Peter Casey was the only bit of life in an “exceptionally dull campaign”.
So says Carlow/Kilkenny Junior Minister John Paul Phelan after 28% of the local electorate put the controversial candidate as their number one choice for the Áras.
While Michael D. Higgins did retain the presidency as had been expected, the support for Casey could never have been predicted up to two weeks ago when polls had him at just 2%.
Minister Phelan says he wasn’t a supporter of his but he can see why some others were:
“A lot of people this morning blaming the media for giving him a lot of coverage but in what was an exceptionally dull campaign he was teh only bit of life.
“I mean, I don’t agree with this constant moan on social media that ‘shock horror’ 22% of Irish people are racist or something. No, some people felt he was discussing things that should be discussed. Others felt he’s a fellow who speaks his mind – which isn’t true, by the way because I don’t believe he believes any of the stuff he said in the election.
“And thirdly, people in a dull campaign thought he was the only one who was a bit different.”
Meanwhile, Peter Casey has told the Sunday Independent he now intends to join Fianna Fáil and run in the next general election.
The full results from Cillín Hill for the Carlow/Kilkenny constituency yesterday were Michael D Higgins 52%, Peter Casey 28%, Seán Gallagher 7%, Liadh Ní Riada 5%, Joan Freeman got just over 5%, and Gavin Duffy just under 3%.
Nationally, President Higgins claimed 56% of the vote and speaking at Dublin Castle last night he said a real republic is a republic of responsibility, where every person is encouraged and supported, and treated with dignity and respect.
