The Kerryman (South Kerry Edition)
Candidates make the most of social media in race for Dáil
IT wasn’t much of a feature during the 2016 Dáil campaign in Kerry, but this time out local candidates are going all out to embrace social media in their quest for votes.
Most candidates have been using Twitter, and to a lesser extent Facebook, to get their message out, with some candidates proving especially adept at using the platforms.
Given their famed electoral machine, it should come as no surprise that in the early days of the campaign the Healy-Rae organisation have been all over social media.
Michael Healy-Rae in particular has been extremely active on Twitter, which he has been using to post a series of slickly produced video clips under the banner of MHR-TV, addressing various topic including farming issues and the tourism VAT hike.
Aside from that there’s an array of photos from the campaign trail, cartoons and even a ‘get out the vote’ video that sees the Kilgavan TD superimposed into the video for Korean novelty pop hit Gangnam Style.
Though slightly less busy online, Danny Healy-Rae is also in on the act, and as well as Twitter he recently launched his own Instagram page.
Another contender making good use of online platforms is Fianna Fail’s John Brassil.
While all three Fianna Fáil candidates have been making regular social media posts, Deputy Brassil looks to be getting more mileage from Twitter and Facebook.
In addition to the usual images from the canvas, the Ballyheigue-based Deputy has been posting videos directly addressing key issues and providing regular updates on the past few days’ canvas.
As has become a feature on the social media feeds of many candidates around the country, Deputy Brassil’s encounters with pet dogs – some friendly, some less so – while on the canvas have been a regular feature of his updates.
Meanwhile Fine Gael have been less interested in social media thus far. Though Mike
Kennelly has been posting plenty of updates from his canvas around the county, his party colleague, Tourism Minister Brendan Griffin, has been considerably quieter, making only a handful of posts.