*Cllr Donna McGettigan (SF) with her team.
SINN FÉIN support is growing in Clare in the past fortnight according to Cllr Donna McGettigan (SF) and her team.
It’s chilly in Shannon on Monday evening as she is joined by a team of eleven in her home patch.
Canvassers go to the doors with Cllr McGettigan floating around, when there is an answer or an issue to be discussed, she will then head over to engage with the individual.
Behind one door is a plumber who has voted for Sinn Féin in the past and intends to do so again on Friday. “The only way to get change is to go and vote for change,” Donna says. “We have tried umpteen times,” he responds.
She offers some hope to him by saying a sway at the doors has been visible in the last two weeks. “We are seeing a sway in the last two weeks, people know our policies and they are questioning us on one or two things, when we answer then it seems to make up their mind for them”.
An American staying at an AirBnB tells McGettigan he has voted in an election this month and will be back in his native country by the time she goes before the public this Friday.
Discussion follows at one door on the rail line to Shannon Airport. Cllr McGettigan said elected members of the Council have met with Iarnród Éireann “and it is in their plans” where they were filled with confidence that it will definitely happen. She said it has not been finalised if the spur will go through Cratloe or Bunratty. “My concern is as a Shannon man, I really want to see it happen, I’m pissed off at the Dublin centralisation.
“I don’t like your leader,” admitted one man on Mary Lou McDonald while suggesting Sinn Féin would do better if Michelle O’Neill was in control for the Republic. “I like her she is a fantastic woman, isn’t it great to have two female leaders, she has been very supportive to me,” McGettigan replied.
One female canvasser admits she only joined Sinn Féin to vote for Donna. She engages in a conversation about people not wanting to be interrupted from watching the television and relaxing as reasons for not answering the door, she says she’ll have to catch up on Coronation Street herself which she has been watching for four decades. McGettigan admits she is not one for watching soaps, “there’s enough drama in The Echo to keep me going,” she quips.
How Donna helped to fix lights in Illaunmanagh is remembered by one woman who uses the road to go running, “all the work you do doesn’t go unnoticed”.
“Sorry you are down on my list, there is too much baggage” one man admits to Donna. “For someone so young how can I have baggage,” Donna asks to which he explained, “it’s the party. Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael are not the best but they are better than Sinn Féin”. She replied, “someone suffering wouldn’t say that”.
Actions of Taoiseach Simon Harris (FG) and the criticism he faced after dismissing Charlotte Fallon in Kanturk will aid Sinn Féin, one Shannon man predicted, “Fine Gael are making a right bollox of it, they are helping ye”.
“I really hope you get in, it is time we got those two showers out, I’m sick of them, they have promised everything and done nothing,” remarked another man at the doors.
A young attendee of the Park Runs in the Shannon shouts from the door step, “I love Donna, Donna is my friend” which prompts her to go over and when asked what will he do when he is eighteen, he remarks, “vote for Donna”.
Her team are confident as is Donna that they can return a Sinn Féin TD for Clare for the second General Election in a row but this time they have no intention of letting go of the seat.
