The posters are up and ‘Jim is very familiar with all things Mayo’

“The posters are up” in Mayo for Jim Gavin’s presidential campaign and Fianna Fáil Minister for Rural Development, Dara Calleary is looking forward to canvassing with him in the next couple of weeks.

The Ballina-based Minister recalls meeting Jim Gavin for the first time last April at the Ballina Stephenites fundraising dinner in Dublin, alongside his friend David Brady.

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“Jim knows the county very well. His grandfather moved to Clare from just outside Claremorris. And he's very proud of that link, and spoke to me about it a lot in the last several weeks.”

The former Dublin GAA manager broke Mayo hearts during his very success reign, as the two counties went toe to toe. Dublin ultimately triumphing and lifting the Sam Maguire six times. 

Jim Gavin “cherishes that connection to the county”, Minister for Public Expenditure, Jack Chambers tells The Mayo News in Westport. Chambers is a regular visitor to the area as his granny lives just outside Newport. 

“People mightn’t have heard about it when he was manager of Dublin, but I know he's really looking forward to meeting people. He's going to go to Mayo to see his own roots in Claremorris in the next couple of weeks,” the Deputy Leader of the Fianna Fáil Party explains.

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“He's really looking forward to it. He's got lots of strong bonds with the county and respect that was built up during those years where the two teams were playing, and I know many Mayo players and others would have enormous respect and time and regard for Jim Gavin.”

“The work he does in the context of our national sport. The biggest volunteer and community organization, the GAA and the work he's done was being acknowledged by everyone across the country as making a real contribution to improving our sport, and also his role in the Defence Forces too."

Both the campaign teams of the other Presidential candidates, Catherine Connolly and Heather Humphreys, have been contacted to see if they plan to campaign in Mayo. 

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