The Insider: Could we yet see John Paul in Europe?
WE could yet see Sen John Paul Phelan in the European Parliament. Yes, your eyes aren't deceiving you. If you remember back to almost three weeks ago, when John Paul lost out by 1% to Liam Aylward (FF), his running mate, sitting MEP Mairead McGuinness topped the poll and received over 100,000 first preferences, proving that her success in the 2004 Euro election was no fluke.
Buoyed by her success in the election, she has her eyes firmly fixed on an even bigger prize. She will receive 100% backing from the Fine Gael party to chase her dream of getting into the Aras in the Phoenix Park. Current office holder and probably one of the best Presidents we have had since the foundation of the State, Mary McAleese will complete her seven-year term in 2011 - less than two years away. Because she is in her second term, she cannot run again, a new President will have to be found.
Step in Mairead McGuinness. She seems to have a clear run at the race at present with Fianna Fil at 25% in the polls and with no real sign of that improving in the long term, she only has to worry about Labour and a possible independent.
Insider thinks she has already started her campaign unofficially and she is not short of self-confidence and, as one of our hardest-working MEPs, she has a good track record and there are very few banana skins for her to slip on because of her lack of involvement in national or local politics.
She is a former research on the RT's Late Late Show, former presenter of Ear To The Ground on RT 1 television who is from County Louth and lives in Co Meath. She has a strong voter recognition where she needs it most, in Dublin. What can possibly go wrong? Lots of things, because politics changes so fast.
So if Mairead becomes the next President of Ireland, it means that John Paul will take her seat in Brussels-Strasbourg. So all his efforts may not have been in vain.
But if all this comes true, John Paul will have another question to ask himself. Do I put my heart and soul in to the next general election campaign for Carlow-Kilkenny and again take on sitting FG TD, Phil Hogan and a Fine Gael candidate in Carlow to try and win two seats for FG in Carlow-Kilkenny, or do I pin my hopes on Mairead getting into the Aras?
Of course at that time he will have qualified from the King's Inns and the Senate may have been abolished as a cost-saving measure by the FF-Green government.
Carlow-Kilkenny is normally a good barometer for the rest of the country in terms of general election results. If FF manages to hold on to three of the five seats in C-K, it augers well for the rest of the country and the opposite is also the case.
Adrian O'Higgins
Remember where you heard the name first. Adrian O'Higgins is going to work for Sen John McCain in the US for the summer. The son of retired garda sergeant Conor O'Higgins, he is the chairman of Ogra FF in Kilkenny and is a high flyer at the University of Limerick. Can't see him not going into politics. Watch out John McGuinness.
Sean O'hArgain will be mayor
Under the terms of the deal brokered between Fine Gael and Labour, Cllr Sean O'hArgain will be mayor sometime during the five-year term of the current Borough Council. The only real opposition he faced in order to get the mayoralty was from his own party and not FG.
Warm welcome for Pat Fitzpatrick at mayoral election
He may have lost his seat on Kilkenny County Council, but Pat Fitzpatrick still went to the Borough Council mayoral election on Monday night of last week where he received a very warm welcome from all who attended.
Pat Moore's photo
Forgot to thank Pat Moore for the great photo he took of a Labour group and former Ceann Comhairle of the Dil, Seamus Pattison, at the election count in Cillin Hill that appeared on Page 20 of the edition three weeks ago. Thank you, Pat.
Dixie in the Dil
Insider happened to be in the Dil last week and was intrigued to watch former Thomastown councillor Dixie Doyle holding court in one of the building's many cafes.
Dixie, dressed in a trademark white collar shirt, was greeted by several passersbys although not by Bobby Aylward who rushed passed on the way to a vote and almost certainly didn't see him.
Another local TD who passed by minutes later was Mary White, who was also rushing, this time to a committee meeting where Mary Coughlan was being quizzed about her department's budget. It's good to see our guys working before the long holiday begins, Insider thought smugly.
Mick Lanigan gave Joe Malone loan of his robes
Heard that retired city councillor Michael Lanigan gave his robe used during formal occasions in City Hall to newly elected councillor Joe Malone.
Who was last Sinn Fin councillor?
