENT CROPof posters also tells us something about the political mood of the country. On Fianna Fáil posters the name of the party is in such tiny lettering that it is difficult to read. That says all that needs to be said about the party's current standing in the opinion polls. By contrast, Fine Gael, Labour and Sinn Féin candidates are not shy about spelling out their allegiance.
That does not mean that posters with a message still can’t be effective. As recently as 2002 Michael McDowell’s poster “Single Party Government – No Thanks” helped sway the election result. The next general election will be a vital one in the history of the state and good posters could tip the balance decisively during the campaign.
The political material in the National Library is just a tiny proportion of its magnificent Ephemera Collection, which includes 20,000 broadside ballads, many from the O’Connell era. The earliest item in the collection is a Proclamation of Queen Elizabeth I dating from 1599 and that is followed by a range of material from the 17th century featuring, among others, Cromwell and the Duke of Ormonde while the major political battles of the 18th century are well represented.
Mary Broderick, curator of the Ephemera Collection, will give a special talk entitled
Proclamations, Posters, Politics & Power: 400 Years of Word on the Street
in the National Library in Kildare Street on June 18th at 1 pm.
If you wish to donate political material to the collection telephone 01-6030200