Bradley Bytes – A sort of political column by Dara Bradley

The focus on the ages of Joe Biden and Donald Trump this summer served as a reminder of the undercurrent of ageism during the recent Local Election campaign in Galway.

It may have been subtle, but it was there, particularly on social media.

Obviously, new, young candidates campaigned on a platform of change, which was their right. But there were some cheap shots too, aimed at older candidates, with some commentators hinting they were a bit long in the tooth.

Derrick Hambleton, environment and heritage activist, suggested on Twitter/X there should have been retirements from Galway City Council prior to polling day.

Separately, there was a rumour spread about Declan McDonnell (Ind), who denied during the campaign he was planning to retire soon after being elected. The ‘nudge nudge wink wink’ suggestion was the 75-year-old wouldn’t stick another five years.

Time will tell, but younger candidates did not face such accusations, or scrutiny based on their date of birth.

In City West, ex-Galway Chamber chief Kenny Deery, launched his campaign as an Independent on local radio with a call to ‘fresh up our representatives’, while stressing the need for a ‘re-energised’ team.

“I think a sense of fatigue and sense of laissez faire has set in with some . . . I think that would be a very honest comment. There are some really good people in there but sometimes in any role, no matter what organisation you are in, if you are in a role, 15, 20, 25 years, sometimes you do become used to and accepting of standards that maybe aren’t what others would call quality,” he said.

The older councillors referred to but not named (Donal Lyons, Declan McDonnell, Terry O’Flaherty, etc) are well able to defend themselves.

But it’s worth saying that just because they are pensioners, does not mean they are not up to the job, or lacking in enthusiasm. Experience must count for something.

You might not like their politics, or their personalities, but they have been consistently voted onto the Council in every election they stood in, including the most recent, when Lyons and O’Flaherty won a sixth term and McDonnell a seventh.

Every Council – like any decent sports team – needs a blend of youth and experience.

It’s profoundly disrespectful to the electorate to suggest that the people they choose to represent them are ‘over the hill’. The basic tenet of democracy is that the people speak – they’re there because voters want them.

Meanwhile, unperturbed by ageist jibes was Tom Curran, the Republican Sinn Féin County Councillor. When re-elected in Conamara South, Tom proudly declared that, aged 78, he was the oldest politician in Galway.

“I’m third-oldest in the World after Biden and Trump – and I’ll make Conamara great again,” he quipped.

Pictured: Cllrs Donal Lyons, Terry O’Flaherty and Declan McDonnell, pictured with Deputy Noel Grealish. There were unfair suggestions during the Local Election campaign that the three councillors were too old to stand again and that it was time for them to retire. The electorate decided otherwise.