The dark horse: Former jockey and European hopeful Nina Carberry sells herself at cattle mart

The first-time candidate set out to woo farmers at Tullamore mart in Co Offaly

Nina Carberry at Tullamore Mart in Co Offaly. Pictures: Denis Byrne

“You’re the dark horse”, a farmer tells Nina Carberry as she strides around a Tullamore mart.

It’s midday on a Thursday on the outskirts of the Offaly town, with many of the farmers gathered at the mart more interested in the cattle being bought and sold than Fine Gael's European election hopeful in the Midlands North-West constituency.

The champion jockey, TV coach and Dancing with the Stars winner might be a somewhat unlikely candidate, but Fine Gael has a history of bringing in celebrities to try and rake in votes.

Many mart-goers are somewhat bemused as she wanders between sections auctioning off bullocks and heifers, tailed by her campaign team, a local councillor, journalists and photographers.

While they don’t pay her much heed, when Carberry stops to chat with people, with her opening line: “Are you buying or are you selling?” they turn their attention away from the parade ring action to talk to her.

Carberry is comfortable in the environment. Her family background in farming means this wasn’t her first foray into a cattle mart.

One farmer tells Carberry he doesn't believe there is a need for the current green policies, and telling the MEP hopeful he “didn’t believe in climate change”.

He tells her farmers have worked with nature all their lives and know best.

Another speaks at length about the importance of further increasing Ireland’s milk production, saying former agriculture minister Simon Coveney had done a good job abolishing the milk quota almost a decade ago.

Policies around farming are among her key priorities, Carberry says.

“Farming is definitely one of my priorities. I’m from a farming background myself and I love getting out and meeting the farmers, hearing their issues,” she says.

“There’s so many farmers to represent in Europe and to make sure that the CAP [Common Agricultural Policy] is protected and that we see it protected.” 

Nina Carberry tells mart-goers policies around farming are among her key priorities.

Prioritising the commuter belt is another issue, with Carberry hailing from that area herself. She says there is a need for better infrastructure and more amenities.

“The pressure on transport, people getting places on buses as well. It’s just very frustrating. Obviously places for childcare and school places as well, there’s a lot of pressure on our commuter belt.” 

It might seem strange dealing with school places and childcare is high on the priorities list of a prospective MEP, rather than leaving it to a local TD or councillor, but Carberry says this work needs to be done to ensure rural areas have access to European funds.

There was some surprise at Carberry’s announcement in March that she wanted to stand for Europe, with the party already having two sitting MEPs in the constituency — Maria Walsh and Colm Markey.

However, when Carberry sought the nomination, Markey was quietly asked to step down from his position amid chatter he could contest the next general election instead.

Questions have also been raised about Carberry’s relatively low-key campaign. Has the party been protecting this first-time candidate from media scrutiny? Certainly not, she says.

“I suppose I’ve been busy with the campaign, but I’ve done plenty of interviews this week. I’ve done an IFA hustings, I’ve done Chamber of Commerce hustings. I’m doing more media all the time,” Carberry says.

Will she be taking part in any of the debates?

“I’m certainly hoping to but I’m going to keep my head down and keep going and listen to the people in the Midlands North-West.” 

Carberry says, coming from a male-dominated sport, she is used to holding her own and that she needs to start somewhere in politics.

Nina Carberry and Cllr Neil Feighery at Tulamore mart.

After wandering the mart for a while longer, Carberry was escorted up to the canteen, where she encountered a Sinn Féin voter who quickly launched into criticism of Fine Gael and the Government.

The man — who declines to be named – tells Carberry there are too many refugees coming into the country and “we can’t house our own”.

He tells Carberry and Fine Gael's Neil Feighery, who is accompanying the MEP hopeful, it's time for Sinn Féin to be given a shot at governing.

Feighery is firm, telling the voter Sinn Féin would move to abolish a series of policies that assist younger people in purchasing homes — like Help to Buy.

Carberry watches on as the man appears to backtrack, saying he might consider voting Fine Gael.

Satisfied, the two walked off to speak to workers and farmers, while journalists crowd around the man and ask if they had really changed his mind.

He is frank in his response. He hasn't been convinced, he only wanted them to leave him be, and he is more than happy to give Mary Lou McDonald’s party the number one vote.

The atmosphere becomes more welcoming as Carberry walks into the main office of the mart, meeting with people busy manning the phones and enquiries desk.

One woman remarked to her: “I never missed a programme you were on.” 

As she leaves the building and makes her way to her campaign car, Neil Feighery tells gathered journalists he had brought Fine Gael candidates to the mart before and none had been as well received as Carberry.

“We’re in contention,” Carberry tells the Irish Examiner. “We just need to keep going for the next two weeks and reassure people that I am going to do the job and I’m going to work very hard for them. That’s really my drive and determination that I’m going to bring.”

Whether or not this is the case and if Carberry is a dark horse in this race, all will become clear when ballots are cast and votes totted up on June 7.