PAC-man Alan Dillon in Paxmanesque performance
By Caoimhín Rowland
ALL IRELAND WHINGER COLUMN
ASSERTIVE Alan Dillon announced himself on the national stage during his grilling of RTÉ big wigs in the Oireachtas.
As a member of both the Public Accounts Committee and media committee, he was best in class to produce a man-of-the-match performance for the enduring saga of our time.
The PAC-man has truly grown into his role as a representative for Mayo.
While the Dillon grilling happens up in the capital, it is an interesting point to note how open the field has become for him in his native county.
I don’t say this lightly but despite Fine Gael's downward spiral nationally, they will retain two seats in Mayo for sure.
Alan Dillon was recently photographed in Crossmolina, outside the agricultural show’s pop-up shop on Mullaghmore Street.
The Ballintubber man is a north Mayo rep now, it seems.
No competition from Michelle Mulherin this time so his face will be seen signposted right across the north of the county, an area Fine Gael has struggled to garner votes in since Mulherin lost her seat.
News too of his neighbour Lisa Chambers opting for a berth in Brussels over a stint in Leinster House can only help to add to his potential tally come the next ballot.
PAC-man Alan does indeed deserve the plaudits for his Paxmanesque performance.
It reminded many I’m sure of Stephen Rochford’s left-field decision to introduce a veteran to the field of play for an All-Ireland quarterfinal against Tyrone in 2016. The wing-forward’s display on that day dazzled Mickey Harte’s men and no sooner had they got to grips with his free role he was whisked off by the Mayo management team.
A cautionary tale in there for RTÉ higher-ups, but free tickets and wining and dining in Croke Park didn’t seem to countenance on their commercial expenses.
The arcade game Pacman, where you gobble pellets while looming ghosts chase you, doesn’t allow for much free reign.
The ghosts in politics, however, often loom larger than life, the first being Enda Kenny, the man whose seat he recaptured.
Kenny plucked Dillon from football straight to candidate status. Kenny, I’m sure, saw something in the Maynooth science grad that few others did.
Similarly, when Kenny leaned into the window of a Wicklow TD in 2010 and asked about a young councillor in Bray by the name of Simon Harris.
“He’s young and capable, but Fine Gael surely have more senior candidates,” was the TD’s response.
Kenny replied: “Harris is the man for me” and left the passenger seat window, as if he’d already his mind made up.
Of course, Leo Varadkar is the leader of Dillon's party, for now.
Simon Harris did make a trip out west to visit Kenny’s old constituency and meet with the incumbent.
Announcing the transformation of GMIT in Castlebar into ATU, thus making Castlebar a university town, a pledge from Dillon’s 2020 campaign.
A move in the upper echelons of Fine Gael leadership could come in the aftermath of next year's local elections. If indeed Harris does rise the ranks, as proffered by many pundits, be sure Alan Dillon will be on hand to help.
A mention for Conor Mortimer, the former Shrule/Glencorrib and Mayo ace - his autobiography denotes not one but two whole chapters to Fine Gael TD Alan Dillon.
Their friendship was borne in battle, clad in green and red, with both men shooting the lights out on more than one occasion for Mayo.
Amongst one of the two chapters on Dillon, there’s a fascinating tidbit given to Deputy Dillon's musical tastes. According to Mortimer, Alan is a fan of the American NuMetal band, Evanescence.
A surprising choice for a man who presented the coolest showing in the Oireachtas.
Direct, curt and determined, one highlight was when he unsettled the two men at the heart of the RTÉ payment controversy: “Does it not take two to tango, Mr. Kelly?”
While back home in Mayo it looks likely only two from Fine Gael will indeed tango at the next general election, Ring and Dillon.
But if Mayo does indeed get that fifth seat come next month's boundary report, for which Dillon has been lobbying, it’ll be difficult to justify leaving their expected strong transfers up for grabs.