This morning we were awakened by the news that our prime minister trotted over to our president at 8:00am, dragged her away from her porridge and got her to dissolve the Daíl (parliament to most of you), thereby calling a general election. The only thing that surprised us in all of this was the fact that it happened on a Sunday and at the crack of dawn but then she was due to leave at 9:00am for a week's state visit to America and wouldn't be round to sign the necessary papers. Why he didn't do it sooner, God alone knows. It's not as if he didn't know she was going to the States - after all it is a state visit and in any case our Constitution requires the prsident to seek the permission of the government to leave the country. Nor was it a "snap" election. We are due for a general election since this government's term of office is due to expire in June and the question has been not "if" but "when". The signs of electioneering have been around for some time as various candidates have been selected to run in the constituencies and the politicos have been posturing and setting out their stalls. Leaflets have been pushed through the door along with the morning post and have been instantly transferred to the recycling bin. Dirt has been dug up, muck raked over and the slinging contest started some weeks, nay months ago. Most of us yawned, turned over and went to sleep as the press grabbed hold of and teased their way into any minutiae of any potential scandals of our masters.
So after months of being under starters orders the signal has been given and they're off! Aer John took a break from his studies this evening and went golfing only to report that the posters were being affixed there and then to the various telegraph poles along the highways and byways into town. Fortunately they are banned within the town and any who are misguided enough to flout that find that the said banners are removed almost instantaneously. That is a huge relief to me. I'll never forget the time a banner was affixed on a pole just outside my bedroom window so that every time I opened the curtains in the morning the said candidate was leering in at me [:0] When he came canvassing I took great pride in complaining about a Peeping Tom. He huffed and puffed and tutted, told me I should go to the police and asked me if I knew his identity. Smiling sweetly I pointed at the poster. I don't think I've ever seen a politician clear my door so fast
I digress! This evening I was watching television when there came a knock on the door. Yup! It was the politicians beginning to canvass. "We thought we'd be the first", he said smiling sweetly. I was caught on the hop and I'm still kicking myself that I didn't tell him he was the fifth!!
So after months of being under starters orders the signal has been given and they're off! Aer John took a break from his studies this evening and went golfing only to report that the posters were being affixed there and then to the various telegraph poles along the highways and byways into town. Fortunately they are banned within the town and any who are misguided enough to flout that find that the said banners are removed almost instantaneously. That is a huge relief to me. I'll never forget the time a banner was affixed on a pole just outside my bedroom window so that every time I opened the curtains in the morning the said candidate was leering in at me [:0] When he came canvassing I took great pride in complaining about a Peeping Tom. He huffed and puffed and tutted, told me I should go to the police and asked me if I knew his identity. Smiling sweetly I pointed at the poster. I don't think I've ever seen a politician clear my door so fast
I digress! This evening I was watching television when there came a knock on the door. Yup! It was the politicians beginning to canvass. "We thought we'd be the first", he said smiling sweetly. I was caught on the hop and I'm still kicking myself that I didn't tell him he was the fifth!!
