Wexford TD Murphy hits the road to lend a hand

WEXFORD TD Verona Murphy was conspicuous by her attendance at the launch of the campaign of an Independent candidate over 100km from her base.

She was in Portlaoise on Thursday to support Pauline Madigan, who is contesting the Laois local elections.

It is the latest sign Ms Murphy is expanding her reach outside her Wexford power base, where she’s fielding no fewer than 12 local election candidates under her banner.

About the well-attended event, Ms Murphy noted: ‘A full house for a candidate who is all about people; a connection political parties have unfortunately lost.’

The event was the first the Wexford TD has spoken at outside her constituency, with Laois an intriguing cross-over – half Dublin urban sprawl and half rural.

This is a Sinn Féin stronghold, while Fianna

Fáil remains, courtesy of the Fleming dynasty. In contrast, Fine Gael, after the end of the eight-decade Flanagan dynasty, is gasping for political air.

Despite the urban location, the event had a very rural feel; there was even a gift of brown bread, prompting Ms Murphy to joke: ‘I might have to declare it to SIPO, but I can’t think of anything more welcoming.’

It was modern, too, typified by the presence of Ukrainian refugees who laughed when Ms Madigan – in Ukrainian – quoted the saying that you can’t trust ‘promises made before sex and elections’.

Later, in a fiery speech, she said: ‘I hear now we have a Government telling us they are listening. Why don’t you go out and do something instead of looking for praise for listening?’