Is Martina Jennings destined to become first south Mayo TD since 1977?

by Dr. Richard Martin

I first entered the Mayo Hospice building in Castlebar on a balmy summer’s night in July 2023.

I went there with my parents. We went to visit a family friend who’d been stricken cruelly out of the blue with cancer months previously and was now in a palliative state on the cusp of death.

It wasn’t fair. Life isn’t fair at times. She was a vibrant healthy life loving woman a few months previous.

Her family gathered around her bed. We stayed awhile and offered our support and then left awhile later.

It was a privilege that the family asked us to visit.

Despite the sad occasion, I couldn’t help but marvel at the facility itself.

When you walk into the hospice you are at the frontier of life and death.

The spacious rooms. The bright wide corridors. The interior is on a par with a luxury 5-star hotel. The care the patients receive is humane, compassionate, respectful and thoughtful.

Families and patients are given the opportunity to meet death hand in hand with dignity and glad grace.

This is not a crowded emergency department with humiliated patients lying on trolleys in cramped crowded corridors.

I felt an all-pervasive sense of serenity which permeated the building. We must all transition from life to death at some juncture. That is the nature of our existence.

The hospice allows this passing with dignity and respect. Raifteirí said it best. Deireadh an lae, tagainn an Óıche.

I wasn’t aware that the Hospice was of that ‘standard’, and the building itself is less than 10 minutes’ walk from my house.

Everything about the Mayo Hospice is first class. A central, secluded spacious location in the heart of Castlebar. Our town.

We frequently hear ‘negative’ stories being reported in the media about hospital services across the island. There’s nothing negative about the Mayo Roscommon Hospice. The Hospice in Castlebar is a gem.

Modern healthcare at its finest. In our town.

Who was the innovator and driver of the Hospice? Martina Jennings.

The Monsignor Horan of our age. A visionary. I’ve heard the name on and off over the years as the CEO and driving force behind the Mayo Roscommon Hospice, but I’d never met her.

When she was announced as a candidate for the forthcoming GE representing FG my curiosity was piqued.

As soon as her campaign launch was announced I knew I was going. I wasn’t going to miss that one.

The launch was held in the McWilliam Park Hotel on a Bank Monday night a few weeks back.

When I arrived (early) and glanced into the half empty ballroom, I thought to myself this could be a bit of a damp squib.

The only way you could fill this room up is with some country music and jiving.

The McWilliam is renowned for its live entertainment. Nothing can get in the way of true love.

And there’s no better way than to find true love than a good jive in the McWilliam on a Sunday night.

I walked into the room and sat with a member of the press.

Did you meet her? I did. What’s she like? A poll topper. Really? Yeah, a poll topper.

My curiosity was even more piqued. Piqued as piqued could be. I sat and watched and observed and slowly the room began to fill.

I noticed a dark-haired woman was moving around the room, moving from table to table. She eventually came to our table and a friend introduced us.

She told me she reads my column. Flattery disarms. I found Martina to be earthy, warm, intelligent and fun.

I enjoyed her company. We agreed to meet for a chat later in the campaign.

When she moved on to another table, I turned to my friend and said, ‘She’s a poll topper’. Yes, he nodded in vigorous assent.

The launch eventually kicked off and the speeches started. I looked around the room and it was packed.

Roughly 250. I lost count.

It seems, whatever, this woman throws her hands at it’s usually a success. Eventually, she spoke.

South Mayo were out in force. This is their chance to have one of their own.

These opportunities only come along once every few decades. The last TD from South Mayo was Martin Finn in 1977.

Patsy is the strongest of the four independents. A seasoned campaigner and a former FG party representative. His expulsion from the party has never been properly explained.

Earlier this year he topped the poll in the Claremorris area getting 2,738 FPV’s and 20% of the vote share. What is his likely FPV?

Something in between 4,000 and 5,000, I'd suspect.

Councillor Michael Burke, Councillor Alma Gallagher and Tom Connolly were the three FG candidates. Tom Connolly failed to be elected.

The three official FG candidates took a combined 30.3% of the total vote share. Their total combined FPV came to 4,101 votes.

Martina Jennings will take every single one of them and more.

A lot of people in that area may have been prepared to give Patsy the No. 1 at local level but when it comes to the GE, they will revert to their traditional party lines.

There was a similar dynamic in Castlebar for years with Frank Durcan.

Martina will pull a significant number of votes in Castlebar through her work with the Mayo-Roscommon Hospice.

Her work with that organisation will pull her votes all over the county. Patsy doesn’t have that kind of suction.

Her FPV likely will be 6,000 plus.

The elimination of candidates and the eventual elimination of Patsy will push her home in style.

I would see the probability of her making it would be 75%.

That being the case, as a bookmaker, I’d have her at 1/3 and Patsy at 6/4.

Looking at it objectively, there can only be one winner. Martina Jennings.