The man from Mayo gets to show his mettle

A RECENT opinion poll showed the satisfaction rating of Enda Kenny had risen to 47%.

Could this have anything to do with the fact that now the election is called, he is entitled to almost equal coverage on RTÉ and the national media.

People get to meet, see and hear him and the real person gets a chance to flourish. This is in stark contrast to the past when he was portrayed as a sort of brainless, harmless nonentity from the west, and particularly from the bogs below Belmullet, as the song says.

This was reminiscent of a former Fianna Fáil leader from Longford who was famously described as being of the “country and western set”.

One does not have to be of the Pale to get a chance in this country, even if this is slow to dawn on some commentators who operate to their own agenda.

Brendan Cafferty

Cregg Road

Ballina

Co Mayo