When are the O'hArgáins moving into Liberty Hall?
WHO is responsible for making fun of Cllr Seán O'hArgáin's massive new house on Greenshill in the city?
It has full planning and looks lovely, overlooking the Nore and more luck to him for building it.
But who christened it Liberty Hall (the building in Dublin city central that is home to SIPTU)? Was it the wags in The Vatican (The Nore Bar, Greensbridge). We are not mentioning any of the well-known suspects for legal reasons, but Sean Ker....'s name has been mentioned, who frequents the licensed premises excellently run by Michael and Helen Devane.
Or was it some of the die-hards in his own Labour Party? Was it some smart-alecks in FF, FG or the Greens, or was it a school teacher (secondary)?
Insider is determined to find out who did it and any information can be passed on in confidence to insider@kilkennypeople.ie who will treat it with the respect it deserves.
Thank you
Insider would like to say thank you to the person or persons who left a bottle of wine and flowers from him at the Kilkenny People front desk last week. Keep them coming.
McGuinnesses - the Polish connection
It's hard to beat the McGuinness machine. On Sunday, there were dozens of Polish people queuing up to get their voting applications stamped at the garda station on Dominic Street. They are obviously signing up for the Polish candidate, Anna Michalska, who is going surprisingly well even though she is standing for FF. What has that got to do with the McGuinnesses?
Anna got involved in politics at the invitation of the McGuinnesses, Andrew and his dad, John. Now, all the Poles have been told vote No 1 Anna and to vote number one for Andrew in the County Council elections.
That's what I call good forward thinking. Bring the Polish community into the political system and then ensure and limit it to the Borough Council area and ensure they vote for you in the County Council area. What's wrong with that? Nothing, the McGuinnesses are hard workers and they deserve every vote they get.
Let's explain further. There are two elections in the city. One for the Borough Council, which elects the mayor and the other for the city area County Council elections.
Andrew is going in both and he will have more than enough votes to see him through in the old family stomping grounds but just in case, he needs the extra votes from all Anna's countrymen and women.
Tommy Brennan
He has been in the business for 40 years and knows how to maximise the vote but surprised that Cllr Tommy Brennan from Clara has no posters up going into the county council elections on June 5. Still his many years of great work for the community will enable him to beat the FF loss in the polls.
Verbal mistakes
A number of the candidates have been making verbal faux pas recently on KCLR 96 FM, but the best one of all came from a now deceased TD who who said at an election rally that if he was returned to government he would ensure all the footless children in Waterford got shoes.
Where are the FF high-flyers
There are just 20 days to go before the local and European elections and we haven't had one visit from any high-profile person in Fianna Fil. It's hard to imagine that the Taoiseach, Tnaiste or senior government ministers, event Martin Cuchulainn (Cullen) in Waterford did not visit the city or county to help out the local election candidates or Liam Aylward MEP.
Southern girls in-fighting
Hear there has been a bit of in-fighting between FG girls, Ann Marie Irish, Slieverue, and her colleague Fidelis Doherty from the next parish, Glenmore. It has emerged that there has been a bit of canvassing in the other one's area. Insider thinks that a bit of a row is good for any campaign
Brian Harris
Brian Harris is running for Labour in the Callan area but spotted a few of his posters down below at Lukeswell in Mullinavat, which is in the southern area?
Borough Council election competition
On Page 20 of this paper, we are running a competition. Guess the make-up of the new Borough Council. It's simple, just fill in the form from 1 to 12 and the person who gets it right or is closest will win f300. Second prize is f100.
Politicians wager f50 each in winner take all
Heard that a group of politicians are wagering f50 each on the result of the County Council election. The person that gets all 26 members of the new Council correct will pocket the money, which is already at f1,200.
Insider thinks half the money should be given to the litter enforcement section of the Council who will have to deal with any unwanted posters, left up by candidates once the election is over.
