Local elections 2014

nuac · 20-02-2014 9:29pm

I didn't hear about the mobile text messages, but yes JO'Mahoney was mainly elected by the GAA and by Co Councillors who responded to Enda's request to back him. While he comes from Kilmovee ( I think ) he lived and worked in B'hadreen and hadn't been involved in any political or community activity in Mayo

The Mayo GAA board fired their manager Mickey Moran before his contract expired to make room for O'Mahoney. If Mayo had won an All-Ireland under his management JO'M would be a TD in Mayo as long as he wanted. Would not have needed to campaign. In fact if were legally possible he would have topped the poll by acclamation. Didn't happen

GAA is very important in Mayo politics. e.g.

Henry Kenny, Enda's father was on the 1936 All Ireland winning team, which help launch his career and sustain it. Enda played for his local club Islandeady, which again helped with voters.

Seán Flanagan was captain of the All Ireland winning teams of 1950 and '51. He was elected to Dáil Éireann many times with ease, and later as an MEP. The name and mention of the All Irelands sufficed, did not have to do the constituency grind.

yop · 20-02-2014 10:40pm

ethical wrote: »

Dear JOM supporter,u do realise that every and I mean every mobile phone number that was attached to a GAA member got at least one text the night before the last general election asking/begging for a vote for JOM.and fair play to them they did not let him down!!

A GAA member? Member of every GAA club in Mayo is it?

finisklin · 21-02-2014 9:10am

Dudda wrote: »

It's funded by Cystic Fibrosis Ireland not the HSE. They were fundraising for the last 5 years. The concrete piles are finished and the foundations are to be poured next week. No stopping the Cystic Fibrosis unit now. You can see it for yourself to the left of the old entrance opposite the TF Hotel.

The one in Galway will happen as well as it's funded by the charity not the government.

Fair enough....the staffing and on going operational costs have to be met and this is proposal is that this will be by the HSE for both Galway and Castlebar. Its a race now for Mayo Gen to get the unit finished and opened. Senior HSE management view both as a duplication of resources and given for example the proposal to reduce the 5 maternity departments in the West to 2, these units may be challenged to stay open once up and running.

finisklin · 21-02-2014 9:13am

nuac wrote: »

GAA is very important in Mayo politics. e.g.

However it doesn't necessarily provide the prerequisite skills to be effective as a politician merely a platform to get elected.

Perhaos this is whats wrong with Irish Politics

White Heart Loon · 21-02-2014 9:23am

finisklin wrote: »

However it doesn't necessarily provide the prerequisite skills to be effective as a politician merely a platform to get elected.

Perhaos this is whats wrong with Irish Politics

It's exactly what's wrong with Irish politics, we vote in the wrong people, for the wrong reasons and expect the outcome to be good.

nuac · 21-02-2014 11:19am

finisklin wrote: »

However it doesn't necessarily provide the prerequisite skills to be effective as a politician merely a platform to get elected.

Perhaos this is whats wrong with Irish Politics

Granted, but politicians get name recognition in all sorts of ways.

The three examples I quoted in Mayo -Flanagan, Kenny and O'Mahony got there thru the GAA. Flanagan and Kenny were good politicians. O'Mahony is an effective TD.

Flanagan actually is the only politician who claimed his department should be abolished. When he was appointed Minister for Lands he stated that the work of the Land Commission ( acquiring estates and and making former tenants freeholders ) had been substantially done. It's remaining functions were later merged with with Dept of Agriculture.

Present and recent governments have Junior Ministers for all sorts of jobs. Some do not justify the expense of a separate Minister.

Coillte_Bhoy · 21-02-2014 12:39pm

ethical wrote: »

Dear JOM supporter,u do realise that every and I mean every mobile phone number that was attached to a GAA member got at least one text the night before the last general election asking/begging for a vote for JOM.and fair play to them they did not let him down!!

I presume this is aimed at me and is a pile of horse****e, firstly i am not a jom supporter, secondly i got no such text and didnt hear of anyone getting one. And even if texts were sent out, so what? What candidate hasnt used whatever contacts he has to maximise support? It's a far cry from saying he was 'inflicted' on the population and that a sporting organisation 'elected' him.

Coillte_Bhoy · 21-02-2014 12:42pm

finisklin wrote: »

However it doesn't necessarily provide the prerequisite skills to be effective as a politician merely a platform to get elected.

You obviously have no experience of internal GAA politics and shennigans? it's an ideal breeding ground for budding politicians. Not saying thats a positive thing, mind

finisklin · 21-02-2014 12:47pm

nuac wrote: »

Granted, but politicians get name recognition in all sorts of ways.

