Mick Clifford: Bertie is a ghost from glories past as Fianna Fáil marks centenary

The timing of the emergence of the Ahern recording this week was embarrassing for his party, not least because this weekend it celebrates 100 years in existence

Bertie Ahern was a brilliant canvasser in his day but his time predated social media and the use of a phone as a weapon.

The doorstep strikes back. Through the long and storied history of Irish elections, the doorstep has been used and abused. Candidates and parties have attributed all sorts of opinion and emotion to the poor befuddled entrypoint to homes up and down the country.

“The word I’m getting on the doorstep is that the people think we’re great”.