Does anyone know the name of the last Sinn Fin councillor on the Borough Council before newly elected member Kathleen Funchion. It was back in 1923. If you do know contact the Insider at in-sider@kilkennypeople.ie
Posters
If you see any posters belonging to candidates for the last local or European elections, contact Insider at insider@kilkennypeople.ie
Will King of Bling in Catland wear the chain during a gig?
Wonder if newly elected Mayor, Malcolm Noonan, the new King of Bling in Catland, will wear the gold chain of office during one of his rock gigs. Insider did hear that he once wore the deputy mayor's chain at a show in The Pumphouse and got the crowd rocking. I wonder if City Hall chief Brian Tyrell (BT) will have a word with him about the etiquette of using the chain or maybe they'll find a place for BT in the band. Doesn't he look a little like U2's Larry Mullen...
Who will fight general election for Labour
LABOUR do not have a bankable face for the next general election campaign coming up some time soon (this year, next year?) and their leading performer in the city, Cllr Marie Fitzpatrick doesn't seem to have aspirations to go for the Dil, although she might be forced to do so because she is the only city based person with the vote getting power to fight for a seat.
However, there is an alternative. If the Green Party continue to slide, what are the chances that newly elected mayor, Cllr Malcolm Noonan is approached by Labour to run for the party.
He would probably win a seat but Insider couldn't see Malcolm leaving the Green party, especially after sticking it out the last nine months.
The only real opposition he faced in order to get the mayoralty was from his own party and not FG.
Warm welcome for Pat Fitzpatrick at mayoral election
He may have lost his seat on Kilkenny County Council, but Pat Fitzpatrick still went to the Borough Council mayoral election on Monday night of last week where he received a very warm welcome from all who attended.
Pat Moore’s photo
Forgot to thank Pat Moore for the great photo he took of a Labour group and former Ceann Comhairle of the Dil, Seamus Pattison, at the election count in Cillin Hill that appeared on Page 20 of the edition three weeks ago. Thank you, Pat.
Dixie in the Dil
Insider happened to be in the Dil last week and was intrigued to watch former Thomastown councillor Dixie Doyle holding court in one of the building’s many cafes.
Dixie, dressed in a trademark white collar shirt, was greeted by several passersbys although not by Bobby Aylward who rushed passed on the way to a vote and almost certainly didn’t see him.
Another local TD who passed by minutes later was Mary White, who was also rushing, this time to a committee meeting where Mary Coughlan was being quizzed about her department’s budget. It’s good to see our guys working before the long holiday begins, Insider thought smugly.
Mick Lanigan gave Joe Malone loan of his robes
Heard that retired city councillor Michael Lanigan gave his robe used during formal occasions in City Hall to newly elected councillor Joe Malone.
Who was last Sinn Fin councillor?
Does anyone know the name of the last Sinn Fin councillor on the Borough Council before newly elected member Kathleen Funchion. It was back in 1923. If you do know contact the Insider at in-sider@kilkennypeople.ie
Posters
If you see any posters belonging to candidates for the last local or European elections, contact Insider at insider@kilkennypeople.ie
Will King of Bling in Catland wear the chain during a gig?
Wonder if newly elected Mayor, Malcolm Noonan, the new King of Bling in Catland, will wear the gold chain of office during one of his rock gigs. Insider did hear that he once wore the deputy mayor’s chain at a show in The Pumphouse and got the crowd rocking. I wonder if City Hall chief Brian Tyrell (BT) will have a word with him about the etiquette of using the chain or maybe they’ll find a place for BT in the band. Doesn’t he look a little like U2’s Larry Mullen...
Who will fight general election for Labour
LABOUR do not have a bankable face for the next general election campaign coming up some time soon (this year, next year?) and their leading performer in the city, Cllr Marie Fitzpatrick doesn’t seem to have aspirations to go for the Dil, although she might be forced to do so because she is the only city based person with the vote getting power to fight for a seat.
However, there is an alternative. If the Green Party continue to slide, what are the chances that newly elected mayor, Cllr Malcolm Noonan is approached by Labour to run for the party.
He would probably win a seat but Insider couldn’t see Malcolm leaving the Green party, especially after sticking it out the last nine months.
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Weather for Kilkenny
Tuesday 22 May 2012
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: 11 C to 18 C
Wind Speed: 14 mph
Wind direction: South
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