MULHERIN, Michelle FG The Political Interview
Aine Ryan aineryan@mayonews.ie THERE’S a fun photograph of Michelle Mulherin draped across the outstretched arms of a line-up of Mayo Fine Gael’s heavy gang. It clearly exudes a dizzy euphoria. No wonder. It was a perfect snapshot of the atmosphere in the Traveller’s Friend Hotel on the evening of Saturday, June 12, 2004. It may be assumed that a beaming Enda Kenny is wallowing in the fact that his party’s meltdown of two years previously, the 2002 General Election, had been dramatically redressed in the local elections. Fine Gael had swept into power on Mayo County Council.
And adding to the sweetness of the victory, it had managed to elect its first female county councillor and, moreover, its first female Ballina Town Councillor. Meet Ms Michelle Mulherin. At 35, this north Mayo legal eagle is the upcoming General Election’s second youngest candidate in Mayo and just a year older than her Ballina running-mate, Fianna Fáil’s Dara Calleary.
Some political pundits claim that Calleary’s political pedigree ensures he is the favourite among the election debutantes, while the other Fine Gael newcomer to the fray, John O’Mahony, has a natural advantage due to his GAA profile as Mayo manager.
Michelle Mulherin is undaunted by such strategic assets and is emphatic that she is not being used as ‘a sweeper’ for the other three Fine Gael candidates in the county, Enda Kenny, Michael Ring and John O’Mahony.
“If I was a sweeper, I wouldn’t be doing this. If I didn’t think I had a chance of being elected, I wouldn’t be going forward. This is a serious business and I’m not afraid to fight my campaign and debate with anybody,” she said quietly but firmly.
We were sitting drinking cafés au lait in the snug of one her favourite Ballina haunts, Gaughan’s. Will it be a war-of-words and a blood bath in Ballina?
“To tell you the truth, I have no agenda to attack anybody or engage in any war of words. Nor am I interested in doing so. It’s about issues and not tittle-tattle between me and somebody else. I think ultimately it can be soul-destroying for a politician. I don’t subscribe to the notion that you have to lose your soul to politics. I think the issues that are hurting people are so serious.
“My focus is on something way bigger than petty griping. We’ve fallen way behind in infrastructure and the benefits aren’t being felt here. I’m fully convinced that there’s need for a change of government. It can never be about me, my ego, personally and how I feel about it. It’s the issues. Feelings can come and go but the issues remain.
Michelle Mulherin repeatedly alludes to the concept of ‘issues’. The former Crossmolina Tigers basketball player - who claims her best skill on the court was as a rebounder - has been hearing all about ‘the issues’ on the doorsteps of Ballina.
“I’ve been out canvassing for the past few weeks, and lots of different issues are raised, jobs being way top of the list. But the general consensus is, whether it’s solicited or unsolicited from people, that we need a change of government. The response on the doorstep can be summarised by one word – ‘neglect’. There have been some jobs created in the retail sector, but the hard core of jobs in industry has not been replaced.
“The truth is that it will be 15 years before the Ballina Ring Road is completed. The truth, also, is that the N26 may well be on a list, along with the gas and programmes for cervical and breast screening, but when will they come on stream? At some vague point down the line? When will they become a reality? In five, ten, 15 years’ time. Is that good enough?
“I believe there’s a weariness about the public, and I suppose it’s because in their hearts they know they have been short-changed. Meanwhile, the Government’s PR machine continues brainwashing us with propaganda. I believe the job for Fine Gael is to cut though that and inspire confidence in people again.
“Fine Gael in Government is not and will not be the same as the last government.”
Centre stage is a natural environment for thespian, Michelle Mulherin, a former ‘Kate’ in Dancing at Lughnasa. She has consistently been one of the most vocal and passionate proponents of a new theatre for Ballina.
“Everybody isn’t sports-orientated. Can you imagine the uproar if we had a football team in this town without a pitch. There are lots of artists and writers and drama groups in north Mayo who have no forum to express themselves. And, then, we have one of our nationally-acclaimed modern playwrights, John Breen, living here, and he doesn’t have a place to put on his stuff. We are so fortunate to have him in this town.”
She is passionately committed to the practical benefits of community arts and their outreach abilities, especially to peripheral groups. As we abandon many of our traditional institutions –she cites the Church as an example – time for reflection has been squeezed out of our busy lives. She believes the arts have an innovative and meditative role to play here.
“How often do we look at a sunrise or sunset anymore?”
She believes that one of the inherent flaws of the Celtic Tiger has been the loss and weakening of cultural identity. That’s one reason also that the poly-linguist – she speaks French, German and Irish – stridently defends the ‘cúpla focail’.
“So by losing ourselves in the interest of economic advancement, we’re losing our cultural identity which then leads to insecurity in Irish people when confronted by other nationalities, who are very strong in their cultural identity. We see them as a threat, that’s why keeping our language, as a clear indicator of our heritage, is so important.”
Michelle Mulherin is clearly from the Garret FitzGerald and Richard Bruton wing of the Fine Gael Party. She patently could never have subscribed to church-gate or parish-pump politics. That doesn’t mean she doesn’t excel in the waspish and witty banter that is the hallmark of Council meetings. Essentially, she is a professional, the progeny of the Celtic Tiger and a new generation of politician.
“You know the job of a solicitor is very like the job of a politician. You are entrusted with people’s problems and you fight their cases.”
On the record
Michelle Mulherin on... > food and drink “I’ve a voracious appetite … especially for politics. I’ve eaten alligator, goat, steak, fish. I love Chicken Jalfrezi and, of course, a nice cheeky Bordeaux or Merlot. But dessert is my favourite, I’m especially partial to Chocolate Fudge Cake.”
> bad hair days hair “My hairstyle has become more radical since I was first elected to Ballina Town Council in 1999. I’ve been blonde, pink and red.”
> school and getting into trouble “I went to Breaffy NS and St Mary’s Secondary School. I loved languages and history. If I broke the rules, I was always too clever to get caught.”
> family and family values “My grandfather, Paddy Mulherin, was Ballina’s first hackney driver and he had a pub on Abbey Street. He was originally from Attymass. My mother’s people, the Conveys, were farmers from Cloonislaun. My Dad runs a taxi service and my mother operates a school-bus service. I am the eldest of three girls; Karen is a vet and Grace is a barrister. My Mum and Dad brought us up with a strong sense of values regarding social justice and one’s duty to stand up and be counted.”
> the gender gap in politics “The gender gap really hits home the more I advance in politics. Notwithstanding the fact that we are all receiving equal education, there is still a male network in politics, business and particularly the GAA. The same job has to be done in terms of issues, but it’s the male agenda that dominates. A lot of men in politics seem to think that shouting and making noise is enough, while ignoring the substantive issue. Men tend to put themselves centre stage, while women put the issue to the centre and themselves in the wings.”
> singing “I’ve been known to sing at a session. My present hit-single is Johnny Cash’s ‘Walk the Line’.”
> immigration “The attitude of our Minister for Justice is appalling in the example he sets. Because of our lack of proper immigration policy, we’ve left non-nationals interested in coming here with two options: they can try and get a work permit, which leaves them beholden to the employer or on the other hand claim asylum. There must be dialogue with non-nationals. It’s a bit like developing a policy on disability and not talking to the disabled.”
> romance “I have a long-term special friend for the last ten years.”
> heroines “Mary Robinson has been an inspirational figure for me. It is testimony to her character that she came from a privileged background, had established her legal career and, despite being in a a comfortable place, concerned herself with civil liberties. It was so impressive the way she took ownership of the Presidency, she spoke to the hearts of the people and is responsible for how we view the role of President now.”
