DOGS IN THE STREET

My lifetime in print journalism came to an end about two years ago when the men in suits decided to pull the plug as the recession hit. I suppose I can justifiably claim to be the Patron Saint of the recession as I hold the dubious distinction of losing seven jobs during a two minute phone call. Let me explain.

I had been writing a weekly column for “The Kerryman” newspaper which is owned by the “Irish Independent” group. The column was also carried in six other publications owned by the group so when the axe fell, it represented not only a considerable blow to my ego but also my income. However, as they say down here, “We Never Died a Winter Yet”.

So for the past two years I have been concentrating on playing and writing music. I have really enjoyed it, but at the urging of my friends I have decided to pick up where I left off and write an occasional blog based on those topics I feel might be worthy of comment. Where better to start than with the upcoming Presidential Election?

Before going down that road I think it is important to point out that I have never been a member of any political party and have no personal act to grind. All my opinions are purely personal and based on the best part of an almost 50 years in journalism, a significant portion of that time spent in Dublin working on both “The Irish Press” and “The Irish Times”. Anyway, what follows is my take on the individual candidates, their strengths and weaknesses and my evaluation of the likely outcome of this political circus.

MICHAEL D HIGGINS

All the indications at present are that Michael D. will be the next President. In fact it could be argued that the election is his to lose and that if he can avoid any major banana skins he should be a shoo in. He is transfer friendly and, according to the polls, is regarded as an elderly statesman well suited to the job.

On the negative side is the matter of his age. He is 70-years old now and will be positively geriatric by the time his term of office comes to an end in seven years time. One wonders if it that is appropriate for a country which has one of the youngest populations in Europe. Also, one has to consider his record during a long lifetime in politics and consider his achievements.

It is true that he was a campaigner and fought long and hard for many worthy causes. At the same time it has to be said that he is a lifelong member of the failed political class that has brought this country to the brink of ruin and wreaked untold misery for the ordinary man and woman in the street. He is also a Party Man who has never stood up against the Labour Party leadership when it embarked on opportunistic political adventuring preferring instead to keep his head down and go with the flow.

Be that as it may, it would appear that he is the firm favourite and, barring any unforeseen catastrophes, he will be the next occupant of the Arus.

GAY MITCHELL

This is another Party animal but one lacking the charm and charisma of Michael D. Of late he has been making much of his working class background and has been speaking of how his mother went out to clean offices at four o-clock in the morning in order to feed her family. Fair enough, but resorting to such tactics smacks a little of a desperate attempt to identify with the voters.

He has also been making much of his work record and speaks at length of how he began his career building coaches in Inchicore before he managed to further his education and get to University. All that stood him in good stead as he is now extremely well coached in the political arts despite the fact that he appears to be making little or no impact with the electorate.

His nomination has deeply divided the Fine Gael Party and there is a lacklustre feel to the whole campaign. The Taoiseach appears very half-hearted in his support and there appears to be unwillingness on the part of the rank and file of Fine Gael to put their shoulders to the wheel in an effort to get him elected.

His personality could have something to do with it. He is largely unconvincing and his record as a member of the European Parliament is pretty uninspiring. All the indications at the moment are that he will fail to connect in any meaningful way and his failure to woo a significant following can only result in a considerable embarrassment for Fine Gael.

DAVID NORRIS

There is no kind way of saying this. David Norris is a fool. Only a damn fool could delude himself into thinking that the ordinary decent people of Ireland already reeling from the tidal wave of clerical child sex abuse allegations would even dream of supporting any candidate mired in the murky world of supporting a gay partner convicted of statutory rape of a minor.

He has grown increasingly hysterical as the days pass. He is hectoring, patronising and so out of touch with reality that his campaign has become a travesty. He has lost his dignity to such an extent that it has become increasingly painful to witness his tragic floundering as he battles on in an unwinnable war. He is doomed and, sadder still, he knows it. There is a growing desperation surrounding his campaign which now resembles something of a Greek Tragedy. Enough said!

