Sean Canney happy ‘Boxer’ Moran is in his corner

As they sit across a boardroom table, they eagerly agree with each other and, at times, finish each other’s sentences.

The world of politics, and especially coalition government, has always relied on partnerships of convenience, but the latest collaboration is clearly an authentic bromance.

“We are very good friends and long may it continue,” says Kevin ‘Boxer’ Moran, beaming.

“The relationship between Kevin and myself is a natural fit,” adds OPW Minister Seán Canney.

Around the halls of Leinster House, and, indeed, outside it, the two Independent Alliance members have become an infamous duo.

They say opposites attract. Boxer, talks at such a rapid pace and with such enthusiasm — especially when it comes to flood defence measures — that he often cuts off the end of a word and rolls it into the next one. Indeed, the introduction blurb on the Longford-Westmeath TD’s website states: “I am a man in a hurry.”

Seán, a more subdued character, waits until his colleague and now good friend has finished to give his two-pence worth, which is quieter in tone and more reflective.

Boxer is undoubtedly the more colourful of the two and is happy to pull all sorts of faces and poses for the cameras, but he is often underestimated. While other members of the Independent Alliance have bellowed and bickered with their Government partners, Boxer is widely regarded as the glue that has kept the Government together, especially during the early days.

Likewise, Seán has at times provided a steady head to calm other members.

The two, who are now seldom seen apart, have formed a bond, one which both men believe should be replicated by backbenchers and ministers in Fine Gael.

“When the Taoiseach said in a Sunday newspaper that some backbenchers should go and learn from and shadow the ministers, he got slated from within the circles of his own party,” says Boxer.

“It’s something to be learned in governments going forward; it is no harm to have someone shadowing you.”

Becoming Seán’s shadow is something that Boxer has not only become accustomed to, but actually relishes. He will wait it out to become minister for the OPW next year, when the roles will reverse, but until then he will act as a confidante, advisor and a tail to the man with the ministerial office.

Seán interjects: “I think what the Taoiseach might have been eluding to, if you have a minister and if a TD or two were advising him in his department and they had a little kitchen cabinet, where some of the TDs could be used for that rather than being in committees all the time and not just used for voting, I think we could have a better outcome to a lot of things.”

Interviewing the pair in a room along the ministerial corridor in Leinster House is a difficult task, like trying to intervene in a lively chat between two best friends, not totally understanding all the back stories or in-jokes. Both men bounce off each other and bound from one topic to another in the same breath.

Indeed, before we even sit down to talk, Seán cheekily asks whether I can throw in a jibe or two about Boxer.

However, the topic always veers back to flooding.

Seán is a qualified quantify surveyor, who lectured in GMIT before being elected for the first time last year. While Boxer — also a first-time TD and an Athlone native — has seen first hand the destruction the River Shannon can wreak on homes and businesses.

“Our goals are similar and are completely synchronised in that we want to do something to help people. Our goal is to get things done, it’s quite simple,” says Seán.

“I see Kevin as an advisor to me and, when he steps in, I will be an advisor to him.”

With that, Boxer jumps in to reciprocate the praise: “Seán brings huge knowledge from his previous profession. I would safely say of all minsters into the brief, he knows so much about quantity surveying, he knows about pricing of work, which is huge.

“The two of us act as a team, the one thing you will get from us. Yes, we are very good friends since we came up here; yes, I think we met twice before we came up here; we only spoke once.

“Seán is the driver, I am there to offer a bit of support, when he needs it. Seán gives me the privilege of going to meetings [with him], so I am shadowing him and I am still learning.”

As the interview ends and both men get up to leave, Boxer playfully grabs Sean in a headlock and pretends to thump him, as only true friends can.