Bradley Bytes – A sort of political column by Dara Bradley

Catherine Connolly’s Presidential candidacy puts her political rivals in Galway West in a bind.

Take the Social Democrats. Its lone Galway City Councillor Alan Curran has vowed to canvass for Connolly to get into the Áras.

That’s fair enough for the party nationally — Connolly’s vision aligns with much of its values.

But what if she loses, and stands again in the next General Election? Where does that leave the Galway West branch of the Soc Dems, who will have to convince voters their own candidate (possibly Curran) deserves a number one vote over Cat in a Dáil election?

Then there’s Labour. It’s one thing for party leader Ivana Bakic and its other Dublin Oireachtas members to back Connolly. But the old guard in Galway West have long memories. And they will take some convincing before they will knock on doors for a candidate who (quite rightly at the time) said Labour had lost its soul.

“I will give her as much support during the campaign as Catherine gave Michael D in his two Presidential elections,” snorted one of the Labour old brigade when asked about supporting Connolly. Labour grandee Fergus Finlay was even less gracious in an RTÉ podcast.

Fine Gael in Galway West are conflicted too. Obviously, they want their own candidate to win the Presidency, something the party has never achieved.

But if Catherine Connolly replaced Michael D in Phoenix Park, that would create a vacancy to be filled by a by-election.

Senator Seán Kyne may fancy his chances in that contest but given his doubts about continuing in politics last November, the party may look for fresh faces.

Councillor Eddie Hoare must be a front-runner if they take a long-term outlook, although his colleagues on the City Council — Clodagh Higgins and Shane Forde — might also fancy their chances.

Fianna Fáil would also target the by-election. Broadcaster and diamond dealer Gráinne Seoige would hardly return to the fray, so soon after a bruising general election campaign. No, the party will stick with stalwarts like Senator Ollie Crowe, City Councillors Alan Cheevers, Mike Crowe, Peter Keane and Josie Forde or County Councillors Gerry King or Máirtín Lee.

Fianna Fáil won’t support Connolly, but in Galway West they’d not be too disappointed if she won.

Independent Ireland, through County Councillor Noel Thomas, would give a by-election a good rattle, too.

Catherine Connolly’s presidency is ideal for People Before Profit in Galway West. That party will not threaten for a seat in a by-election but canvassing for Cat’s Áras bid gives its activists oxygen to pursue their favourite pastime — Government bashing.

Independent TD in Galway West, Noel Grealish, a Government super junior minister, had warm words last weekend for the candidacy of Fine Gael’s Heather Humphreys.

Politically they are miles apart, but Grealish and Connolly are cordial colleagues in the Dáil and the Carnmore man wouldn’t begrudge the Claddagh Queen a stint at the Áras.

Sinn Féin is more conflicted. A headline last weekend said “Sinn Féin TD says party not considering supporting Catherine Connolly’s presidential bid”. It was attributed to Deputy Darren O’Rourke, but Galway West TD Mairéad Farrell commented underneath. “This is not true, please take it down,” she said.

So are Sinn Féin considering supporting Catherine Connolly’s Presidential bid, then?

Pictured: Galway West Independent TDs Catherine Connolly and Noel Grealish are cordial with each other despite being on opposite sides of the political spectrum.