The Healy Raes

Brendan Bendar · 15-04-2026 08:19AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124395499#Comment_124395499

What ever table there is those lads will find a way to be at it.

Walk away when things get difficult would be their modus operandi in case it affects their ‘dynasty’.

Govt is better off without that kind of carry on.

realdanbreen · 15-04-2026 08:26AM

Norma Foley on morning Ireland at the moment, if she says " Job of work to be done" again I'll scream.

DayInTheBog · 15-04-2026 08:30AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123084708#Comment_123084708

I had him call to my house looking for a vote the last election and he regretted knocking on my door. Seems the neighbours gave him the same treatment.

Igotadose · 15-04-2026 08:46AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124396514#Comment_124396514

He's milked the blockade well in the end. DIdn't say boo during the events, but put himself out there as a martyr with his resignation. Richest man in the Dail, man of the people?

Mike Murdock · 15-04-2026 09:08AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123066013#Comment_123066013

Continuity Healy-Rae.

Zeek12 · 15-04-2026 09:11AM

Shameless opportunists. They continue to jump in whatever direction the wind is blowing - to protect their own seats and maintain popularity.

How their local constituents cannot see through this kind of stuff stuff is beyond me

Brendan Bendar · 15-04-2026 09:13AM

My man Colie Brophy on the line now with DmcC….Cullinane on the other line for SF.

Could be some harsh words concerning the Indies said here.

Mickeroo · 15-04-2026 09:13AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124396565#Comment_124396565

"He fixed the road"

breezy1985 · 15-04-2026 09:15AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124396565#Comment_124396565

Shameless but less so than the likes of Lowry and the rural independents who continue to play Schrodingers government.

Brendan Bendar · 15-04-2026 09:19AM

The most shameless thing for me would be the sound of Fitzmaurice winding himself up and roaring and shouting in the background.

Boggles · 15-04-2026 09:39AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124396568#Comment_124396568

They do a lot more than that to be fair.

There is a reason the family haven't lost in a GE coming up on 5 decades now.

cunnifferous · 15-04-2026 10:00AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124396631#Comment_124396631

What are the reasons exactly? I always find it kind of nebulous. What is they do that attracts the undying loyalty that other politicians don't do?

ELM327 · 15-04-2026 10:01AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124396678#Comment_124396678

They show it to them folk up in dublin.

cunnifferous · 15-04-2026 10:06AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124396686#Comment_124396686

I find this funny too. There 32 non Dublin constituencies and 11 within Dublin. So the vast majority of TDs who serve in the Dáil are from constituencies outside Dublin. Yet there is this perception that Dublin is running the country.

techman1 · 15-04-2026 10:08AM

Danny healy rae couldn't bare not to be on those protests with all those tractors and lorries, he was like a 4 year old boy with his nose snubbed up to the window

"Mammy can i get on that, i want that"

Ultimately i think we are passed peak "healy rae" even their own voters must now see through all these shenanigans. They couldn't deal with even a little unpopularity. Even jackie healy rae stuck with the government through all those difficult votes during financial crises.

gormdubhgorm · 15-04-2026 10:09AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124396529#Comment_124396529

Politically very shrewd by Michael HR in particular.

https://archive.ph/w4KfB

He can now claim that he stood for the “people of Kerry” and “the ordinary people of Ireland” he gets massive free publicity. Then at the next election no matter who is in government he can have the potential to give his support.

Alfaguy · 15-04-2026 10:16AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/107069895#Comment_107069895

They constantly shame me being from Kerry and are a real life justification for all those Kerryman jokes.

Boggles · 15-04-2026 10:23AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124396678#Comment_124396678

Simply. If you contact one of them looking for help, they will show up at your house.

You may get an email off another politicians secretary.

Mickeroo · 15-04-2026 11:02AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124396745#Comment_124396745

Which is great, and more power to him but it is exactly what I meant by "He fixed the road".

The easiest way for an independent politician or small party to lose a future election is to go into government with FF&FG (or go into government full stop really).

I think MHR realised by being in the coalition he could lose his seat because you can't actually get away with just doing that sort of thing when you are a state legislator and not an opposition parish pump politician. The fact is, if you are in government you will be blamed for everything that happens (in this case on a global scale) and have to support actual realistic policies and legislation your constituents might not fully agree with which in turn could make it much harder to get re-elected. That is not something that suits the likes of the Healy-Raes.

They can go back to what they do best now and will have no problem getting re-elected as a result.

