Fine Gael's Tom Barry hopes to be standing tall after vote

In Fermoy, three statues commemorate the town’s monastic past. The monks are affectionately known as the Three Amigos. The question on everybody’s mind is who will be the Fourth Amigo — or TD — for the Cork East constituency.

Tom Barry, one of the two outgoing Fine Gael TDs, can’t predict it, which is hardly surprising considering the amount of undecided voters he encountered on a canvass in north Cork.

“It’s very hard to call. Last time there was major anger against the [Fianna Fáil-led] government for the way they let the country down,” he says. “There’s a strong possibility there could be a minority FG/FF government returned.”

On a canvass in Castletownroche, he encounters one of the oldest voters in the constituency, Hannah Drinan, who will be 100 in August.

She has a problem with her pension here, having spent years nursing abroad. Barry promises to look into it for her, then spends a considerable time listening to her recollections of her youth in north Cork.

“Sometimes I have clinics every week in areas, but you don’t get to meet people like Hannah at them,” he says. “If I’m re-elected I’ll start knocking on doors again to meet such people.”

The Tánaiste has responded to the Taoiseach's 'whingers' comment https://t.co/K2Trd0BMen pic.twitter.com/t7fFQSXimT

— Irish Examiner (@irishexaminer) February 22, 2016

He ensures Hannah that she would get a cheque from the President for her 100th. “I’m looking forward to that,” she replies.

Local postmistress Helen O’Regan is undecided but indicates that Barry would probably get some kind of preference. “Fine Gael have straightened things out, but they have crucified some people,” she says.

Next stop on the canvass for the 47-year-old agri-business owner is the village of Shanballymore, which is celebrating its junior B hurlers winning the Munster championships.

Business isn’t great at the Corner House pub, says owner Mary Irwin: “Small businesses have been wiped out. I was here the other night from 7.30pm to 12.30am with just three customers. I’m driving them all home as well. This business is as good as closed.”

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Barry managed to get the OPW to take over the nearby historic Annesgrove gardens and tells Mary he hopes this would provide her with a passing tourist trade.

In Glanworth, he gets the nod from Patsy O’Brien, but then encounters John Guinevan, who contested the 1986 election for the Progressive Democrats. He says he was going back to his Fianna Fáil roots for this one.

The Taoiseach has been forced to apologise for his 'whingers' remark https://t.co/gZKgB9tWmm pic.twitter.com/xsBivplrXL

— Irish Examiner (@irishexaminer) February 22, 2016

“They wouldn’t make the same mistakes this time,” says John. “They were unfairly blamed as it was a global meltdown.”

In Fermoy, Ann Daly tells Barry she is voting for his colleague, David Stanton, whom she describes as a gentleman doing national work.

“TDs shouldn’t be getting involved in getting medical cards and fixing potholes, that’s for councillors,” she says. Barry nods in agreement.

Chloe O’Brien, 22, is another undecided, but said she would turn up to vote.

“I’ve left no stone unturned in this campaign,” says Barry. “Win or lose, there’ll be no regrets.”

It's all to play for as Election 2016 campaigns enter their final days https://t.co/qJKrzBNKHd (DOD) #GE16 pic.twitter.com/7lsAXaI5Wh

— Irish Examiner (@irishexaminer) February 22, 2016