This country ain’t big enough for two parties who hate Michael McDowell

LOOK behind you Enda — you never know who’s creeping up on your back.

The pavement of fashionable Dawson Street in Dublin, around the corner from Leinster House, was blocked solid yesterday with an unlikely coalition of Blueshirts and Shinners on the hustings.

Despite Fine Gael and Sinn Féin being on opposite sides of the political spectrum, the parties were distinctly cordial during their brief encounter.

Enda Kenny was displaying the brightest and best of the party's next generation as he published the Fine Gael youth election manifesto.

Likewise, a mass of Sinn Féin MLA members from Northern Ireland came south to help boost the electoral prospects of Mary-Lou "The Peacemaker" McDonald, the Dublin Euro election candidate, who is officially describing herself as a "peace negotiator" and a "full-time public representative".

Just as Enda was complaining about Fianna Fáil being umbilically attached to the PDs and how the war of words over Michael McDowell's treatment of Sinn Féin was phoney, "The Peacemaker" arrived just behind him, attached at the hip to her party leader down-south, Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin.

As his handlers watched on nervously, Enda put on a show for the passersby as he rose to the occasion.

"I wish you the best of luck in this campaign, but we have the best candidates in this election," he said.

"Bar Sinn Féin," Caoimhghín interjected with uncustomary wit.

The shock of Caoimhghín cracking a joke didn't hinder Enda, as he shook hands with each Shinner in turn Pat Doherty MP, Mitchel McLaughlin, Alex Maskey et al.

"All the best now Enda," The Peacemaker said, as the Sinn Féin canvassing crew moved off to negotiate some peace with Dublin's traffic and help Mary-Lou fulfil her ambition to become a full-time public representative.

The excitement over, Enda went back to focus on his young guns, including the party's youngest candidate, 20-year-old Sally-Anne Flanagan from Tuam in Co Galway.

Having a good go at Michael McDowell, Enda said he had enough of the phoney war and wanted a little less conversation and a little more action from the Justice Minister.

"There's been a lot of strong talk about Sinn Féin but precious little prosecutions," he said.