The three examples I quoted in Mayo -Flanagan, Kenny and O'Mahony got there thru the GAA. Flanagan and Kenny were good politicians. O'Mahony is an effective TD.

Flanagan actually is the only politician who claimed his department should be abolished. When he was appointed Minister for Lands he stated that the work of the Land Commission ( acquiring estates and and making former tenants freeholders ) had been substantially done. It's remaining functions were later merged with with Dept of Agriculture.

Present and recent governments have Junior Ministers for all sorts of jobs. Some do not justify the expense of a separate Minister.

IMO politicians should get elected on the skill set that they have and a proven experience in. This means that they a expertise in solving problems that affect the community or the country.

I can't comment on Flanagan's performance as a TD as it was before my time. However, given that it was the same political system I would wager that there was a connection between this position and getting re-elected.

Finishing as you started.....name recognition is whats its about. That is the problem.

finisklin · 21-02-2014 12:51pm

Coillte_Bhoy wrote: »

You obviously have no experience of internal GAA politics and shennigans? it's an ideal breeding ground for budding politicians. Not saying thats a positive thing, mind

Both systems are probably modelled after each other.

That's why I never made the U12 team, wasn't because I was good enough. Daddy wasn't on the selection commatee.

Coillte_Bhoy · 21-02-2014 12:53pm

finisklin wrote: »

That's why I never made the U12 team, wasn't because I was good enough. Daddy wasn't on the selection commatee.

Why i didnt make, daddy was on the selection committee and didnt want to show favour. Well thats my story anyway

nuac · 21-02-2014 2:10pm

Coillte_Bhoy wrote: »

I presume this is aimed at me and is a pile of horse****e, firstly i am not a jom supporter, secondly i got no such text and didnt hear of anyone getting one. And even if texts were sent out, so what? What candidate hasnt used whatever contacts he has to maximise support? It's a far cry from saying he was 'inflicted' on the population and that a sporting organisation 'elected' him.

It is fair comment that Mayo GAA were the main causes of his election.

The GAA county board pushed thru his appontment as Mayo Manager, dismissing the previous manager.

JOM then showed up at every GAA function everywhere in the county.

As Manager of the Senior Football team he was welcome everywhere, and would have got 1st and 2nd preferences from GAA people who would normally have voted for others.

It helped that active and high polling FG Councillors did not contest his nomination and supported his campaign. Those would include John Cribben Ballyhaunis, Patsy O'Brien Hollymount etc

Many politicians have used the GAA for electoral support, and he is a fine TD, but that is how he got there.

I agree that it would be better to have our TDs come from community workers, good local authority members etc but that is a counsell of perfection.

I recall Seán Lemass remarking that a Dáil composed of university graduates could be a disaster. While few went to universities in those days he had a point.

You could If adopt a list system whereby head office imposes a list of candidates to vote for. However that would give too much power to head office, and allow sycophantic hangers-on onto the slate

Coillte_Bhoy · 21-02-2014 4:31pm

nuac wrote: »

It is fair comment that Mayo GAA were the main causes of his election.

The GAA county board pushed thru his appointment as Mayo Manager, dismissing the previous manager.

No it's not fair comment. His GAA background helped him enormously but most candidates will have a background in some community groups albeit not as big as the GAA. And of course the co board pushed through (what an odd phrase to use) his appointment as team manager.

nuac wrote: »

JOM then showed up at every GAA function everywhere in the county.

Standard enough for a co manager

nuac wrote: »

As Manager of the Senior Football team he was welcome everywhere, and would have got 1st and 2nd preferences from GAA people who would normally have voted for others.

Would account for some of is vote, yes, but impossible to quantify

nuac wrote: »

I agree that it would be better to have our TDs come from community workers, good local authority members etc but that is a counsell of perfection.[/quoe]
agreed

finisklin · 21-02-2014 5:03pm

nuac wrote: »

and he is a fine TD,

This is regarding JOM......curious as to your reasoning behind this?

nuac · 21-02-2014 7:05pm

Coillte_Bhoy wrote: »

No it's not fair comment. His GAA background helped him enormously but most candidates will have a background in some community groups albeit not as big as the GAA. And of course the co board pushed through (what an odd phrase to use) his appointment as team manager.

Standard enough for a co manager

Would account for some of is vote, yes, but impossible to quantify

nuac wrote: »

I agree that it would be better to have our TDs come from community workers, good local authority members etc but that is a counsell of perfection.[/quoe]
agreed

Reply

I live in Mayo and have been involved in various forms of community development. Knew of JO'Ms record in football and team manager in various counties, that he lived in B'hadreen, and taught in Nathys. Was not aware of any other community work by him in Mayo.

The County GAA Board termnated Mickey Moran's term and appointed JO'M as Mayo manager.

