Bradley Bytes – A sort of political column by Dara Bradley

Headlines arising from an interview President Michael D Higgins gave to RTÉ radio’s Second Captains Saturday programme, aired in late August, told their own story.

One ‘line’ that newspapers picked up was that Michael D was returning to live in Rahoon after he leaves Phoenix Park in November. It was hardly news, never mind headline news.

Another Sunday newspaper ran an intro, quoting the President saying he will “do his best to have the place looking all right” for his predecessor. Jesus wept.

Imagine, these were the two most exciting news angles reporters gleaned from the 48-minutes interview. That’s how harmless it was.

Second Captains is a magazine programme that invites guests to reflect on sport. It is not Prime Time, or Morning Ireland. But still, the level of bootlicking and fawning over Michael D was quite something.

Securing the President as a guest was a coup, in fairness. And considering he wasn’t asked a single challenging or critical question throughout the interview – which at times strayed into a monologue – it was easy to see why Michael D agreed to take part. It was the radio equivalent of a puff piece.

Contrast that with the robust treatment of his would-be successor Galway West TD, Catherine Connolly (Ind), on This Week on Sunday.

Presenter Justin McCarthy certainly didn’t treat Connolly with kid gloves. And that’s as it should be – presidential candidates deserve scrutiny.

But when viewed alongside recent highly critical news and opinion articles in national newspapers, the Connolly Camp would be forgiven for feeling mainstream media has taken a set against her.

Catherine Connolly was always going to be the anti-establishment candidate and now, it seems, the establishment is anti her candidacy.

Supporters remain optimistic, though.

Connolly is the most pro-Palestine candidate in the field. Polls tell us this is not really an issue for voters in General Elections. But Irish people do have a huge affinity with the Palestinian people, are repulsed by Israel’s genocide, and they want their new president, like Michael D, to articulate that, and to speak out for peace.

Connolly is also the ‘Gaeilge candidate’. A fluent speaker, she said she “takes for granted” that presidential candidates would be able to converse in Irish. But none of the other candidates declared so far, would dare debate Connolly in our native tongue, if TG4 decided to televise a presidential debate ‘trí mheán na Gaeilge’.

And while the establishment is bristling against her, Connolly is resonating with the public.

Some 5,000 people have already signed up to her campaign, which has received donations of more than €55,000, with the average donation around €30.

Pictured: It seems the establishment is anti Catherine Connolly’s candidacy for president. PHOTO: JOE O’SHAUGHNESSY.