Momentum builds in Cavan-Monaghan
MICHEAL MacDONNCHA on the campaign trail with Caoimhghin O
Caoláin. Sinn Féin's front-runner for Leinster House
``This is not a recent surge of support. It's not a flash in the
pan. This is a result of 16 years of hard work. We've had this
team together since the hunger-strikes in 1981.''
Caoimhghin O Caoláin emphasised this to me before we parted on
the main street of Castleblayney, County Monaghan. He pointed to
Jackie Crowe, one of that core group of key Sinn Féin workers who
have been together since Kieran Doherty was elected as a TD.
Kieran died on hunger-strike a few agonising weeks later.
Caoimhghin was director of elections in that campaign. He is now
heading a team of nine Sinn Féin councillors, including Jackie
Crowe, holding ten local authority seats in the constituency.
Caoimhghin and his team are fighting the hardest election
campaign of their lives and they feel they are on the verge of an
historic breakthrough.
They are confident of once more increasing their record-breaking
vote in County Monaghan. They need to do this and to win many new
votes in County Cavan to send the first Sinn Féin TD to Leinster
House. If the dozens of new election workers who have rallied to
Sinn Féin in Cavan is anything to go by then their target is more
than achievable.
One problem they do have is about posters. They noticed that the
large posters of Gerry Adams kept disappearing. Jackie Crowe
spotted a young man putting one in the boot of his car and when
challenged the embarrassed Sinn Féin supporter said he wanted it
as a souvenir. Now souvenir-hunters are cordially requested to
wait until the election is over.
``I never voted Sinn Féin but I wish five or six of you were
standing,'' one woman told Jackie Crowe. In the Bree housing
estate in Castleblayney there were many such expressions of
support. ``Best of luck.''
``We always vote for you.''
``You don't need to ask.''
``No problem, you know us.''
This is one of the areas where years of hard work at council
level has won the support of the electorate. Caoimhghin is
anxious to make clear that he will carry that momentum on to
Leisnter House. ``I'll live up to expectations,'' he assures people
on the doorsteps.
Transfers will be crucial if Caoimhghin is to get one of the five
seats. He says he expects many more transfers than ever before.
Fine Gael Justice Minister Nora Owen said on Monday that voters
in Cavan-Monaghan should give preferences to any candidates other
than Sinn Féin. One of the explanations for this is that because
of the respect for Caoimhghin's work he can expect transfers from
across the spectrum, including Fine Gael voters, a horrendous
thought for the Fine Gael leadership. It is also of course a
scare tactic by Owen, whose remarks have caused much resentment
in the constituency.
``Disgraceful'' is how Caoimhghin describes it and he says he's
confident that voters in Cavan-Monaghan will give the same answer
to Owen as those in the Six Counties gave to John Bruton. ``You
did well down our country,'' said an Armagh man we met on the
canvass in Castleblayney. Among the election workers was James
Cunningham whose brother Brian topped the poll for Sinn Féin in
Keady on 21 May. Success breeds success and the strong showing in
the Six Counties provides another vital boost in the
Cavan-Monaghan campaign.
As we left `Blayney on Saturday the candidate and his team were
heading off to another round of canvassing. They had 13 days more
of this before D-Day 6 June. Then in the count centre in
Cootehill, County Cavan on Saturday evening 7 June it will be all
over bar the shouting. No need to ask who we'll be shouting for.
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