‘Ah, we know Seán. He’s decent.’
It’s a line I heard on many doorsteps during my recent trip to Galway to canvass for my friend Seán Kyne. We go back to 2011, when we were both elected to Dáil Éireann for the first time, rookie Fine Gael TDs in a time of unprecedented economic crisis. The 31st Dáil was a baptism of fire for newcomers, especially those of us who supported deeply unpopular government measures aimed at fiscal rectitude in a time of existential financial challenge for the State. On one occasion in my early days as a Deputy, I recall tabling a Parliamentary Question asking if contingency plans existed in the event of Ireland having to leave the Eurozone. Hard to imagine today, but that’s where we were. Yet, in the midst of all the chaos and unpopularity, close bonds forged between government backbenchers, a strong comradery amongst colleagues who were constantly getting it in the neck from an irate and austerity-weary public. For me, Seán Kyne was one of the colleagues with whom I developed a strong and lasting friendship. So, when he was chosen as Fine Gael’s candidate for the Galway West by-election to fill the seat vacated upon the election of Catherine Connolly as President, I knew I’d be Galway bound to lend a hand.
April had been a horrid month for the Government. No sooner had Easter commemorations concluded, when fuel protests commenced. In a matter of days, the country had ground to a halt, deeply divided, the Government struggling to save face following a number of poorly toned and worded interventions from senior figures, Independent Ireland politicians particularly to the fore at many of the most prominent protest flashpoints. In the midst of all this, by-election candidates in Galway West and Dublin Central were hitting the doors, the Dublin Central vacancy arising from the departure of former Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe for pastures greener at the World Bank. These were far from ideal circumstances for Government party candidate to campaign in. Some even suspended canvassing during and immediately after the fuel protests, such was the public backlash to the Government’s handling of the crisis. So, when the writ was moved and May 22nd was settled on as polling day, most commentators envisaged opposition victories in both constituencies.
Arriving in Galway in early May for my first day of canvassing, I couldn’t help but analyse the candidates’ posters adorning the approach roads to the city. A good poster sets the tone, I’ve always felt, and I was struck immediately by the posters of Labour Councillor Helen Ogbu. Bright and colourful, dominated by Labour’s traditional red, there was something about it that worked. By contrast, some of the others came across as dull and uninspiring, not the ideal first impression. Of notable exception was Seán Kyne, a striking poster – well-taken photo, well-chosen open-neck shirt, proper lighting, complete with a colourful backdrop of Galway’s iconic Claddagh waterfront. And the slogan: Positive About Galway. It’s only when I looked and looked again that I spotted the Fine Gael logo tucked away shyly in the corner. His campaign was going to be about Seán, and what he could do for Galway.
And on the doors, despite all the woes and worries of the world, people were in the mood for talking. But it wasn’t the situation in Iran, the price of fuel or the shortage of housing they were talking about – it was Galway. What can he do for Galway? Which is a great cue to remind the voter what he has already done for Galway in over twenty years as a Councillor, TD, Minister and Senator, before pointing out that even his campaign literature is coloured in the traditional maroon of Galway. One woman tells me that she never voted for him before, but she will this time because he’s the best candidate. Another tells me she felt sorry that he missed out in 2020 and 2024 and she’ll give him a chance this time. A man holding a baby tells me he’s always found Seán pleasant and will give him a high preference. Then, I get it with both barrels from a woman who’s furious about the lack of progress on the Occupied Territories Bill. She’ll be voting left all the way down, she insists. But when I ask her if she’ll give Seán some preference, her tone changes. She will. Because she dislikes his party just a little less than another party. And, Seán’s DECENT. There’s that word again. And across a number of days of canvassing it’s a recurring theme. They like Seán. And they respect him. Even people who won’t be giving him a vote wish him well. He’s never been offensive, one man tells me. I’ll give him number one but he’s too shy to claim credit for his work, says another.
When the boxes opened in Salthill on Saturday morning, the tallies were generally in line with what the TG4 poll had shown on May 7th – a two-horse race between Seán Kyne and the poll-topper, Independent Ireland Councillor Noel Thomas, with Labour’s Helen Ogbu just a little too far back in third. As expected right throughout the campaign, this would all be decided on transfers. And in Ireland’s PRSTV voting system, in a by-election field of 17 candidates, a number 16 preference can be as good as a number 1 if the number 17 preference is going to the other remaining candidate when the field has whittled down to the final pair. And the decency reputation might just have been a factor for Seán Kyne, who received 4,249 from Helen Ogbu’s pile of 12,960 votes by the time she was eliminated, enough to put him 2,699 ahead of Thomas in the end, who received just 1,273 from Ogbu’s accumulation.
In an age of division and vitriolic politics by social media, Seán Kyne’s victory in Galway West might be worth a closer look. It’s an extraordinary achievement on a number of fronts, not least by virtue of the fact that prior to this, only three Government party candidates have won a by-election in Ireland since 1982, and two of those victorious candidates were immediate family members of TDs who had died in office to precipitate the by-election. That Seán Kyne won at a time when Government satisfaction levels are exceptionally low says even more.
In the coming days, there’ll be much talk about the impact of both by-election results. The stunning victory by Daniel Ennis of the Social Democrats in Dublin Central is a huge boost for Holly Cairns and her party, and a major blow to Sinn Féin and Mary-Lou McDonald in her own constituency. Likewise, Fianna Fáil’s 4.2% in Dublin Central, combined with just 8.8% in Galway West is far from good news for Taoiseach Micheál Martin, who will be glad to move on and look ahead to the commencement of Ireland’s Presidency of the EU Council just five weeks from now, convenient timing for a leader under growing internal party pressure. But maybe there’ll be some talk about the market that still exists for decency, and that nice guys don’t always come last.
