From anti-pylon campaign to canvassing for a seat in Europe for Kieran Hartley

It’s the day after the night before and Kieran Hartley is a bit surprised, but more than happy to get a few glances and comments of recognition as he strides through Clonmel.

“You were great last night,” Sheila Meaney says, in praise of his appearance on Monday on the Prime Time debate for the South constituency. “When you got a word in.”

The Fianna Fáil candidate is polling far behind his running mate, sitting MEP Brian Crowley, and was on the second debate of the night which followed that featuring the leading four players across the 10 counties.

Elsewhere, another woman wasn’t so familiar with the latest: “I didn’t see the debate last night, I was working.”

Her workplace is South Tipperary General Hospital in Clonmel, in the news lately because of overcrowding, particularly in the emergency department. “It’s very stressful up there, very short-staffed. We definitely could do with a bit more hands-on support.”

It’s a line also thrown out by the Euro-hopeful himself, as he laments elements of his campaign which only started when he was ratified by Fianna Fáil in March. “The HQ could have entered me into the race with a long time to go and given me a higher profile. But there’s only so much you can do with a constituency this size.”

Asked if an opinion poll last weekend, which put him on just 2% support, was disheartening, he replies “Yes, of course, it is,” before adding the cliché: “The only poll I’m worried about is the one on the day.”

In Tom Power’s butcher shop on Gladstone St, the candidate poses close to a pig’s ear, although that’s not meant as a metaphor for the Fianna Fáil campaign. Customer Valerie O’Callaghan is not making any promises after Kieran points out he’s a newcomer to politics and is looking for all the support he can get. “You’ll have my son’s vote anyway, he’s a young Fianna Fáiler,” she says.

“That’s what we need, young people,” he replies, telling her his home is Mahonbridge in Co Waterford. “I’m the guy who started the anti-pylon campaign.”

“Oh very good, you’re one of us so,” she retorts, offering some hope.

The gloomy weather resembles an attitude to politics which he says is becoming particularly prevalent among young people. “You’re getting towards a situation where people will stay away from it, young people won’t vote, and I don’t blame them. Politics is a dirty word.”

Among the subjects that have cropped up regularly since he joined the campaign 10 weeks ago, Hartley says, include water, local services, energy provision, and youth employment. “We’ve got to get the youth back working.”

Another woman, from the village of Drangan, tells him she’s involved in most of what goes on in the community.

“That’s the heart of the country,” he says. “I started the anti-pylon campaign because I wanted to bring people together in the community. They [authorities] thought they would divide us, but it’s brought us together.”

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