SEAN GALLAGHER

Sean Gallagher is one of the lesser known figures taking centre stage. I don’t know much about him or his history. He seems a decent enough man and has already suggested a few novel ideas such as banning election posters and sharing election literature postings. Yet a couple of things strike me.

He makes much of his visual handicap. However that doesn’t appear to be much of an obstacle when he appears on the television programme “The Dragon’s Den” where he displays a keen eye for investment opportunities when credit starved entrepreneurs desperate for capital make their pitch to the panel.

To my mind there is a parasitical element to this involving the theft of the intellectual property of others for personal gain. It’s not pitched that way by RTE, but that is the truth of it. In hard times the winners remain the winners while the losers have to take what they are offered. I’m offended by that.

It also has to be said that Gallagher has a close and lengthy association with Fianna Fail. He has sought to cloak this fact as he undoubtedly considers it a handicap. Yet the fact remains that he was until very recently a member of the National Executive of the Party and had been involved at many different levels during his lifetime. This toxic legacy could yet come back to haunt him. Despite all this, he cannot be considered a serious contender and will be eliminated early in the count.

MARY DAVIS

Mary would have us believe that she represents the milk of human kindness and is a model of virtue and compassion for the less fortunate in our society. She points to her role as the main organiser to the Special Olympics and seems to feel that this makes her a worthy contender for the role of First Citizen.

Fair enough. This is indeed very admirable but it has to be pointed out that during the past year she earned one hundred and fifty thousand euro for carrying out that role. That’s considerable dosh in anybody’s book and when it is added to the three hundred and ninety thousand euro she received from serving on a myriad of State Boards, then you realise that this is a very astute woman indeed.

She may indeed be a reincarnation of Mother Theresa but she is a hell of a lot better rewarded than the saintly nun. Her service on those State boards means that she is very much a political animal and was highly regarded by Fianna Fail when the granting of such positions was in their gift. While she has sought to distance herself from this association, the fact remains that this woman knows how to operate the system and how to make a lot of money at the same time.

MARTIN MCGUINNESS

Not for the first time this candidate has found himself in the firing line. Fine Gael in particular has launched a furious onslaught on his IRA past and has suggested that he is not a fit candidate to stand for the office of President despite the fact that even the most cursory glance at history would prove that he is not the first gunman to aspire to the position of President.

There is an insulting element to the Fine Gael allegations. It should not be forgotten that McGuinness put himself forward in democratic elections and ended up as Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland. Is it the case that Fine Gael believe that while he may be good enough for the people of Northern Ireland that he is not worthy of support south of the Border? If so, it is an unjustifiable slur in a country that claims to embrace democracy.

There is general consensus that Sinn Fein are playing a long game here and that the candidature of McGuinness is merely another small step along the road to political acceptance in the South. That may indeed be true, but I have no doubt that there is dismay in the Sinn Fein ranks at his low standing in the polls. He represents the dark horse in this particular race and a couple of weeks are a hell of a long time in politics.

DANA ROSEMARY SCALLON

Beneath the stainless steel exterior lays a heart of cast iron. Dana has proved herself an extremely ambitious woman and a very wily one. Despite the fact that she was comprehensively dismissed in her last Presidential bid, she is back once again to have another go.

She is on a hiding to nothing as a result of her indifferent performance during her one term in the European Parliament and because of the perhaps unfair perception that people consider her something of a religious zealot.

She claims that she considers herself something of an ambassador for the Irish people claiming that her success in the Eurovision Song Contest all those years ago in some way qualifies her for the job of President. Far be it from me to decry her accomplishments but, in this troubled day and age, people are looking for something a bit more substantial.

That’s the field and the runners in what promises to be an extremely interesting contest which will add a considerable degree of spice to these dark autumn days. The role of the media in the days to come will be fairly crucial as all the vested interests bring the big guns into play.

Speaking of media I was greatly amused the other day to hear RTE replay an interview with Eoghan Harris of “The Sunday Independent “recorded during the last Presidential Election. Harris declared that Mary McAleese represented a “tribal time bomb” and was totally unsuited to the role of President because of her Northern and Republican connections.

What a clown!