Spring name worth 3000 votes?

[kerrynorth]

The Tralee Labour Party Chairman Donal Murphy was on Radio Kerry this morning making a lot of statements. The reason he was on was over a suggestion by Dick Spring at a party meeting that they seek to increase the membership in North Kerry from the present 250 to 500.

As part of the discussion he stated that the Spring name on the ballot paper would be worth 3000 votes. Rubbish! The day that the Spring dynasty can command that kind of leverage, if it ever did, is well and truly gone. Particularly with a sizeable portion of the constituency now being West Limerick and there being no Spring public rep in Kerry for 7 years come the local elections in 09. He was also strongly hinting at and promoting Arthur jnr as the next Labour Party candidate.

He also asserted that the Marks and Spencer debacle cost Terry O'Brien the seat. Now whereas that may be more debateable I to be honest do not believe this to be the case and that he would not have won in any case although he would have done a good bit better without it. I said at the time that there was no vibe for him in the run up to the election in Tralee and if he could not top the poll in Tralee he could forget about it. In the end he turned in a very performance as the tallies show in Tralee show, he could not even top the poll in his own part of the Town!

The one statement of Moriarty's that I would agree with is that the other main candidates got off scott free re M&S relative to O'Brien: Norma Foley voted against and the other three (Deenihan, Ferris and McEllistrim) all had collegues and supporters who voted against it.

[Kerrygold]

Its Donal Murphy btw.

Anyway, he made a real fool of himself. He blamed the local meeja for their failure to do better in North Kerry. He also said that none of the other candidates got the same kind of attention regarding the M&S issue. However, I think the reason Terry got more attention was because of his bizarre u-turn in the middle of the campaign and his attack on the business in the town centre for not setting out their stall.

It's well known in Tralee that Donal Murphy and Terry O'Brien do not get on, and despite what was said on the radio this morning, Dick Spring didn't exactly go out of his way to convince people of Terry's credentials. It was all about Dick's ego and his achievements in the past.

The suspicion that Terry was shafted by the Spring clan and their supporters in Lab has gained momentum.

As Deirdre Walsh from Radio Kerry said; would it not be better for Labour to move on without continously using the Spring name to boost the party. A post-Spring era if you will.

Btw, many former Labour members in Tralee actually blame Spring for the decline in the party because of his...ahem...personality.

[kerrynorth]

Its Donal Murphy btw.

Corrected.

[kerrynorth]

Its Donal Murphy btw.

It's well known in Tralee that Donal Murphy and Terry O'Brien do not get on

I have not heard that, I am not saying that its not the case, and in fact I thought he went way overboard in his defence.

[Kerrygold]

Its Donal Murphy btw.

It's well known in Tralee that Donal Murphy and Terry O'Brien do not get on

I have not heard that, I am not saying that its not the case, and in fact I thought he went way overboard in his defence.

I think it was a case of defending Labour more than Terry.

Terry must have been cringing listening to that.

[KingKane]

Labour could worse that splitting the difference between the Spring and others camps and run James Heffernan as the rally around Limerick-West candidate.

[Lord of Kerry]

Heffernan is based in Kilfinane south east Co. Limerick. No where near KN-WL

[KingKane]

Heffernan is based in Kilfinane south east Co. Limerick. No where near KN-WL

Ah pity.