Castlebar fetes Taoiseach-in-waiting Kenny

The hometown theatre of Taoiseach-in-waiting Enda Kenny is celebrating the election victory of Enda Kenny.

Members of his Fine Gael party, worried officials and caught-by-surprise gardaí were forced to use elbows, arms and hands to keep back supporters determined to slap the back of the country’s new chief-in-waiting.

Challenged by one man about being held at a distance, a frantic garda declared: “I’m trying to protect our leader.”

Never mind that counting was continuing in most of the country’s constituencies, and that Brian Cowen officially remained the Taoiseach – Mayo had moved on.

“Taoiseach, Taoiseach,” shouted one of several hundred who thronged the auditorium, pushing forward to shake the hand of Castlebar’s favourite son.

“There’ll be bonfires tonight,” said another.

A full hour after arriving through a side door, the former school teacher who delivered a historic victory for his default Opposition party still had not made it to the other side of the theatre.

Such was the scrimmage around him at one stage, he had to disentangle the flowing locks of a young brunette caught in the buttons on his jacket cuff.

Moments before the triumphant reception, he granted a clandestine and hurriedly arranged interview with Castlebar’s local reporters in the bizarre, shadowy setting of a nearby multi-storey car park.

Down the road in McHales Bar, the apparent triumph of local allegiance over the old Civil War loyalties was being played out among the early evening drinkers.

Padraig, a retired soldier and lifelong Fianna Fail supporter, crossed the pub to shake hands and clink glasses with Fine Gael canvasser Jim, a one time arch rival.

“I gave you my number one,” he said. “Party loyalty is over – no more. I voted for a Mayo Taoiseach.”

People are too worried about the economy and job creation to care about Ireland’s old political divide, said Padraig.

“Will we get some crumbs, what will Enda give us?” he called over to the Fine Gael worker. “We’ll be looking for a whole slice,” came the reply.

But in Castlebar Golf Club, overlooking Mr Kenny’s family home, members were not kidding themselves that even a new Taoiseach could pull in economic favours for his home town.

One lady golfer and neighbour of the Fine Gael leader, who did not want to be named, said everybody was delighted for him but understood his focus would be on the national crisis.

Another neighbour, retired teacher Philip Dunlop, said he was not expecting to see Mr Kenny out on his bicycle or walking his dog along their lane for some time to come.

As another ecstatic roar resounded around The Royal when the Taoiseach-in-waiting was deemed the first party leader elected minutes before 8pm, he had already left on a helicopter to Dublin.