WITHIN hours of this paper being printed, the country will be asked to vote for the 34th Dáil, following the dissolution of the 33rd Dáil on November 8th.
That seems like an eternity ago now, and not in the same month as this week’s polling day.
While talk of ‘apathy’ and ‘boring campaigns’ is rampant at the moment, plenty has happened in the last three weeks.
There have been major and minor rows, in public and in private, candidates coming and going for various parties, and even an apology to a Cork constituent from the Taoiseach himself.
But, this Friday at 10pm, it will be all over – bar the counting.
All political nerds in West Cork who have the ability and wherewithal to make it to north Cork will be decamping from this end of the county and heading to the GAA Complex in Mallow on Saturday morning, from 9am.
With three major counts being conducted there – Cork South West, Cork North West and Cork East – it is bound to be a busy venue from the off.
As the tallypersons take their positions along the barriers in front of the counters, and the boxes are opened, piling their hugely important contents onto the tables in front of them, the first signs of who the early winners might be, will become evident.
It’s a hugely exciting time for those on the ballot paper, their families, friends and supporters.
Ireland has held tightly onto its proportional representation system of voting, rather than the ultimately boring ‘first past the post’ system in many other countries.
It means that those leading from early on can be overtaken by other candidates, who poll well in the second, third and later preference stakes.
Irish politics is known as a ‘bloodsport’ for this reason – because only those of a strong constitution would put themselves forward for such a tough and often cruel system of election.
But it is, of course, a very fair system – allowing voters to choose their favourite candidates in order of preference, thereby giving everyone a fair ‘crack of the whip’ so to speak.
While the stakes are high, and leaders can change several times over the course of the day – or days – of an election count, the system is still seen as the ‘Rolls Royce’ of voting, and we are the envy of many other countries whose counting systems are all over in a matter of minutes, with winners declared almost as soon as voting has ended.
Because Ireland has such a wonderfully complex but equitable system, and one we fought very hard to get, it really is incumbent on all of us to vote.
Whoever is in government for the next five years will decide the shape and direction of this country – and that effects each and every one of us.
What’s more, decisions made during that time will likely have even longer repercussions – for example, in agricultural, social welfare, taxation and even climate strategies.
If we don’t vote, and at least give ourselves a voice, we cannot complain later if we are unhappy with the outcome.
You may only have one chance in five years to make your opinions known – so this Friday, anytime between 7am and 10pm, go out and vote.
No counting in Cork South West
A LARGE contingent of West Cork folk will be travelling north this weekend.
Mallow’s GAA complex has been chosen as the location for the counting of three constituencies’ votes – Cork South West, Cork North West and Cork East.
Those travelling from the Beara peninsula, in the constituency of Cork South West, will have a long trip up and back and there is no guarantee that the counting will be finished by Saturday night.
In fact, with three major counts in one centre, it’s highly unlikely. That means either finding accommodation somewhere along the way, or making the arduous trip back up again on Sunday.
It is such a pity that the Cork returning officer opted to abandon Clonakilty for the Cork South West count. The community hall was not a luxurious venue for election counts, with basic bathrooms and no refreshment facilities, other than for staff, and it was not ideal.
But it was ours, and it was accessible. It is a great pity that it has been lost to the constituency.
