On October 26 – this day four weeks – the Irish electorate will go to the polls to decide whether to send Michael D Higgins back to Aras an Uachtaran for another seven years or choose one of the five challengers to become the country’s 10th president.
Gavin Duffy, one of those candidates wishing to usurp Michael D, was in Portlaoise this morning as part of his campaign – and insisted that the election is not a foregone conclusion, despite a recent poll suggesting that the incumbent is an unbackable favourite.
He had breakfast in The Pantry restaurant and coffee shop before meeting some members of the Downtown Portlaoise traders group including Ladonna McCartan and Mark Healy from The Pantry and Gerry and Alison Browne from Gerry Browne Jewellers.
He also mingled with customers and posed for photographs before dropping into other local businesses in the Market Square and chatting with some of those involved in the weekly Friday Farmers Market.
It was then on to Portlaoise College where he was speaking to 5th year students on the back of an invitation from principal Noel Daly.
Duffy, a well-known businessman from Kildare who has been on Dragon’s Den since 2009, said that he has travelled over 5,000km since July, spoke to 15 councils – and is “pleasantly surprised” by the reaction as he tours the country canvassing for votes.
“(I’m) pleasantly surprised at the great reaction I’m getting,” he said when speaking to LaoisToday this morning in The Pantry.
“It’s an advantage and a disadvantage coming from a TV show. People say you don’t have public service but people know who you are.
“They come up to you, they engage with you. Reaction has been very positive. Not just people wishing me luck. People saying ‘yeah, maybe we need a change’ and that is interesting.”
‘Political bubble’
Does it annoy him that he’s being dismissed in many quarters because he doesn’t have a political background and he has made his name in business circles?
“It genuinely doesn’t irk me. In fact, the more it’s said that you’re not of the political establishment, the more serves me well. When it’s said to me in the media, I almost welcome it.
“I do think some of our political class live in a sort of a bubble that starts at the bottom of Kildare Street and ends at the top.
“I think if the presidency is truly above party politics as it’s supposed to be I don’t see why someone like myself should not be considered.
“The one thing I have to accept – I do understand media and I started out in it – is that critique when you’re a business person, there’s more questions asked of you – your clients, who you’ve worked with. I just accept that that’s par for the course. The one thing I’ve been saying all along is I welcome all the questions is the value and character of the persone you’re going to elect as president is very important.
“Without arrogance I know as a business person that I have conducted myself with the highest integrity at all times. I’ve no fear or concerns at all.
“I’m happy to stand over it. There are certain things I will have to explain. But I know everything is above board.”
Personal life
Duffy was accompanied by his wife Orlaith Carmody and other members of his team – and while he knows a presidential campaign in particular can get dirty, he’s confident that there are no skeletons in his closet that will damage his chances.
“With our adult children – they’re 20 to 24 – I don’t think we would have run if we weren’t convinced – we’re married 25 years.
“I know there is nothing in my personal life that is going to come out. So I know I can put myself forward to the people of Ireland knowing that, if I am elected, I am someone who has the character and values they would like.”
“It’s a hectic month ahead. Since the last week in July up to now, I think in any 24-hour period I haven’t had any longer than six hours in a bed. Because even if you do get to bed you’re wired. It’s exciting, it’s an adrenaline rush.
Long shot
We put it to him that it’s shaping up to be a big victory for Michael D Higgins, who is currently 1/5 with the bookies, with Sean Gallagher next at 5/1 and Duffy at 14/1, albeit being given a better chance than Joan Freeman (25/1), Liadh ni Riada (33/1) and Peter Casey (66/1).
“Is it a long shot?” he responds. “What you say about the odds are absolutely correct at this stage.
“But presidential elections and the history of them is that frontrunners haven’t necessarily ended up as the frontrunner on the day.
“Amazingly the only other time we had an election of an incumbent (when Fine Gael’s Tom O’Higgins challenged Eamon de Valera, then aged 83, in 1966), it came down to 10,000 votes (less than 1%). I’m not sure that the big lead that is there is going to last.
“But look it, yes, we will need at some stage, some issue that will make Michael D Higgins voters think ‘maybe’ – and we have to be in a position to take advantage of that.”
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