Ring says he would have run again with family support

OUTGOING Mayo Fine Gael TD, Michael Ring, believes that had he run in the next General Election it would have been 'one of the softest' he'd win because of the return of south Mayo to the constituency.

The Westport-based TD announced last week that he is stepping down as a TD for Mayo at the end of the current Dáil term and an end to 45 years in active politics.

Speaking to The Mayo News, Deputy Ring said he was prepared to run again for a seventh term but he was persuaded not to run by his family.

“We made the final decision last week. We had a family get together and I brought them all around and tried to talk one of them to consider going, even in five years time, but none of them have any interest. That was it then. I have three kids and I'm afraid I was defeated four to one. I tried my best and got a small bit of help but he was beaten down as well.

“Their argument to me is I am at the age I am at and I have given it everything so why don't I take it easy for a couple of years. Why do I want to be going up and down that road for the next five years. To be honest I thought about it but look if there will be other opportunities and I will be open to any suggestions but I won't be getting involved in anything controversial or cause me trouble. I have had enough of that in 45 years in politics,” he explained.

Ring was first elected as a TD after he won the 1994 West Mayo by-election and he was elected at the six subsequent General Elections. He topped the poll in three of those elections including the last election in 2020 when he was elected on the first count.

He says his electoral success is built on hard work for his constituents and the loyalty he gets from his supporters in Westport and around Mayo who come out at every election to canvass for him.

Better position

He believes that if he had run again he would have been in a better position to get elected more comfortably with the transfer of part of south Mayo from Galway West into the Mayo constituency.

“As the years go on you start building up your support. The funny thing is this would have been the softest election I had because south Mayo would be coming back and I have a great political base in south Mayo. I have a team there and I know if I went I would have got a big vote and it would have been the easiest election for me if I had stood. There was no Enda Kenny and things have changed. When I think about the votes I got and being up against the leader of Fine Gael and the Taoiseach of the country … I still could do it,” he said.

Ring admitted that he had hoped that one of his three children would consider putting their hat into the ring and run for election. However he said they are not interested and he will have to wait for the next generation to put the Ring name back on the ballot paper.

Very capable

“The family is very capable if they decide to run for election. Suzanne is here with me [working in the constituency office] for 20 years and she knows the game inside out and maybe that is why she doesn't want to go into it. Paula is teaching and has no interest and Micheal is working in Cork but he is thinking of coming back to Mayo.

“I said to them they will get one term out of me and after that they will paddle their own canoe but they have no interest. I will have to wait for my grandson who is the only one I can see who has any interest and loves politics and football so I will have to wait.”