Bertie visits Claremorris

MIDAS TOUCH An Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern surprised local children when he arrived at Claremorris Swimming Pool during his Mayo visit last week.

Bertie gets warm Claremorris welcome

TAOISEACH’S VISIT
Michael Commins

MAYO provided An Taoiseach Bertie Ahern with an oasis of peace and contentment when he stopped by in Claremorris on his visit to the constituency last Thursday. The tension of the early days of the campaign was but a memory as he relished the fresh challenge of the nationwide trails.
The helicopter carrying the Taoiseach touched down right on time. His first stop was the railway station where a nice gathering of the party faithful from over a wide area was on hand to greet him.
The party’s three Mayo candidates, John Carty, Dara Calleary and Frank Chambers, were pleased to see the ‘chief’ on their home turf. Fianna Fáil enthusiast Jimmy (Seamus) O’Boyle from Ballyhaunis managed to get Bertie’s ear for a brief few seconds.
He had quick handshakes with supporters, including a small group of students from Mount St Michael Secondary School, before spending a few relaxing minutes with some of the local Iarnród Éireann staff in their office while awaiting the arrival of the Dublin train.
No doubt, some of the more senior stalwarts had seen it all before. They had been out to welcome Charlie Haughey and Albert Reynolds in former years while a few would have fond memories of Jack Lynch on his visits to Mayo back in the 1970s.
From the CIE station, it was time for a quick dash to the new Retail Park on the old Ballindine Road and from there a brief visit to the Dalton Inn Hotel where three members of the local soccer club were happy to pose with Bertie and Deputy John Carty.
One of Bertie’s chief security men, Detective Garda Liam Beirne, was very much among his own in Claremorris. His brother Kevin and his dad Tom reside in Claremorris. Kevin is a selector with the Mayo minor team this year.
At the local swimming pool, Bertie’s visit took the young children from Meelickmore and Dunmore schools by complete surprise. It was showtime when they spotted the Taoiseach and the deafening cheers were akin to those reserved for stars of stage and screen.
There was also a short visit to the Office of Public Works site on the Ballyhaunis road before the Taoiseach dropped in to the new McWilliam Park Hotel where he posed for photos alongside directors Seamus Gallagher, Damien Prendergast and John Killeen, as well as some of the staff.
Some minutes later, he fielded questions from the media on a number of local and national issues. Matters relating to the decision of Tony Blair to step down as British Prime Minister, the role of Ian Paisley in the Northern Peace Process, the Western Rail Corridor and some other issues were dealt with by Bertie in a detailed and relaxed fashion.
Had he waited another few minutes, questions regarding the role of Beverley Flynn (if elected) in the formation of a new government would surely have surfaced but time constraints saw to it that Bertie had to make haste by helicopter to Castlerea.
After all the media furore of the early days of the campaign, there was a tangible feeling that Bertie sensed he had turned the corner. The Mayo welcome was warm and hospitable. One felt he would have loved to have spent a longer time in Claremorris where the pressures of a week earlier seemed a million miles away. It was clear that he has been buoyed up by the rallying of the party faithful and the belief that the Fianna Fáil campaign is very much back on track again.
When asked did he recognise the ‘new look’ Enda Kenny on the Fine Gael party posters, Bertie broke into a big smile and, with a hearty laugh, added ‘I better say nothing!’.