It appears the three general elections between June 1981 and November 1982, convulsed the nation to such an extent that some children even showed an interest in politics.
That was the case for Dublin schoolboy Alan Kinsella in 1982. Back then there were fewer restrictions forbidding candidates from canvassing at polling stations.
RTÉ's Conor McMorrow reports on a fascinating blog on Irish elections
Along with his siblings, young Kinsella hung around a polling station watching the drama of candidates vying for votes. It was here that Labour TD Barry Desmond handed him a signed canvass card.
Fast forward 32 years. That same canvass card marks the first item in a collection of almost 8,000 pieces of election memorabilia.
Last week the man behind the popular Irish Election Literature blog took RTÉ’s The Week in Politics through his vast collection ahead of his exhibition at the Irish Print Museum in March.
Why are the links between sport and politics – however tenuous – exploited by European and Local election candidates?
Alan Kinsella says it is unlucky for local and European candidates seeking votes on 23 May that Ireland did not qualify for the World Cup in Brazil.
Soccer tournaments are often a vehicle for shameless self-promotion by election candidates.
For instance, during the 1994 European Election campaign Fianna Fáil’s John Stafford handed out a fixture guide for Ireland’s World Cup games.
The guide showed a picture of Jack Charlton with John Stafford and a cartoon depicting Charlton giving Stafford his Number 1.
At half-time in the 2004 Champions League semi-final, between Porto and Monaco, Eamon Tuffy did a door-to-door leaflet drop, for the local elections in Lucan. His leaflet told people to ‘enjoy the match – our canvassers won’t disturb you tonight’ and offered a political message ‘Show the FF/PD government the red card.’
Also during the 1994 World Cup, and in a number of subsequent elections, Irish soccer legend Paul McGrath offered a personal message of support for Independent candidate (and former PD councillor) Councillor Victor Boyhan in Dun Laoghaire. The pair spent many years in care homes together.
What makes a good election poster of leaflet?
Kinsella believes that the secret is to give householders something that they will remember and hold onto.
On either side of the New Year, candidates often hand out calendars with their picture and contact details on it, in the hope that they will adorn a prominent place in a potential voters’ home for the year.
Other candidates, such as Stephen Rinney have been more imaginative over the years. Ahead of the 1991 local elections Fianna Fáil candidate Rinney distributed a heritage map of interesting sites in the Rathfarnham area of South Dublin.
He was not elected.
Most memorable election posters?
After combing through his Irish Election Literature blog, Kinsella looks on the current Minister for Justice, Alan Shatter’s 2007 general election literature as the most memorable. Shatter distributed a series of leaflets titled Alan Shatter’s News ahead of the election. One of them featured the headline ‘Shatter has the X-Factor' on the front with a comparison between Shatter and Simon Cowell on the back.
Another edition of Alan Shatter’s News shows a photo-shopped picture of Shatter dressed in Star Trek gear beside a picture of legendary Star Trek actor William Shattner. Mr Kinsella said that Shatter’s leaflet must have worked as he regained the Dáil seat he had lost in 2002.
Best election gimmicks?
Ruairi Holohan, a Green party local election candidate in Blackrock, Dublin in 2009, had a ‘Brown Envelope Campaign’ where he gave out packets of Hazel tree seeds in brown envelopes. He was not elected.
Kinsella also has a number of condoms which were distributed by Labour Youth brandishing the slogan ‘Made Legal by Labour’.
One of the other stand-out items in Kinsella’s collection is the back of a leaflet from the Irish Socialist Network for the 2007 general election campaign in Dublin North West.
Playing on the fact that election material is often mixed in with pizza menus. O’Neill offered a mock political pizza menu with selections such as ‘The Bertie Double Dough Pizza’ which was described as ‘Greasy, cheesy and full of hot air...’
He was not elected.
Kinsella also has a collection of pens, key-rings, balloons and even a miniature Sinn Fein mouth organ among his collection.
Most Bizarre slogan?
During the 1991 Local Elections, Sean Clerkin of the Christian Principles Party missed out on winning a seat in the Drumcondra ward. Kinsella recalls that one of his slogans was ‘Jobs for Youth-Not Condoms’.
Most memorable election promises?
This came during the 1987 general election from Bernie Murphy, who was elected to Cork Corporation in 1985. He pledged on his election literature that if he was successful he would ensure that ‘Dublin should not be allowed to play All-Ireland semi-finals in Croke Park.’
Alan Kinsella’s blog can be viewed here and his exhibition will take place in March at the National Print Museum in Dublin
