Kenny refuses to accept no win signal in Cork

ENDA Kenny faced a “no win” situation in Millstreet yesterday.

The FG leader, who was on a vote-getting tour of the South-West, breezed into the Co Cork town and one of the first things he did was to buy scratch card from an Asthma Society of Ireland seller. Eager party followers milled around as Enda scratched away, but then stood back momentarily in shock when their beloved one revealed a NO WIN sign. Kenny was quick to reassure them that would be the last such sign they’d see from his campaign.

All the attention went completely over the ticket seller’s head. Romanian Ovideio Scoarta didn’t know who Enda Kenny was, and didn’t see to care too much either — although he had noticed that this man had his face emblazoned on the side of two 4x4 jeeps parked on the main street.

Like any good politician, Enda was keen to be pictured with youngsters so he couldn’t refuse a photo opportunity with four-year-old Dan Murphy, from Knocknagree.

Dan said he knew the man’s name was Enda and that he was famous. Unfortunately the little boy, understandably, didn’t really know what for the FG leader was famous for.

But reassuring voices from the entourage informed the boy that the great man would become even more famous very shortly, and it would be a picture he’d cherish for the rest of his life.

After the walkabout, it was down to the hard stuff. Enda grabbed a microphone and bellowed out to all who’d listen that Fianna Fáil and the PDs had been in Government too long, had wasted too much public money and failed miserably to invest properly in public services. “Don’t just blame the Government, change it,” he shouted.

Fine Gael lost a seat in the three-seater Cork North-West constituency in 2002. The party leader said he was confident that Michael Creed, who was the losing candidate last time out, would be back in the next Dáil accompanied by his running-mate Deputy Gerard Murphy.

The FG leader said his party’s vote management in the constituency would be essential to that and pointed out that by running three candidates, Fianna Fáil would damage themselves.