Bowing out of politics to concentrate on her “six gorgeous grandchildren” and write a book, Mary O’Rourke was upbeat and gracious as she made a brief appearance at the Keenagh count centre on Saturday.
A flurry of media activity announced the arrival, just before 6pm, of Ms O’Rourke, who was ready to concede defeat at this early stage, even before the results of the first count had been officially announced.
She polled just 3,046 first preference votes, the sixth lowest vote and almost 700 less than her Athlone-based former party colleague, Independent candidate Kevin ‘Boxer’ Moran, whose strong showing undoubtedly dented her total.
As she settled in for half an hour of radio and TV interviews, accompanied by her son Cllr Aengus O’Rourke, she admitted she was “bitterly disappointed” at not retaining her seat.
“I’m sorry to miss out but I’m not sorry for having run,” she said, acknowledging that she had been targeted by the electorate because of her long association with Fianna Fáil.
Focusing on the positives as she faces life away from the glare of public life for the first time since 1974, the former Minister declared her intention to write a book, and said she is looking forward to concentrating on her grandchildren; “I have six gorgeous grandchildren and more importantly I have my health,” she said.
She also ruled out any chance of running for presidency in this November’s election.
“I’m not interested in the presidency. I never was and I never will be. It’s far too sedate a role for me, I like to talk, but the president is told what to say and when to say it.”
However Ms O’Rourke had no regrets about putting her name on the ballot sheet.
“I feel far better for having run...I have faced up to the challenge and am all the better person for facing up to it. If I hadn’t run I would have been forever saying ‘Mary, you should have faced up to that challenge’.”
