Is Maxwell gearing up for a Mayo general election tilt?

by Caoimhín Rowland

Two Roscommon men may hold significant sway over the future direction of Mayo’s final seat at the next general election.

Ciaran Mullooly may owe many an apology.

It seems he was supported, elected, and exported to be Ireland’s answer to Viktor Orban, that is according to those who rallied around the unsuccessful Niall Boylan in Dublin.

However, the local and European election results show that, as happened a century ago, when Europe veers to the right, Ireland remains an outlier, content to be different.

Independent Ireland, the party led by Michael Collins, Richard O’Donoghue and Michael Fitzmaurice, had their first bump in the road this week.

Certain government parties, evidently threatened by this group - neither wholly independent nor a traditional political party - have even had ire directed at them by a Mayo minister.

Firstly, Ciaran Mullooly, MEP, has irked many supporters of the more extreme wing of the Independent Ireland umbrella group.

There was a clear distinction between the campaign run by Mullooly and the one run by another former broadcaster in Dublin, Niall Boylan.

The fact that both are comfortable behind the mic is where the similarities end.

Mullooly wanted to go to Europe to secure more funding for community groups.

A local activist since his TV days, he spoke about the need to reduce competition parameters to allow more groups to get a larger slice of the EU pie - a wholesome endeavour.

Boylan, on the other hand, called for the detention of asylum seekers and the introduction of our own ‘Rwanda Plan’.

In interviews, Mullooly cited the successful integration of Ukrainians into his local area in Longford and how they have now gradually moved into work.

This is a far cry from the shock jock Boylan whose persona placed him comfortably within the extreme and outspoken anti-immigration angle of the party - an angle from which Mullooly has coolly shied away.

A statement from Ciaran Mullooly on the social media platform X stated: "I am very grateful to Sandro Gozi and the 7 MEPs in the European Democratic Party for the vote of confidence.

"Also thrilled to follow in the footsteps of Marian Harkin into this party. We will now deliver on our commitments to put agriculture top of our agenda as we prepare for the new CAP."

An MEP who holds Marian Harkin and community activism in such high regard was never going to be a far-right darling.

Independent Ireland has allowed individual autonomy of decision to be their defining bedrock, and Mullooly openly states the singular reason he ran for Independent Ireland in the European Parliament elections was because of Michael Fitzmaurice.

This shows his political leanings are less concerned with the EU Migration Pact, hate speech and culture wars and more in tune with campaigning for more CAP funding for farmers and an increase in LEADER funding for projects in Loughborough.

This is not precisely what one would imagine as boudoir chat with Geert Wilders, Giorgia Meloni, or Marine Le Pen.

Minister Alan Dillon took a swipe at Independent Ireland, perhaps noting the shifting trend from the Mayo electorate as we enter general election season.

Dillon noted the three TDs voted against the Special Criminal Court, thus citing their ‘weakness on law and order’. Is election season already underway?

Independent Ireland put on an impressive showing in the local elections in this county.

Mark Devane received almost 5% in Claremorris, and Donal Geraghty performed admirably in Castlebar. The standout was the last-minute acquisition of former Fianna Fáiler Chris Maxwell.

The Louisburgh farmer romped home with a huge vote and spoke about footing turf the afternoon of the count. Will he be their general election nominee?

Or, like Mullooly, will Fitzmaurice utilise his Mayo ties to the border region and instead opt for someone like the Claremorris Independent Councillor Patsy O’Brien?

The former Fine Gael man has a general election bid in him without a doubt, but it won’t be with his former party.

In Castlebar, Councillor Blackie Gavin has raised eyebrows nationally and within his own party of Fianna Fáil. Gavin is another who sees this as the ideal time to launch a general election bid, but, again, it won’t be with the party he served under for a lifetime.

Instead, he’ll look to paddle his own canoe, but if it all goes wrong, he can always swim to shore.

Mayo will be a five-seater come the general election.

With evident popularity in this county for the Independent Ireland brand, political science tells us that larger constituencies favour fringe parties.

The decisions regarding Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael’s selections will be sorted, sealed and delivered in the coming weeks, as per HQ’s request.

A two-candidate strategy for Independent Ireland, if geographically split, could work wonders for the rag-tag grouping keen to add to their TDs in Dáil Éireann.