Tánaiste dons claret and blue on campaign trail in Drogheda

Micheal Martin (right) on the campaign trail in Drogheda. 

Anywhere else in the world and you might think that Micheál Martin was an Aston Villa fan, with a claret and blue flag draped around his neck.

But given he was wandering along the banks of the River Boyne, he could only be wearing the Drogheda colours – just a day after they beat Derry City 2-0 in the FAI Cup final.

Fianna Fáil’s Alison Comyn – who is hoping to be the party’s first TD for Drogheda in over half a century – draped it over his neck.

Laughing, and keenly aware of the potential impact down in Turners Cross, Mr Martin joked: “They’ll love this in Cork”.

The Tánaiste and the former journalist and broadcaster ambled through the streets of the town, stopping to talk with local business people and shoppers.

It was a mostly positive experience, with Mr Martin happening upon a Drogheda native whose family hailed from Blackpool in Cork, with her mother, Mary O’Sullivan, having extolled the virtue of his father who was a bus driver in the city.

But it wasn’t all smiles and shaking hands – some locals did take issue with the Tánaiste’s presence in the town.

One local resident, Sharmyne Dullaghan, took Mr Martin to task over the number of homeless children in the country.

Gaggle of canvassers

“How do you sleep at night with 4,000 homeless children?” she shouted, as the Tánaiste wandered off up the street with his gaggle of canvassers.

A milder encounter saw the Tánaiste enter a hairdressers – Sapphir Hair Design – where he was greeted by people smiling and looking for photos.

Mr Martin left the shop and started moving towards the Scotch Hall shopping centre, but as he turned the corner and came upon a stained glass work made by Harry Clarke, one of the hairdressers caught up to him with a series of questions for him to answer.

Stephanie Richardson was mainly concerned about the high cost of living for people, on a day to day basis, while criticising the government over the cost to send her child to college.

She said that it would cost her between €8,000 and €10,000 a year to send her oldest to college, including fees and accommodation, while highlighting that her family is ineligible for the SUSI grant.

“I pay my taxes, my husband pays his taxes and all them taxes are going to the other children to go to college,” she said, asking what Mr Martin would do for her if returned to government.

She hinted at concerns over people coming into the country and impacting on hospital waiting lists, which Martin rejected outright.

One person, out the window of the Admirals Pub, shouted out that the Tánaiste was a "traitor".

One of the stops was to Tuite’s Butchers – an award winning butchers with trophies lining the windows from competitions they’ve won for their homemade puddings.

Intrigued, the Tánaiste made it clear to the gathered canvassers that he enjoyed collecting pudding on his travails across the country.

Martin, known around Leinster House for his clean eating, takes his black pudding grilled rather than fried.

Asked what his preference was, he was quick to reply: “Obviously, I have to say Clonakilty”

Thomas Tuite, shop owner, came down and was happy to carve up the Tánaiste a chunk of black pudding

“It’s better than that Cork stuff,” Mr Tuite told the Tánaiste.

“I’ll tell you what now, I’ll taste it and let you know,” Mr Martin shot back.