Yes I am told that team managers are invited to most GAA functions, but few went to every one. Local papers showed JO'M at numerous GAA functions between the time of his appointment and the GE. I was told by a friend deeply involved in Mayo GAA that no previous team manager got to so many functions.

I suggest it is reasonable to suggest that JO'M was elected by the GAA and by the efforts of a FG councilors.

No harm in that. Many politicans have come up thru' the GAA or other sports. I think he is a good TD, and I wish him all the best

Coillte_Bhoy · 21-02-2014 10:12pm

nuac wrote: »

Coillte_Bhoy wrote: »

No it's not fair comment. His GAA background helped him enormously but most candidates will have a background in some community groups albeit not as big as the GAA. And of course the co board pushed through (what an odd phrase to use) his appointment as team manager.

Standard enough for a co manager

Would account for some of is vote, yes, but impossible to quantify

Reply

I live in Mayo and have been involved in various forms of community development. Knew of JO'Ms record in football and team manager in various counties, that he lived in B'hadreen, and taught in Nathys. Was not aware of any other community work by him in Mayo.

The County GAA Board termnated Mickey Moran's term and appointed JO'M as Mayo manager.

Yes I am told that team managers are invited to most GAA functions, but few went to every one. Local papers showed JO'M at numerous GAA functions between the time of his appointment and the GE. I was told by a friend deeply involved in Mayo GAA that no previous team manager got to so many functions.

I suggest it is reasonable to suggest that JO'M was elected by the GAA and by the efforts of a FG councilors.

No harm in that. Many politicans have come up thru' the GAA or other sports. I think he is a good TD, and I wish him all the best

Im well in on the local GAA scene and didnt think he did more functions etc than was normal but maybe he did, i didnt pay much attention at the time. There is no doubt that his GAA connections helped enormously but when the term Mayo GAA is used it suggests a concerted effort by the official mayo GAA as in the county board etc as opposed to ordinary GAA people, but this was certainly not the case,

ethical · 21-02-2014 11:47pm

Originally Posted by nuac View Post
and he is a fine TD,.........................

......................JOM sits on the fence far too much.He would gain more votes if he made a decision and stuck with it,one way or the other.He has not helped his cause with the indecision over the abortion issue or again in more recent times by his 'stance' on the pylons.His party colleague in Ballina made her stance known and was castigated by the media.................if there was barbed wire on the fence he would have done himself an injury by now!!!!

yop · 22-02-2014 12:29am

ethical wrote: »

Originally Posted by nuac View Post
and he is a fine TD,.........................

......................JOM sits on the fence far too much.He would gain more votes if he made a decision and stuck with it,one way or the other.He has not helped his cause with the indecision over the abortion issue or again in more recent times by his 'stance' on the pylons.His party colleague in Ballina made her stance known and was castigated by the media.................if there was barbed wire on the fence he would have done himself an injury by now!!!!

Curious about your statement re GAA people receiving texts from JOM, is that his own club members?

finisklin · 22-02-2014 9:19am

All GAA members in Mayo received a text before the last GE reminding them what a lovely lad he is and all that he has done for the GAA etc. and not to forget him on the ballot card.

threebeards · 22-02-2014 1:20pm

Castlebar12 wrote: »

I think Harry Barret is very good as well

Harry Barrett is the greatest bluffer of all time. I've never known a town Councillor to seek headlines as he does, but yet do absolutely nothing to back the headlines up. He has also become brilliant at taking credit for other Councillors work, and then promoting the credit he takes in The Connaught Telegraph.

For example, he spoke about how he demanded a meeting with An Taoiseach, and how he told Enda Kenny in that meeting the way it is. The truth of that situation is that Cllr Barrett, in that meeting, was challenged by Enda Kenny as to how he had followed up his "demands' for 1,000 new jobs; whether he had approached GMIT to see where they were at - No; whether he had discussed the situation with the committee of eminent business people set up to address the jobs situation - No; whether he had actually done anything except shout about it in Connaught Telegraph headlines - No.

I will be absolutely amazed if Harry Barrett is elected to Mayo County Council, and he certainly won't get my vote.

yop · 22-02-2014 2:29pm

finisklin wrote: »

All GAA members in Mayo received a text before the last GE reminding them what a lovely lad he is and all that he has done for the GAA etc. and not to forget him on the ballot card.

Funny I am a GAA member and I didn't receive one and I have plenty of family and friends who I didn't hear received one.
I am not a JOM fan or anything close, but do lads just make this stuff up?

yop · 22-02-2014 2:30pm

threebeards wrote: »

Harry Barrett is the greatest bluffer of all time. I've never known a town Councillor to seek headlines as he does, but yet do absolutely nothing to back the headlines up. He has also become brilliant at taking credit for other Councillors work, and then promoting the credit he takes in The Connaught Telegraph.