What a great president we have
What a great president Mary McAleese has been. Having opened the Samaritans new centre for Carlow-Kilkenny on Dean Street, she was stopped on her way out by Sgt Gary Gordon on Kilkenny garda station and introduced to members of Kilkenny's special Olympic team. her response was warm and generous, despite her busy schedule and being urged into the State car by the detective driving the Merc.
The Labour Party Primary, yes Primary
A well placed source in the Labour party told Insider in O'Riada's pub recently about a curious story regarding the Labour party in Kilkenny and the local elections.
Rumour has it that party leader Eamon Gilmore told all the candidates in the County Council elections: Tomas Breathnach (the teachers' favourite); Maur-ice Shortall, north Kilkenny (our favourite), Ann Phel-an, Thomastown (everyone's favourite); Michael O'Brien (the underdog's favourite); Marie Fitz-patrick (Labour's favour-ite); Sean O'hArgin, City (the people's favourite) and Sean Butler, city (the worker's favourite).
So it is to all intents and purposes, if the rumour mill is to be believed, a primary of sorts to establish which of them will contest the next general election for Labour.
Problem is, Insider thinks, they will all do well and if one or more of them tops the poll it will make a nonsense of Gilmore's thinking.
Mick Greene
There isn't too much fuss about him and he is independent by nature as well as an Independent candidate, but Mick Greene is making an impact and people in the city are warming to him.
His idea is to make Kilkenny sustainable in every way. In terms of jobs, transport and he wants a more coherent structure in place. In other words, he wants action on getting new jobs and running the city better in a way that the people can see is actually working. Best of luck with that, Mick.
John Paul neck and neck with Nessa for Euro seat
Betting of EU elections and John Paul Bookies rarely get it wrong and Paddy Power are particularly shrewd as well as being conservative when it comes to betting on politics. Sen John Paul Phelan is 8/13 to win one of the three seats. That means that if you wager f13 you will win f8, provided John Paul gets in. Not great odds in a seven-horse race.
According to the bookies he is fighting it out for the last seat with Nessa Childers of Labour. She is at 4/9, which means you put down f9 to win f4.
At present, Nessa has the edge, but the new effort being put in by FG to redistribute the vote between front runner Mairead McGuinness who is at odds of 1/50 and John Paul might just give him the edge. Insider hopes so, after all, he is a Kilkenny man. There was goods news from sitting MEP Liam Aylward. the FF man is at odds of 1/9 to keep his seat. that means if you wager f9 on him keeping the seat, you will win f1.
Down the Swanee
No FF national church gate collection in Castle-comer this year, Insider (In my 60s) cannot remember the last it happened - if ever. Has it gone down the independent Swanee? Cryptic or what!
Five into two won't go
Five of the election hopefuls are based in the North East Kilkenny (Castlecomer area) area of the Ballyragget Electoral Area. As a result all of the candidates: Cllr Maurice Shortall, Cllr John Brennan, Brid Mooney-Doyle, Ger Ferris and Martin Carroll are under pressure as simple mathematics verifies that five into two will not go.
Wonderful Nancy
The late Nancy Cummins was a wonderful, funny, loving, caring and giving person who had a keen political brain. She died on Monday morning and it was a happy release for her.
She was the sister of the late Mick McGuinness and one of his greatest allies. She was the aunt of John McGuinness TD and all the other political McGuinn-esses.
She lived with her doting and heartbroken husband Tommy in Assumption Place, and it was great house at which to call, always a warm welcome and good political debate with a strong tint of humour.
Insider remembers dancing with the beautiful Nancy on the night she and Tommy celebrated 50 years of marriage at a lovely function one Sunday night in Langton's. It was a magical night and one Insider will always cherish.
To Tommy, Collette, Annette, Brendan and all her relatives, we say goodbye old friend, we won't forget you.
Jimmy Brett canvases with Pat Fitz
Good to see former councillor and leading business figure, Jimmy Bret,t out canvassing with his old friend Cllr Pat Fitzpatrick (FF) at the weekend. Pat was Jimmy's best man and they do say that old friends are best.
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Weather for Kilkenny
Tuesday 22 May 2012
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