Boggles · 15-04-2026 11:19AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124396839#Comment_124396839

The easiest way for an independent politician or small party to lose a future election is to go into government with FF&FG (or go into government full stop really).

Probably statistically true, but the likes of MRH and Lowry would be the exception to that rule. Well he supported that shower with a vote, yeah but he got Mary's medical card sorted, sort of stuff. You have the whole family then.

It all boils down to what they can get for the Parish, like Jackie before them it was all about selling the vote.

That's before we even consider did MRH resign or was he pushed. Or both.

The Junior Ministry was given to him because he was worth 2 votes.

That said I can't see many in the department too sad to see the back of him, I can just imagine the meetings.

Igotadose · 15-04-2026 11:52AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124396745#Comment_124396745

My experience with them. Goes beyond the road - one friend wanted her passport As Gailege, passport office couldn't figure it out, e-mailed MHR, passport shows up in Irish quickly.

After Covid when passports were backed up but the passport office was supposedly open, I e-mailed all my TD's including MHR, DHR, Norma Foley, … Only MHR responded and within days the office was back working, passport showed up post-haste. Whether he actually caused anything there or just tagged along, I don't know, no way to know, but the optics were good.

Another's friend having trouble with a scholarship to an Irish school, getting the run around, contacts MHR, poof, problem solved.

if someone dies out here, one of them shows at the funeral and talks to the family, other TD's might come by for a photo op if it was a prominent local.

They're slick, I'll give them that. MHR is on all sorts of management boards for businesses here, too, like the Dingle Skellig Hotel which imo is a dump but it is the only dump around and investments in it are ongoing, building wings on it, new parking lots, etc. The room rates are crazy, and the rooms pathetic, but it's always packed.

Definitely a slick bunch them Healys-Rae.

Deep Thought · 15-04-2026 01:19PM

I didn’t even know he was a minister

orangerhyme · 15-04-2026 01:27PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124396678#Comment_124396678

They're easy to contact and approachable.

They've time for everyone.

They solve people's problems quickly. Kind of like magic.

You do that consistently for years and years and you'll have a large, loyal base of voters.

They grew up in politics so know how it works.

Realistically though, Kerry people should vote for FF or FG as they're always in power and they sign the checks.

Independents have no real power unless they're supporting the government.

myfreespirit · 15-04-2026 02:00PM

Minister Healy-Rae didn't have what it takes to be in government, he's simply not up to the job.

Of course, he's a very successful politician, good at what his electorate want - being a messenger boy, interceding with the authorities and getting results because he's a TD.

techman1 · 15-04-2026 02:01PM

My experience with them. Goes beyond the road - one friend wanted her passport As Gailege, passport office couldn't figure it out, e-mailed MHR, passport shows up in Irish quickly

@Igotadose wanting her passport in irish !!, that doesn't sound like the healy rae voter base ?

I didn't think the gaelscoil demographic were loyal healy rae voters, I doubt they were out with their tractors and lorrys on the fuel protest last week.

Maybe she was looking for her passport in irish so she could return to australia on a new visa . I heard of that trick years ago when in australia myself. That definitely would be the healy rae voter base aswell?

Boggles · 15-04-2026 02:03PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124397180#Comment_124397180

He was only one of 23 Junior Ministers.

Usually non cabinet roles.

donegal_man · 15-04-2026 02:29PM

The People's Rae-public Of Kerry 😁

pjordan · 15-04-2026 03:04PM

I heard one bitchy comment from the Govt benches yesterday that said "The Healy Rae's said they would stick with this Govt through thick and thin, but now thick and thin have left the stage".

Nasty but not all that inaccurate in reality, when one listened to the barely coherent Danny on Drivetime yest eve. God the man can barely string a few simple words together into a sentence. Definitely doesn't come across as having any degree of intelligence whatsoever and his only real function ever has been to mop up the highly articulate and quite capable Michael's surplus.

Brendan Bendar · 15-04-2026 03:22PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124396839#Comment_124396839

Spot on…..these two lads are glorified county councillors but their ‘machine’ gives them a lot more power.

They have minimal interest in national politics unless it affects their operations.

breezy1985 · 15-04-2026 03:27PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124397556#Comment_124397556

It's what I have always said about Willie O'Dea here in Limerick. Glorified councillor who gets you things you were already entitled to and will show up at the funerals.

He has time for all this when other TDs don't because other TDs are stupidly wasting time doing their real job.

I detest parish pump TDs and people who vote for them.

The Healy Raes

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