Wadding renewed and re-energised after strong show

Following a two-and-a-half year hiatus from politics due to mental health issues, People Before Profit’s Deirdre Wadding says she has rediscovered her hunger for public representation.

A strong showing in the General Election, which saw Ms Wadding receive 1,116 first preference votes and the largest share of Johnny Mythen’s surplus (1,786), only ended late Sunday evening when she was eliminated on the sixth count.

And in the wake of this positive showing she said she was feeling ‘re-energised’ and ready to resume a career which ended abruptly when she stepped down from her place on the Wexford District Council in 2017.

‘Some of the branch were reluctant and asked me if I thought running was a good idea. But once I got the bit between my teeth I was raring to go, and I realised I sort of missed this.

‘I’m back in the saddle so watch this space. I absolutely am re-energised,’ she said.

A late addition to the ticket, Ms Wadding only announced her intention to run three weeks in advance of polling day.

‘Once we made the decision to go the thing had already been called. We had three weeks, literally three weeks of campaigning with a very small group. No money, hardly any posters, I think that’s not bad. That’s something to build on,’ said an enthused Ms Wadding.

Although this is the third election in a row in which People Before Profit has failed to get a candidate elected in Wexford, Ms Wadding said she, and her colleague Cinnamon Blackmore, were committed to working for the party in the county.

‘I’ve no doubt we’ll be seeing Cinnamon for the locals, she’s a great candidate, a great activist. And you never know, watch this space, you might be seeing me too.’

Confident about her own future, Ms Wadding also had some words of advice for man of the hour Johnny Mythen.

‘I am absolutely thrilled and delighted for Johnny, he’s a lovely, lovely man. I was gutted when he lost his council seat and I couldn’t be happier for him.

‘But please Sinn Féin don’t go in with Fiann Fáil or Fine Gael, let’s keep this alliance of left parties moving left, let’s stay together, that way we are really going to see change.’