Election 2024: Simon Harris meets his 'favourite' Mary Lou on the campaign trail
Taoiseach Simon Harris with Mary Lou Nealon while visiting Sligo Rovers on Tuesday. Her dad, local councillor Fergal Nealon, jokes that his daughter was named 'before I joined Fine Gael'.
After the heated exchanges on the debate stage on Monday night, the last thing you would expect to see is the Taoiseach sharing hugs, laughs and cupcakes with Mary Lou — but here we are.
Of course, it’s not the Sinn Féin leader we’re talking about, but the young girl who Simon Harris dubbed his “favourite” Mary Lou.
The precocious two-and-a-half-year-old is the daughter of Fine Gael councillor Fergal Nealon who jokes that his daughter was named “before I joined Fine Gael”.
Mr Harris is happy to snap some photos with the child although she has a moment’s hesitation.
“Oh no, have I upset Mary Lou?” Mr Harris asks.
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Well, it wouldn’t be the first time, would it?
Little Mary Lou revels in the excitement of the Taoiseach’s visit to Sligo Rovers FC but not all children are as thrilled to meet the leader of the country.
For another young girl, Mr Harris’ presence simply cannot compare to the global icon that is Ms Rachel. She doesn’t so much as glance up from her screen. Well, you win some, you lose some.
There are plenty of people to welcome Mr Harris to the club at the end of a long day of canvassing.
The club is in great spirits after it received €16.4m funding earlier this month to redevelop its stadium.
It is a bittersweet occasion however, as those gathered take the time to mourn the loss of broadcaster Tommie Gorman who had worked on the club’s proposal before his passing in June. Mr Harris says:
“Tommie, I am sure you are looking down tonight and I’m sure you’re smiling and saying ‘We did it!’ and you did do it, Tommie.”
Tea and biscuits at the club’s office mark the end of the 12th day of canvassing which has seen Mr Harris visit around half of all the constituencies.
After a late night debating nine party leaders on RTÉ, it is an early start as Team Harris hits Longford, Roscommon, and Leitrim all by the early afternoon.
While in Roscommon, cafe owner Sham Hanifa gives a grateful Simon Harris a latte on the house — although it comes with a side of straight talk about the struggle facing the industry as Mr Hanifa quizzes Mr Harris on the Vat rate.
The people of Roscommon are not shy when it comes to raising important issues with the Fine Gael leader, seizing the opportunity to bend his ear while they have a chance.
Padraig Glancy tells Mr Harris that, back in 2010, while serving as the minister of state for the Office of Public Works, he had signed off on a flood defence scheme for Carrick-on-Shannon.
Over a decade has passed and the community is still waiting on flood defences, Mr Glancy says.
His own store flooded in 2009 resulting in a six-month closure and he fears a repeat of this “every winter”.
Mr Harris, with a mix of concern and confusion on his face, wonders why it has not been done and vows to have it looked into.
Not everyone was as lucky as Mr Hanifa and Mr Glancy though.
When the Taoiseach enters a restaurant in Roscommon, a man approaches him shouting a question, and is rather abruptly blocked from doing so. Once Mr Harris ducks inside, the doorway is blocked by some of Harris’s team and the man is not permitted to go inside.
The man tells the Irish Examiner that he had wanted to ask Mr Harris about the new rehab unit at Roscommon University Hospital which was promised in 2011 when the hospital’s A&E was closed but has yet to even begin construction.
As Harris and his new energy blaze a trail across the country endeavouring to shake hands with people in every constituency before election day, there is rarely time to stop and chat through the concerns of the people.
The campaign appears to deal in quantity over quality but will these brief encounters win Harris the votes he needs to hold on to the Taoiseach title?
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