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About LinkBacksBernard Durkan elected on approx 3320 Darren Scully transfers. Fine Gael did very well in the Naas district, increasing the Fine Gael vote by approx. 50%.
Bernard Durkan elected on approx 3320 Darren Scully transfers. Fine Gael did very well in the Naas district, increasing the Fine Gael vote by approx. 50%.
Stand for election or get yourself selected as a candidate. Failing that, manage a successful campaign. Then you can come the big man anywhere. Not before.
CM was a good politician and will be a loss!
I am amazed on several levels by this result.... I worked on the by-election in 2005 and am shocked that CM has lost out... I thought she was safe as houses... Anyone know what hapened to her vote in the Leixlip/Maynooth area where she got 50% the last time...
The only thing I can think of is the difference in turnout... Stagg must be thrilled to put her back in her box...
Over 11000 for Aine... bit a political lightweight despite her family background... Am shocked that over 11000 people gave her No 1... not good on issues but who seems to care... nice woman who looked well in posters... style over substance..
As someone in Leixlip I was shocked as the results came through. I though FF would take the extra seat but never thought we would get two seats. I voted for Fitzpatrick and am baffled how Brady got over 11,000 votes as well she has done nothing/little in the area. Fair play and a great result but makes you wonder sometimes.
agreed. seems like a nice woman, but she is very unimpressive. she was on vincent browne a few weeks ago, with many other women candidates. she was by far the weakestOriginally Posted by chippie
I'm not too surprised that Aine Brady did so well. Geographically she is closely located to the large centres of population in North Kildare and has good connections with them, and, also, she ran a very strong campaign. I would think that enough of the electorate in North kildare felt that by electing her they would have a direct conduit to the powers that be in government. You must remember that North Kildare (pop of over 104,000) had no representative in the government since 2005 - the continuation of this wouldn't be in the best interests of any community in north Kildare. She has kept a very active profile since before the bye election in 2005 and during that time promoted many issues with the various govenment ministers. She was instrumental in getting Mary Hanafin to meet with representatives of schools, particularly national schools, at a number of seminars and these meetings brought positive outcomes for schools in the area. There are other issues she also worked successfully on as well. I also think that just because a candidate isn't a councillor doesn't necessarily mean that they are not suitable to become a TD and also doesn't automatically mean that the have no political cop-on. I am delighted that Michael Fitzpatrick also made it in as he has put in a lot of work over the years and was fully deserving of being elected. North kildare now has good representation in the government and we should concentrate on using this to the best advantage for the communities of the region.
I wonder if anyone knows what happens with Catherine Murphy now - as far as I remember she was a councillor before being elected to the dail, did she co-opt someone onto the council in her place? If she did what now? Can she boot them off the council? Whats the story?
Murphy could ask for her council seat back from her man in there, but I think her best bet would be to call it a day, she is no spring chicken and probably needs a rest.
FF performance was amazing, no one saw that coming. But for Aine it was easy to talk the talk, now she must deliver.
Stagg was no surprise getting elected, however Labour now need to identify who will replace him in 2012, no spring chicken either.
Durkan got in again, but on the back of Scully. I have to say I did think Scully was going to get in. I spoke to Scully after the count and altough he was cheery he could not hide the dissapointment. I think he has a good future, cant see Durkan running again as he will be in his late 60,s.
You are correct about Aine delivering... There is a touch of arrogance about her and that this is her divine right etc... So she will have to get organised and on top of the issues if she is to survive long term...
It is a great result for FF in North Kildare as it now means that the shadow of Mc Creevey has lifted and they can both built the organisation.
It is still an amazing vote, to pull 11,000 votes, 25% on the first count is amazing bearing in mind the following factors, none of which are fatal but all put together do add up as reasons why she should not have done so well:
1. Never a councillor
2. Low profile in Naas area, a significant cohort of the constituency
3. Geographically crowded in the Celbridge area (in contrast to Naas where D Scully had it to himself)
4. Pulling a vote from the very fluid fragmented commuter estates around Celbridge-Kill-Leixlip must have taken some canvassing.
5. First time General Election and only second time Dail election of any kind
I think even local FF strategists cant figure it out.
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