For example, he spoke about how he demanded a meeting with An Taoiseach, and how he told Enda Kenny in that meeting the way it is. The truth of that situation is that Cllr Barrett, in that meeting, was challenged by Enda Kenny as to how he had followed up his "demands' for 1,000 new jobs; whether he had approached GMIT to see where they were at - No; whether he had discussed the situation with the committee of eminent business people set up to address the jobs situation - No; whether he had actually done anything except shout about it in Connaught Telegraph headlines - No.

I will be absolutely amazed if Harry Barrett is elected to Mayo County Council, and he certainly won't get my vote.

100%, spends his life commenting on Facebook about what he has done, and then when he is called out he deletes his original comments or the whole piece. A spoofer of the highest regard.

nuac · 22-02-2014 4:07pm

threebeards wrote: »

Harry Barrett is the greatest bluffer of all time. I've never known a town Councillor to seek headlines as he does, but yet do absolutely nothing to back the headlines up. He has also become brilliant at taking credit for other Councillors work, and then promoting the credit he takes in The Connaught Telegraph.

For example, he spoke about how he demanded a meeting with An Taoiseach, and how he told Enda Kenny in that meeting the way it is. The truth of that situation is that Cllr Barrett, in that meeting, was challenged by Enda Kenny as to how he had followed up his "demands' for 1,000 new jobs; whether he had approached GMIT to see where they were at - No; whether he had discussed the situation with the committee of eminent business people set up to address the jobs situation - No; whether he had actually done anything except shout about it in Connaught Telegraph headlines - No.

I will be absolutely amazed if Harry Barrett is elected to Mayo County Council, and he certainly won't get my vote.

HB is creating the impression that EK as Taoiseach has just to direct the various agencies to put jobs into Castlebar, and Mayo.

TBH many voted for Ek and other FG candidates hoping that a Mayo Taoiseach would be good for Mayo.

There are limitations nowadays on the ability of any politician to direct investment to the home patch.

HB is putting FG and EK under pressure regardless of those limitations. Some tension about this between himself and local FG.

Coillte_Bhoy · 22-02-2014 5:49pm

finisklin wrote: »

All GAA members in Mayo received a text before the last GE reminding them what a lovely lad he is and all that he has done for the GAA etc. and not to forget him on the ballot card.

Well i didnt and i dont know any member that did. You're spoofing

finisklin · 22-02-2014 9:10pm

yop wrote: »

Funny I am a GAA member and I didn't receive one and I have plenty of family and friends who I didn't hear received one.
I am not a JOM fan or anything close, but do lads just make this stuff up?

Coillte_Bhoy wrote: »

Well i didnt and i dont know any member that did. You're spoofing

I can only go by what several people have said to me after the last GE. Some of these were playing members and they received a text. It was reported on here AFAIK.

yop · 23-02-2014 12:41pm

finisklin wrote: »

I can only go by what several people have said to me after the last GE. Some of these were playing members and they received a text. It was reported on here AFAIK.

Fair enough, didn't hear or experience it myself but that doesn't mean it didn't happen.

Green&Red · 24-02-2014 10:27am

finisklin wrote: »

All GAA members in Mayo received a text before the last GE reminding them what a lovely lad he is and all that he has done for the GAA etc. and not to forget him on the ballot card.

This is blantantly not true, I'm another who didnt

No fan of JOM and I think he'll struggle to hold his seat next time but his colleague in Ballina made a stance and then backed down completely when it came down to it, a Lucinda wantabee without the brainpower or backbone to back it up

nuac · 24-02-2014 10:35am

whatever about texts his first election was mainly due to his GAA record. Was he involved in anything else in Mayo before his nomination?

Re the abortion issue, both he and MM had problems with this

imho all parties should have had a free vote on this. In the absence of a free vote, breaking the whip would most likely be end of career

Green&Red · 24-02-2014 11:16am

nuac wrote: »

Re the abortion issue, both he and MM had problems with this

imho all parties should have had a free vote on this. In the absence of a free vote, breaking the whip would most likely be end of career

Absolutely, my point was to ethical who made the comment that MM had

made her stance known and was castigated by the media

patrickn · 24-02-2014 2:50pm

Green&Red wrote: »

This is blantantly not true, I'm another who didnt

No fan of JOM and I think he'll struggle to hold his seat next time but his colleague in Ballina made a stance and then backed down completely when it came down to it, a Lucinda wantabee without the brainpower or backbone to back it up

I received a text the night before the election for JOM. I wondered how they had my mobile number then remembered I had entered it on my County Draw Ticket.

Local elections 2014

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