*Paddy Murphy (IND) outside The Nineteenth Bar.
“IT’s the story of my life, a very sad story,” says Paddy Murphy (IND) as he distributes a printed sheet of his election priorities.
On the go between his coffee shop Anna & Co named after his daughter who is also the grand-daughter of Willie Daly and The Nineteenth Bar, Paddy is in the final stages of his bid for the Dáil.
He’s busy on Tuesday lunchtime in Lahinch and is fresh from a trip to the Cliffs of Moher to see first-hand the congestion at the most visited outdoor attraction in the country.
Visitor numbers are to be welcomed but Paddy’s point is there is such volume at the Cliffs yet Lahinch is not resembling a hive of activity . “Lahinch businesses are really affected by the congestion at the Cliffs, they are encouraging buses to be there for 11am and they are not coming here,” he explains.
“It is not as busy as it should be,” admits one business owner. “We’re not seeing it here, we are trying to get the buses to stop here. We’ve reinvested in the business but we’re just not seeing the bounce back”.. A further setback has been encountered with the confusion surrounding their rates revalution which has prompted the submission of a complaint to Clare County Council.
Tulla native Paddy points out, “we’re not getting enough tourists but we’re obviously faring out much better than East Clare. All the tourists are funneled into the Cliffs and they are turning at the Liscannor Rd”. He said there is no comparison as to the days when the buses were coming off the ferry at Killimer and travelling through Lahinch on their way to the Cliffs.
To prove his theory, one restaurant is completely empty at 13:18 but a café across the way is full to the brim. The costs for the restaurant in having a chef in the kitchen since 9am plus all energy and business fees are flagged by Murphy. Inside, as they wait for visitors, staff are enjoying Paddy’s latest social media post as he points out that one of his ten signs have gone missing.
His literature is left on the counter of the pharmacy store owned by his brother. “It’s the story of my life, a very sad story,” Paddy jokes with staff.
“This is our local politician,” two visitors to the coastal spot are informed.
Paddy points to the post office which is likely to close unless an alternative operator is found. He says rural people living in Moy would often pop down in their tractors to Lahinch’s main street and pop to the post office which would have queues from 08:45. He says their way of life will now be changed.
A friend of Paddy’s and a local business man admits he was due to leave for holidays on Thursday “but my conscious got the better of me so I’ll have to wait until Saturday and give you the vote”.
“I’m a one man show,” comments Paddy of his election campaign. “The next few days are very important,” says the outspoken Donogh O’Loughlin who adds, “Rates are very important”.
