TWO WHIRLWINDS hit Donegal yesterday. Whereas the first was supporting the rain and the mist, the second was backing the Fine Gael candidate in the byelection.
It was of course Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny, who swooped in to smile and shake hands with every man, woman and child he met as he canvassed votes for Cllr Barry O'Neill, his party's standard-bearer in Donegal South West.
Since they are about the same age and have enjoyed similar political longevity, it must be left to historians to decide whether Kenny learned his canvassing style from Bertie Ahern or vice versa.
Their approach is remarkably similar: don't stop for long with any individual but keep moving all the time so that you meet the maximum number of people, because that is the way to have the greatest impact.
Indeed, the Fine Gael election team's slogan could be "Fág an bealach (clear the way)" as they sweep amiably through a shopping centre in the seaside resort of Bundoran, with town councillor Denise Connolly leading the way.
"A good fresh morning in Bundoran," said Kenny, in what proved a major understatement in meteorological terms.
His aunt, Bríd O'Connor, is well known in the area having taught Irish at secondary-school level.
After shaking hands at a supermarket check-out, Kenny declares confidently: "That's three out of the last four votes we've got." Minutes later, having greeted someone else, he says: "That's another vote."
The only individual immune to the Fine Gael leader's charm is a small infant who protests loudly at being lifted aloft for a photograph.
Mr O'Neill is a local lad and knows just about everyone he meets. "You can, if you want to, report that I'm voting for Barry," says butcher Micky Byrne, originally from Sligo.
In real life O'Neill produces a sports programme on RTÉ Radio and, under the station's guidelines, is on unpaid leave for the duration of the election campaign. There are 14 stops on the whirlwind tour, beginning with a radio interview on local station Ocean FM at 9.15am and finishing up 12 hours later at a meeting with party activists.
One of the scheduled stops is Ballyshannon where a bookmaker has the Fine Gael candidate in third place at 7/1, with Sinn Féin Senator Pearse Doherty the favourite at 4/6 and Fianna Fáil Senator Brian Ó Dómhnaill second favourite at 6/4.
Undeterred, Kenny slams down a €10 note, declaring to the other patrons: "I'll be back to collect my winnings."
Then it's on to a day centre for senior citizens and, as Kenny works the crowd, an elderly citizen confides that he won't be voting on November 25th. "Why should I? Politics in this country is a disaster." But his friend beside him is voting Fine Gael. "Why wouldn't I? I always did."
At a lunchtime news conference in Donegal town, the Fine Gael leader describes the byelection as "a referendum on the Government".
Despite the obvious political benefits of attacking the Coalition on pensions, he refuses to say at this stage what Fine Gael would do in government on that issue.
While predicting that O'Neill will win, Kenny says Fine Gael will "consider the position" on transfers to other candidates.
Later, in Ballybofey, Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams calls for transfers to his party.
It's true that most observers see Doherty as the strongest challenger to Fianna Fáil. O'Neill is well liked but, even in the Fine Gael entourage, there is a question as to whether he has the "X-factor" in this particular contest.
Despite whispers that sitting Fine Gael TD Dinny McGinley is less than enthused by the O'Neill candidacy, he turns up in Donegal to declare full support. "He's the best ticket I have to Dublin after the next general election".
