INFAMOUS words of two-time All-Ireland winning Clare manager Ger Loughnane were quoted by Joe Cooney TD (FG) as Presidential hopeful Heather Humphreys (FG) stopped off in Ennis where she dismissed suggestions party leader Simon Harris (FG) has been directed to take a step back from the campaign.
Unlike her opponent, Catherine Connolly (IND) who refused to speak with local media in Clare on Saturday and national media on Tuesday night following the RTÉ Prime Time debate, Heather Humphreys (FG) on both occasions was willing to face questions from the fourth estate.
Noted for his active presence on social media and for having such a prominent role at events in advance of last year’s General Election as party leader, Tánaiste Simon Harris (FG) has been a noticeably less visible figure in the Presidential campaign.
Fielding questions from The Clare Echo, Humphreys said no directive was given from party headquarters for Harris to have a less visible role in the campaign, “Absolutely not, he is doing everything he can to help me as are all the Ministers and TDs”.
She said, “I met Simon yesterday, I’ve been out with him canvassing and he is doing everything he is can, he was away and had to attend duties in the UN but I am in constant contact with him, he is doing everything he can to help me and I fully appreciate that support”.
Welcoming the Presidential candidate to his constituency office in The Market, Ennis, Deputy Cooney remarked, “We’re going to do it, Ger Loughnane said it in 1995 and nobody gave us a chance then either”. Similar sporting sentiments were echoed by Cllr Gabriel Keating (FG) who commented, “it isn’t over until the final whistle”. “When you come from Monaghan, you are used to being the underdog,” she responded.
Former Clare TD and current Chair of Fine Gael’s Clare branch, Madeline Taylor-Quinn (FG) stated, “there isn’t a councillor nor a parish in this county that this woman hasn’t supported”. She said, “we need to do everything we can in the next forty eight hours to get every possible vote until 10pm on Friday. I look forward to welcoming you back to Clare as President”.
Mayor of Clare, Cllr Paul Murphy (FG) said the party had “full confidence” in their candidate winning. Former TD, Joe Carey (FG) and Mayor of Ennis, Cllr Mary Howard (FG) also spoke of the Presidential qualities espoused by Humphreys.
On what she would do differently if starting the campaign, Humphreys admitted, “I’d start earlier, I’ve been going around the country, I’m getting a great reception and that is the truth. I’m delighted to be here in Clare and I’ve been here many times before, I’ve been all around this county in Vandeleur Gardens, in DigiHubs and Clare is one of the fantastic counties for their roll out of the DigiHubs, I was in Ennis to celebrate when Ennis won the Tidy Towns and many other places in Clare, it is a great county and I always get a great welcome when I come here”.
Support from Clare TD Cooney was acknowledged by the Monaghan native. “I’m here with Joe this evening, he is doing a lot of work for me and I’m grateful for that, I’ve a lot of support for Independents, I have Independent TDs and Ministers supporting me, people from the Labour party supporting me and the Green party, I have many people from Fianna Fáil supporting me both publicly and privately, I am a centre ground candidate and I’m pro-European.
“I take a common sense approach to issues and I want to be a president for all of the country, a President with a focus on community and recognises the wonderful work volunteers do and a President that brings unity to communities within the country because I know there is huge division and we can never solve anything unless we sit down and talk, I want to bring that unity to this country as well in terms of Northern Ireland, I feel I’m well placed to have those conversations, and to build trust. I want to be a President who represents the country with pride on the international stage whether it is diplomatically, culturally or to open doors for Irish businesses. I do not promise perfection but I do promise is commitment, passion, hard work and service,” she stated.
