Promises, posters and controversy: Kilkenny gearing up for Election ‘24

Ah, the scent of canvassing in the air again, with banners and flyers unfurling like the last of the autumn leaves all across Kilkenny.

Sweeping their way across the county as you read this column are candidates and campaign teams hoping to win your vote, veritable armies of door-knocking troubadours.

No election campaign is without its quirky detours and there have already been a few moments that, let’s say, have made us pause for thought.

Take, for instance, the indignant call we received earlier this week from a local lady, who wishes to remain anonymous.

She was thoroughly unimpressed with the location of some election posters, strategically, or perhaps not-so-strategically (as it transpires), placed along the perimeter of a local graveyard.

There’s a line, this lady opined, between appealing to your electorate and haunting them.

Also brought to our attention was the matter of a certain canvassing team who were unwittingly thrust into the limelight by a recording doorbell.

In a scene that could’ve been plucked out of a comedy sketch, they were recorded spilling out the finer details of their campaign tactics on a voter’s doorstep.

That video was shared with us and I must say, it’s nice as a news hack to have election news land straight into your WhatsApp inbox.

Quick sidenote: Can anybody recall the grumblings earlier this year when voters were left flabbergasted by the length of local election ballot papers?

Well, these same voters are sure to be casting a wary eye toward visiting the ballot box at this general election, seeing as the names are already stacking up!

Adding to this year’s kaleidoscope of quirks, the boundary reshuffle has thrown in a real curveball, and has left a large chunk of Kilkenny voters scratching their heads.

Some of the proudest parts of Kilkenny have been whisked away into Tipperary North, and familiar faces have been replaced by candidates who, though eager, feel distant.

What will the impact of this be for voters in the area? Will constituents feel so put out by the manouevre that a sizable proportion will refuse to cast their vote? Only time will tell.

Can we also spare a thought for our neighbours in Carlow.

I paid a visit to Carlow Town over the weekend and couldn’t help but take notice of a large sign on display by the roadside.

Erected on behalf of Carlow Chamber of Commerce, the message to Carlowvians was simple: “On Election Day - Vote Carlow to secure two TDs.”

With a large bite now taken out of the Kilkenny electorate by Tipperary, will Carlow Chamber’s wish be granted?

Jennifer Murnane O’Connor, Carlow’s most recent TD, has been at pains recently in the Dáil pointing out that Carlow Town’s population has now exceeded that of Kilkenny City (if Graiguecullen is included).

Can the county take a TD back from Kilkenny? Should our own Chamber be vying to get the public to ‘Vote Kilkenny’? Food for thought.

As election season truly swings into gear, there’s no getting away from the fact that accurate reporting is more crucial than ever.

This was proven to be the case in recent days after a picture was widely circulated online showing a homeless person lying on the street next to a poster for Fine Gael leader Simon Harris.

The image provides a visual jab against the party and was shared on X by critics of the Government, from a general election candidate right here in Kilkenny to the party account of People Before Profit.

What’s the issue? Well a quick fact check proved that the original picture was manipulated to include the poster.

While it can most certainly be argued that homelessness is a crisis that the outgoing Government have failed to alleviate, the sharing of such manipulated images cannot be considered fair game.

With the campaign trail continuing to unfold and the promises continuing to pile up, we know one thing for certain - voters will be watching closely.

The Kilkenny People will also be following the election every step of the way. To stay informed, pick up the newspaper every week and make sure to visit the general election section on Kilkenny Live for all the latest updates.

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