So this is it. Stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone. Stop the dog from barking, with a juicy bone. Cancel all those pesky appointments, for the election is in sight. Silence the pianos, and with a muffled drum, let us move forward with the end of November in sight. This is the Most Important Election since…. the last Most Important Election four years ago.
And just when it seemed that we were just going to swallow the Enda-isms, roll on past Halloween and then down into Christmas, now comes along the seemingly grounded speculation that we will probably be going to the polls on November 20, with an official announcement on this to come sometime next week.
Of course, all in the media and spin-selling business would love an election to come in the soft marshlands between deep winter and spring. For the revenue. For the coverage. For the need. When the joy of Christmas has been drained out of us and there’s nothing on the telly and nobody calling, sure wouldn’t it be grand to hear the tippy tap of the politicos coming up your driveway and you with nothing to shoot at since the last crow left the Big Barn back in November.
But if an election is upon us in a matter of weeks, the campaign that has been eagerly anticipated will be pushed into a tight three-week period full of post Budget emotions, allied with all of the ammunition that the various candidates will be re-commissioning and using against each other. Some sacred cows may be burgers by the time we get to vote.
And there is a lot at stake. It is probably a very open election, even in the constituencies where conformity is the norm. But there is many a slip twixt the cup and the lip and be prepared for quite a few surprises.
The dogs on the street (not the ones enjoying the juicy bone afortementioned ), but the dogs on the street in Galway (the ones that haven’t been ‘put to sleep’ ) are awash with rumour that there’s a major twist in the tail in this constituency. A sort of last gasp tactical change the likes of which you see on Sundays when Mayo are playing and the full back is suddenly playing full forward. It is believed that in footballing parlance, some teams will “not play as selected.” And if that happens then the odds are shifted and opportunities are created. There are parties still making discreet enquiries about adding to the teams or indeed starting a team in the first place. There are novices and there are old hands and all are prepared to do their best to nail a seat.
There is always rumour and innuendo, but I have a feeling that this election campaign could turn out to the nastiest one ever. The normal banter of electioneering will be taken from the street and run along the lines of social media. This was a crucial element in the Referendum earlier this year and now with as much at stake, if not more, people will stop at nothing to get their point across.
It was always going to be a long cold winter politically, but it’s going to heat up a lot more in the coming six weeks. You have been warned.
