It takes immense courage to put your name on the ballot paper and your face on an election poster. Actually thanks to literacy campaigner, Castlebar man Ernie Sweeney, we now have faces on ballot papers too.
At 24-years-of-age some young people are beginning to realise there is a world outside of weekend binge fests, summer sun in Ibiza, and getting access to mammy and daddy’s car to go spinning around town.
But for a lot, the realisation that the choices we as the electorate make on polling day actually has a massive impact on our lives, comes earlier than 24. A lot of young people spend the first couple of years after graduation enjoying life, foot loose and fancy free. And why wouldn’t they.
But the world’s a changing and now graduates are faced with the prospect of unemployment, emigration, poverty even. They are denied the opportunity to be weaned into full-time, grown up status slowly and are instead plunged straight into the depths of despair as their future looms before them, shapeless and devoid of much optimism. That is largely due to the fact that our economy has been so badly mis-managed since the Tiger died.
This generation need to decide over the coming weeks which party will be best placed to get this country back to full employment so they don’t have to wave bye-bye to family and friends.
But one Ballyheane lass is standing up for her peers who are faced with little more than an emigration ship.
Lisa Chambers has put herself forward at the age of 24 to contest the General Election as a Fianna Fáil candidate.
She’s not afraid of the mighty Michael Kilcoyne who is hotly tipped to take the traditional Fianna Fáil seat in Castlebar which is being vacated by retiring Beverley Flynn
Involved in politics as chairperson of the Castlebar Town Cumann, Lisa was ratified on Wednesday night by her party peers.
Some might say this is pure lunacy in a town where the Taoiseach in waiting will certainly attract a massive vote. Coupled with the Kilcoyne factor Lisa has set herself a mammoth battle.
Realistically speaking its hard to see her win a seat but at the very least she should generate a profile for herself and set out her stall for the future. Hopefully she won’t be annihilated because what this country needs is young, enthusiastic politicians like Lisa who aren’t afraid of putting themselves forward to tackle the problems we face head on.
A couple of thousand votes for her would be an exceptional return but filling Beverley Flynn’s shoes could be out of reach yet.
Down the road in Ballina Loretta Clarke and Martin Daly will be looking to offer an alternative to the mainstream Fianna Fáil/Fine Gael options. Known well on the local scene, but less so further afield, it seems unlikely that their contribution will be cause for much concern for the local big guns of Calleary and Mulherin among whom the real race will be run. But they are putting themselves out there, standing up for what they believe in and only time will tell how much of the electorate is looking for a break from the status quo.
Anyone wanting to support Green policies will be able to do so in the form of John Carey from Kilmaine. Whatever way you decide to vote, just remember that these first timers especially, were not part of the old regime that has brought our country to it’s knees and they are offering an alternative. Question is: Do you really want an alternative?
Toni Bourke
Editor [email protected]
