Voters’ views on Friday afternoon

VOTING was rather brisk in Ennis in the mid afternoon, with people of all ages coming and going from the polling stations.

A vox pop indicated that the county town was in the mood for change, with none of approximately 20 voters who spoke to the Champion saying they had given their number ones to either of the Fianna Fáil candidates.

One man at the Boys National School said that he had voted against Fianna Fáil. “Oh against, against, against. I voted for everyone except Fianna Fáil. Labour, Fine Gael, Greens, independents.”

He was cutting about the party’s upper echelons who he described as “Gougers, a pack of gombeen men and gougers getting paid out of our pocket.”

But Declan Monaghan, who voted earlier in the day, fears Fine Gael taking power. “I’m going for Labour number one, I don’t fancy the other two main parties at all. Number two is your man Meaney, I see him on TV sometimes and he’s on the radio and that.”

A couple arriving at the Boys National said that they were hoping for a change of Government, and that jobs were the big issue. “We have four children in their 20s and they haven’t a job between them.”

Leaving Cert student Declan Braden voted at the Christian Brothers school and said he had gone for Brian Meaney. “The Greens are looking after the environment which is very important and they’re looking after jobs too.”

Another voter at the Christian Brothers didn’t want to say who he was voting for, but he said who wouldn’t get his number one. “It won’t be Fianna Fáil anyway. Getting out the Government is the priority.”