No posters? No problem for Mark Duffy

TWO things strike you driving into Ballina on a thundery May evening; traffic and election posters.

In fairness, the Foxford Road is not the worst place to put them, because you’ve little else to be at when stuck in traffic but looking at mugshots of Maria Walsh, Antonio Cafolla, Úna Morris et cetera.

One man whose face you won’t find cable-tied to an ESB poll is Mark Duffy.

Back in 2019, the Ballina native came from almost nowhere to win a council seat, almost topping the poll in the Ballina Local Electoral Area without the backing of a party or a single poster.

Election posters have been a topical issue of late.

In Westport and Claremorris, for instance, many incumbents have entered non-binding agreements with each other not to erect any posters.

It’s been argued that an outright ban would disadvantage new candidates looking to get their name out there.

With five years’ worth of name recognition built up in office, Cllr Duffy will likely be re-elected comfortably in this election.

So how did he get in as a poster-less Independent newcomer back in 2019?

“Campaigning and canvassing at the doorstep, but also I was really strong on social media in terms of pushing my message out there on social media,” Cllr Duffy tells The Mayo News shortly after we embark on the canvass in his black ‘05 Toyota.

Unlike some politicians, he’s not in favour of an outright ban on posters. Perhaps, instead, designated spaces for posters to condense and contain the quinquennial crop of cardboard.

There are other means of communication nowadays. From half-five ‘til about eight o’clock every evening between now and June 8, he laces up his white casual shoes and undertakes the oldest method of all.

But even calling to the doors isn’t quite what it used to be.

“The level of people answering the door is not as high as it was five years ago. I think the way it’s going to go with people, socially they are different after the pandemic,” Cllr Duffy says.

“You see more and more of these ‘ring doorbells’ which can be a new way of communicating with people without actually having the direct interaction.

“Some people, you’re disturbing their evening, other people enjoy it because they’re getting the opportunity to meet candidates and representatives.”

Braving a drizzle that will soon become a deluge, we take our first steps into lovely Ardoughan.

It’s a new estate. So new, that there’s a digger and a dumper parked up at the entrance while the main green space is still mostly brown.

_{Cllr Mark Duffy canvassing in the Ardoughan Woods estate near Ballina}

Young couples

Every house we stop at is occupied by young couples. Some are still dressed in their working clothes including former Mayo footballer Ger Cafferkey and his wife, who chats everything from Instagram to weddings with the local councillor.

Clearly a popular man among younger voters, the 32-year-old Cllr Duffy gets a promise of a vote in around half a dozen houses, where he knows many of the occupants by name.

Then again, these are happy homeowners, who seem content with their lot.

Some won’t be around on June 7 to vote for him, such as Richard McNieve, who answers the door in a Bonniconlon jersey and shorts alongside his wife, Laura, who’ll be at a wedding in Chicago.

“I hope the county final won’t be on for the next one!” blurts an optimistic Richard.

“I’ll vote for you!” interjects Alan Loftus from next door.

Across the street, St Muredach's College Principal Wayne Walsh emerges with his children, Abbie, Reuben and Wayne. He invites us in for tea, which Cllr Duffy politely declines.

A few doors over, Doireann Quinn smiles throughout Cllr Duffy’s elevator pitch and sees us off with the words: “Consider it done.”

It’s all friendly small talk, except for one young woman who raises concerns about hedge-planting in the vicinity.

She voted for Cllr Duffy last time and will likely do so again.

“You have our vote,” says another lady who answers the door in red pyjamas cradling a smiling baby.

By the time Rodney O’Donnell arrives to help, the councillor in the blue sporty jacket and the white shoes hasn’t had one bit of hassle.

What little stick he gets in the real world, however, is made up for in the online world which helped him make his name in the first place.

One fictitious troll’s tale claimed that he followed a busload of 60 Ukrainians into Ballina before they were subsequently dispatched at a local hostel.

Big issue

He acknowledges that the immigration is a big issue locally, but feels councillors are being unfairly targeted for it.

“If it was something you could do something about it would be different,” he comments.

You’ll please all the voters in one estate, but you definitely won’t please all the people all of the time.

Particularly not faceless commenters on social media.