Humphreys avoids criticising Gavin campaign — for now

Asked about Jim Gavin’s slip-ups with social media posts about the Defence Forces, Heather Humphreys seemed somewhat reluctant to criticise him, perhaps hoping to avoid any inter-Coalition spats between Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael. Picture: Niall Carson/PA

The lobby of Tim’s Swift Cultural Centre was packed with people welcoming Heather Humphreys back to a facility that she formally opened two years ago.

The staff proudly told the presidential candidate that some of their protégé performers have already made the leap to London’s West End stages.

There was no stage show set up for her arrival, however, so Ms Humphreys and Senator Linda Nelson Murray climbed the
steps to put on their own performance.

“Who’s singing first?” Ms Nelson Murray asked. "You go first, I’ll do the introduction,” the presidential hopeful replied.

The gathered campaign team, patrons, and reporters didn’t get the chance to hear either sing, with Gwen Bagnall of the Trim Drama Group instead giving her rendition of Beauty and the Beast.

Before she started, spotting the RTÉ cameraman, Ms Bagnall was quick to joke that she should not be filmed.

Once she finished though, she was quick enough to ask Ms Humphreys about the possibility of a performance in Áras an Uachtaráin should the Monaghan woman win.

The Fine Gael candidate assured her there would be support for artists if she did make it over the line, adding: “The big, long answer to the question is, yes you may perform.”

During her walk about the town, teenagers off on their lunch breaks were happy to stop and chat with the presidential hopeful.

One told her that, while he was not eligible to vote as he was aged 15, his parents had promised to back her after her performance on Monday’s debate broadcast on Virgin Media.

Heather Humphreys assured those present at Swift Cultural Centre there would be support for artists if she did make it over the line. Picture: Leah Farrell/RollingNews.ie

Turning in to Nook Home, an interiors shop on Market St, Ms Humphreys ran into business-owner Ursula, who raised concerns about the impact that online shops are having on independent businesses in small towns.

“Independent retail is on its knees,” she told Ms Humphreys, saying it wasn’t possible to compete with markets outside of Ireland.

In response, Ms Humphreys acknowledged the difficulties faced by businesses, but offered up that small businesses can offer better quality compared to products manufactured outside the country.

On her final stop in Trim, her campaign pulled her into Chris Leonard Hardware, where she briefly spoke with the shopkeeper before spotting an assortment of dog beds.

The Fine Gael candidate was quick to buy one, telling her campaign team how Rusty, her Yorkshire terrier, had “chewed the other one to pieces”.

“You’d think he’d have a bit of sense, he’s eight,” she laughed.

During the stop, Ms Humphreys was questioned on her campaign’s use of social media advertisements. She has had far and away the biggest spend of the three presidential contenders.

The large splurge comes ahead of a ban on all political advertising on Meta platforms including Facebook and Instagram from next week in response to new EU rules governing their use.

Is the Fine Gael candidate worried the sudden stop in online political ads is going to damage her campaign? Seemingly not, as she argues there are plenty of other ways to reach people.

There’s many other ways to speak to people and I, most importantly, will be out and about, talking to people, meeting people. 

Asked about Jim Gavin’s slip-ups with social media posts about the Defence Forces, she seemed somewhat reluctant to criticise him, perhaps hoping to avoid any inter-Coalition spats between Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael.

However, she is more than happy to launch a broadside against Independent Catherine Connolly, over her hiring of Ursula Ní Shionnáin, who was convicted by the Special Criminal Court of gun offences.

There’ll certainly be more battling between the three candidates in the weeks ahead, but it’s an open question on whether any Fianna Fáil-Fine Gael detente will last.