CONSTITUENCY PROFILE:UP TO shortly before the close of nominations, Donegal North East was viewed as the "Battle of the three Macs" – Joe McHugh for Fine Gael, Padraig Mac Lochlainn for Sinn Féin and Charlie McConalogue for Fianna Fáil – although a Labour candidate, Jimmy Harte, with a pedigree political name reckoned he too was in with a shout.
Then another Mac entered the fray just before high noon on nominations day, MacDara Blaney. By standing as an Independent, he ensured there has been a Blaney on the ticket in Donegal going all the way back to 1927 – with a Blaney elected in every election since then, apart from 1938.
Based in Dublin and running under the banner of the New Vision alliance of Independents, the 40-year-old IT consultant spent a considerable portion of his life in Donegal – much of it canvassing for his late father, the veteran Donegal TD Neil T Blaney.
He hopes to catch what he says is a rapidly developing groundswell of support based on political disillusionment and also loyalty to the Blaney name that would carry him into the Dáil.
If he has anything of the organisational skills of his father, he will spook the three Macs.
Fianna Fáil is already unsettled in this formerly faithful constituency. There is no doubt it will lose a seat because it is only running one candidate.
Times have changed in the constituency because in the elections of 1997 and 2002, Donegal North East was entirely Fianna Fáil – two from regular FF and one from Independent Fianna Fáil, first in Harry Blaney and then in his son Niall. It’s a long fall from grace.
Last time around – after the mending of the fences that were broken when Neil T separated from the party over the Arms Trial – Fianna Fáil was one big happy family here again. However, in 2007 it had to settle for two seats as Joe McHugh retrieved for Fine Gael the ground that was lost when party stalwart Paddy Harte was defeated in 1997.
But Fianna Fáil’s former candidates, Dr Jim McDaid and Niall Blaney are not running. Dr McDaid – according to the Donegal Democrat – rejected overtures from Fianna Fáil to stand again, while Niall Blaney withdrew late in the day, citing personal family reasons. It is now up to Charlie McConalogue, an Inishowen councillor, to ensure all is not lost for Fianna Fáil in Donegal North East.
Padraig Mac Lochlainn is one of the new generation of Sinn Féin activists – articulate and moderate in pitch – who are chomping at the bit to make an impression in the constituency and in Leinster House. He ran close last time and has a reasonable chance of topping the poll.
Joe McHugh from the Fanad end of the county should also be a sure thing to regain his seat, but he can hardly have been enchanted by Fine Gael HQ’s decision to give him a running mate in John Ryan from Inishowen.
Jimmy Harte, Paddy’s son, is standing for Labour and should benefit from the general disaffection in the constituency, as well as his FG family roots and his Letterkenny base. He has huge ground however to make up to have a chance of a seat.
In a general election favourable towards Independents Betty Holmes, Dessie Shiels, Ian McGarvey and Ryan Stewart are hoping to make a shock impression while the 50/1 outsider is Humphrey Murphy maintaining belief in the Greens.
The Three Macs should make it, but they’ll be anxious about the other Big Mac.
DONEGAL NORTH EAST: 3 SEATS
OUTGOING TDs:
Dr James McDaid (FF)*, Niall Blaney (FF), Joe McHugh (FG). *Resigned his seat Nov 2, 2010
DECLARED TO DATE:
Charlie McConalogue (FF), Joe McHugh (FG), John Ryan (FG),
Jimmy Harte (Lab), Humphrey Murphy (GP), Padraig Mac Lochlainn (SF), MacDara Blaney (Ind), Betty
Holmes (Ind), Ian McGarvey (Ind), Dessie Shiels (Ind), Ryan Stewart (Ind).
LOCAL ISSUES:
Jobs, jobs, jobs – or the absence of them – is the issue all candidates are hearing most on
the doorsteps in this unemployment blackspot. There is also the related demoralising issue of emigration.
Roads and general infrastructure and improving cancer services and developing a properly functioning
link-up between Letterkenny General Hospital and Altnagelvin Hospital in Derry are also of concern.
VERDICT: FF 1, FG 1, SF 1
