Ghosts of Fianna Fáil past return to give Martin a fright ahead of ard fheis

AS Micheál Martin prepares this weekend for his first ard fheis as Fianna Fáil leader, the atmosphere has been soured as ghosts of the party’s shambolic past resurrect themselves to rattle their chains and pour scorn on his performance.

One such ghoul is former Cork TD, Noel O’Flynn, for whom the passage of time has had an amnesiac effect.

In an interview last week, an immodest O’Flynn was adamant that Cork needed his brand of political representation, and, suggesting he was willing to ‘selflessly’ give up the comfort of retirement and bravely go once more into the breach, said he missed being “the voice of Cork”.