Candidate hopes pedal power will pay off
One candidate is taking that message to the electorate on his bicycle along with his canvasser pet Murphy, a Jack russell.
Freelance photographer Denis Boyle doesn’t mind peddling around the Bandon-Kinsale electoral area in search of votes with Murphy in tow.
The 40-year-old’s unorthodox manner is proving a real ice-breaker with the electorate and he’s taking advantage of it.
“I think all the other [main] parties have lost the run of themselves,” said Mr Boyle, a member of the Reserve Defence Forces and a taekwondo expert — so no messing with him.
Last time out, he voted for Labour but says “never again”, claiming the party had “fooled” voters.
“I want to stand up for the working poor. I’m running because I looked at the list of candidates and thought none of them would represent the likes of me.”
Mr Boyle said he has spent around €3,000 on the canvass and believes he is succeeding in getting his message across.
In Kinsale, he spoke with Tom Compagno, confident he had secured a number one.
“None of the main parties have done anything. He’s OK and as he’s an Independent I think I’ll give him a vote,” said Mr Compagno.
Mr Boyle’s mother Peggy also joined the canvass, which she described as “promising”.
But she’s wise enough to know that voters “don’t always tell you the truth”.
In the town centre, a man shouts at the wannabe councillor: “Fair dues to you. You’re doing your bit for the nation with pedal power.”
Mary Murphy, meanwhile, was one of three women he meets next. “I think he’s very genuine and I’m sick and tired of the other big parties battering each other and then doing entirely the opposite to what they promised in the first place. I hope more independents get elected,” she said.
Unfortunately, a lot of the people he approaches are tourists who won’t be able to vote for him, but overall he’s pleased with the day’s work.
Meanwhile, one candidate who will not be able to vote for himself is Polish plumber Grzegorz Zalewski.
He lives in the North Cork village of Ballyhooly which is in the Fermoy electoral area, but he is contesting the Kanturk-Mallow district.
“That’s because I work in that area,” said the 42-year-old, who moved to Ireland 10 years ago.
Known as Greg to his friends, he’s not just concentrating on canvassing the local Polish population, but claimed if they all voted for him he’d be assured of a seat.
“There are at least 5,000 Polish people living in the [electoral] area. But I’m not concentrating on them alone, although about 30% of my leaflets are printed in Polish,” he said.
Mr Zalewski is reasonably optimistic of his chances. There are 12 candidates and six seats to fill. “Some people are surprised there’s a Polish candidate but they are very nice,” said the father of one who lost his job two months ago.
When the weather is good, he’s out canvassing for up to seven hours a day. “The local property tax and water charges are the big issues on the doorsteps. People are worried about them. They’re also worried about medical cards being withdrawn, while the state of the roads is another big issue.”
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