Bradley Bytes – a sort of political column with Dara Bradley

The Fine Gael press office issued a statement to media last Wednesday, advising that its party leader, An Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, would be visiting Galway and Mayo the following day.

The release was a heads-up to reporters who might be interested in an interview with the main man at Glencorrib Community Centre on Thursday.

It was a media notice and not, the press office insisted, “for publication or broadcast”.

They should have told that to Maria Walsh. Days before the official ‘media notice’ from Fine Gael, the Fine Gael MEP for Midlands-North-West, as well as issuing a press release boasting that Leo was arriving in her neck of the woods, bombarded social media with posts to advertise his itinerary.

“We look forward to meeting you during his day-long visit,” Maria gushed online, six days before the party’s press office issued its missive, with an incorrect Eircode.

Perhaps someone in FG HQ should start following Maria on Twitter to keep up.

Photo: An Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar, addresses a gathering in the Angler’s Rest in Headford last week. Also pictured are County Councillor Andrew Reddington and University of Galway lecturer, Dr Maura Farrell.
This is a shortened preview version of this column. For more Bradley Bytes, see the August 18 edition of the Galway City Tribune. You can buy a digital edition HERE.