A new vacuum has been created in Mayo politics and it's there to be exploited

ALL-IRELAND WHINGER

Casting an eye back to the historic election of 2020, it's easy to see now, with the benefit of hindsight and current opinion polls, that a Sinn Féin surge was inevitable.

Yet in the run-up to polling on that pre-covid February Friday, Rose Conway-Walsh was 50/1 with the bookies to get a seat in Mayo, never mind 196 votes from topping the ballot.

Now they're mainstream and the country's outright opposition party with a real chance of winning two seats out of four in this constituency next time out.

Thus, creating a vacuum in our local and national sphere, and politics, much like a traumatised pup, shares a hatred for vacuums.

Fine Gael seem to have left north Mayo as open as a gate in the absence of Michelle Mulherin.

‘Mayor Mark’ Duffy (Independent), if he runs, would fancy himself to hoover up her votes, piling pressure upon Dara Calleary (FF).

Discontent amongst traditional FF and FG supporters in Mayo over housing, health and ever rising cost-of-living could see a growth of fringe parties in the county.

It's hard to believe now but a mere three years ago the Greens received over 4,000 first preference votes in Mayo with Saoirse McHugh on their ticket.

That was a seven-fold increase on their 2016 tally.

Next election, the Greens in Mayo would do well to get seven first-preference votes!

Paul Lawless of Áontu displayed a strong showing back in 2020, as the Knock-based schoolteacher has few to battle with in his local area.

DYSON AT THE READY

It is important to remember most of his surplus went to Saoirse McHugh. Go figure that one folks.

West Mayo currently resembles a dual-carriageway pile-up of politicians with outgoing deputies, Michael Ring (FG), Alan Dillon (FG) and the aforementioned Rose Conway-Walsh, all dipping into the pond.

And also in the equation will be former TD and serving Senator Lisa Chambers. That's if, of course, she has not opted to run in the European Parliament and won a seat in Brussels before the next general election comes around.

It would be a bit of a crisis for Fianna Fáil locally if she's not available. Bring back Beverley Flynn?

An honourable mention must go to the outside extremities, who played in 2020 from the far-left to the far-right of the field.

Castlebar native and People Before Profit representative, Joe Daly. A physics teacher and tireless campaigner here in the county, he only drew in 721 first-preference votes. That figure could rise in his next outing.

And on the entirely opposite end of the political pitch playing with a breeze blowing from the far-right corner of the pitch, we have former member of American neo-psychedelic rock band, The Steppes, Daithí Ó'Fallamháin (IFP). A ‘blow-in’ to Westport town, he received a mere 246 first preferences.

His politics may have garnered more favour in recent times. And not just from a trio of rogue county councillors.

Whenever the next GE is called, we can expect confetti for the victors and sodden tissues on the floor for the losers.

Pat Jennings' staff will be sure to have the Dyson to hand at the count centre.