Irish Times on Cork City Council Election Race

Barry Roche writes a profile for the City Council elections in today’s Irish Times. His opening really sums up the challenge Fianna Fáil faces nationally:

THE BIG question in Cork city, as it is nationwide, is to what extent Fianna Fáil candidates can appeal to personal loyalties to insulate themselves from public anger over the party’s performance in Government and its handling of an economic crisis which has seen unemployment in the city rise by over 7,000 in the year to April 2009.

The analysis of the wards is pretty much in line with my own thoughts. His commentary on the ward I have the most interest in, North Central, reflects the general consensus of most politicos north of the Lee:

The second placed Fianna Fáil candidate looks set for a fight for the last seat with Jackie Connolly, who narrowly missed out on a seat here in 2004 for Sinn Féin but is now running for the Workers Party, Thomas Gould of Sinn Féin or Labour’s second candidate, Paddy Brown.

Everything truly comes down to the extent to which the Fianna Fáil vote shall actually decrease on election day as compared to 2004. If national polls are meaningful in a local elections situation then we are in for considerable upheaval however the degree to which the personality of individual candidates matters in council races cannot be discounted.

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