One year until local elections, will we see fresh faces in Mayo and more female ones at that?
THE ALL-IRELAND WHINGER COLUMN
BY CAOIMHÍN ROWLAND
I HAD the privilege a week or so ago to attend Aras an Chontae to view our local government in action.
The monthly sitting of the county council gave a grim state of play for the county.
To my amazement, amongst the usual old faces I was genuinely gobsmacked to see only two women in attendance, Annie May Reape (FF) and Donna Sheridan (FG).
Two councillors at opposite ends of their careers. Just the two.
Unfortunately, it seems most families in Mayo have more women in them than represent us.
While addressing the assorted representatives Erris FG Councillor Gerry Coyle spoke about how he wished someday he would love to see more female representation for the people of Mayo.
Always an evocative speaker who indeed is many other things, but a Mary Robinson tribute act is not one I would have expected.
He was spot-on, however, stating his delight at the number of women working on the bench on either side of cathaoirleach Seamus Weir and he congratulated them rightly.
The general election of 2020 was perhaps a reflection of this, Lisa Chambers (FF) lost her seat, and Michelle Mulherin (FG) missed out and later bowed out from the arena.
Rose Conway-Walsh (SF) saved the day from Mayo being a whitewash of male representation.
Having covered that pre-Covid ballot, I am far from surprised we have few women running and being elected in this county.
The vitriol and muckraking directed towards women is more than double their male counterparts.
Personal lives, clothing styles and town gossip are poured over to such an extent it would drive a spike of fear over you if any of your loved ones ever even considered running.
During my time covering that election as a roving reporter and producer for CRCfm, I was inside the studio when Aidan Crowley was grilling Rose, Michelle and Lisa.
For the life of me since I still have not seen or heard a more robust, illuminating and educated debate. There was a needle for sure but an acceptance of it all being part and parcel of the sport.
At that time many expected one of those three to take the fourth seat. So there was a definite competition within the studio. But a camaraderie was clear to see, an acknowledgement of the difficulties while pursuing a shared goal.
Mayo has also seen a momentous demographic shift in recent years, we have more young people living in this county than ever before. Undoubtedly, 2023 offers more for Mayo’s young than it did for generations of the past.
The suckler cow route, which saw many of our youth invariably depart to supposedly greener pastures, seems to have stalled.
No longer do we birth, breed and butter our sons and daughters for an inevitable lifetime beyond the county bounds, often abroad but almost certainly in the east of this island.
We can thank the advent of remote working which has grown since Covid, giving rise to a slew of newcomers pitching their tent in ol’ Mayo.
You can now meet with your work colleagues in Vancouver, New York or London from the comfort of your sitting room in Shrule.
Speak to any estate agent in the county and this becomes abundantly clear. Many young families are indeed returning home, with good jobs and a thirst for nature and space. At least, they are the ones that can afford it.
The question I now ask is will these Lavazza coffee machine-buying, peloton-peddling, self-identified citizens of the world have a say in 2024’s local elections?
Will we even see some of them run?
It is true our local representatives face a tough task on a daily basis, it’s a 24/7, 365 days of the year job.
At the beck and call of the masses, you open your family to threats and the constant cul de sac local democracy often encounters in this country doesn’t make it attractive, and the money in comparison to TDs would leave you to wonder.
Despite this you can be sure, right across this county, there are conversations being had within family homes, plans being drawn up and potential canvassers tallied.
From less traditional backgrounds and family set-ups we may have a totally different complexion to our council come next year.