News from the Labour Party Conference in Galway - Jerry Cowley has joined Labour - a natural home for him perhaps.
Any updates from the Conference would be appreciated.
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Dr. Jerry Cowley joins the Labour Party
News from the Labour Party Conference in Galway - Jerry Cowley has joined Labour - a natural home for him perhaps.
Any updates from the Conference would be appreciated.
“ We cannot withdraw our cards from the game. Were we as silent and mute as stones, our very passivity would be an act. ”
— Jean-Paul Sartre
Senior Member
Dr. Jerry Cowley joins the Labour Party
The latest RTE news bulletin (5pm) carried the news that former Mayo independent TD Jerry Cowley has joined the Labour Party. This coincides with the Labour Party conference this weekend. There's no indication as yet that he will be running for Labour in the next GE, but I'd say it's a safe bet that he will be. What will this mean for electoral politics in Mayo, and will he now be in support of Shell's corrupt and dangerous Corrib Gas project, like his now-former-colleague Johnny Mee (retired Labour councillor)? Mr. Mee voted for specific road improvements in Kilcommon parish that were specifically for the benefit of Shell, and he opined that 'it must be hard for the industrialists' during the debate on that motion. Mr. Mee's son, Alan now works for Shell in their Belmullet office, as pointed out in the indymedia article referenced below.
http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/0416/labour.html
http://www.indymedia.ie/article/96367
"It is we the workers who built these palaces and cities here in Spain and in America and everywhere. We, the workers, can build others to take their place. And better ones! We are not in the least afraid of ruins. We are going to inherit the earth; there is not the slightest doubt about that. The bourgeoisie might blast and ruin its own world before it leaves the stage of history. We carry a new world here, in our hearts."
— Buenaventura Durruti
Administrator
Re: Dr. Jerry Cowley joins the Labour Party
What would Jerry Cowley's own history be ?Originally Posted by Kid Ryder
“ We cannot withdraw our cards from the game. Were we as silent and mute as stones, our very passivity would be an act. ”
— Jean-Paul Sartre
Senior Member
Re: Labour Party Conference - Jerry Cowley TD Joins Labour
Damn! Beaten to it by C Flower! Merge the other thread I started with this.
I really wonder if us S2S folks are going to see him again trying to control and destroy the resistance to Shell and their Corrib gas theft. He was no loss when he disappeared in 2007 after he lost his seat, and if he's seen again around the campaign it will provoke serious opposition to him being involved again, both in Erris and wider afield. He'll have his supporters up there I admit, but many more feel that he betrayed the campaign back in 2006, doing the State's and Shell's work by deliberately de-escalating the confrontation that was developing between Shell/the govt. and the local community & their supporters.
I wouldn't think his chances would be great anyway, because he's seen as a Ballina-based candidate (that's where he's from) and Ballina will have Dara Calleary (FF) a sitting TD and Michelle Mulherin (FG) a county councillor. He lives in Mulranny, but he doesn't draw much support from there or from Westport where his GP practice is. Even with a swing to Labour of Spring Tide proportions he'd be up against it, and I'd wonder what his relationship with the constituency party membership is going to be like.
"It is we the workers who built these palaces and cities here in Spain and in America and everywhere. We, the workers, can build others to take their place. And better ones! We are not in the least afraid of ruins. We are going to inherit the earth; there is not the slightest doubt about that. The bourgeoisie might blast and ruin its own world before it leaves the stage of history. We carry a new world here, in our hearts."
— Buenaventura Durruti
Administrator
Re: Labour Party Conference - Jerry Cowley TD Joins Labour
So, you don't think FF will be wiped out at the Polls ?
Will any other Left candidates run ?
“ We cannot withdraw our cards from the game. Were we as silent and mute as stones, our very passivity would be an act. ”
— Jean-Paul Sartre
Senior Member
Re: Dr. Jerry Cowley joins the Labour Party
Poor and contradictory, I'd say. Even though he was involved heavily in the Shell to Sea campaign and its predecessor from 2004 until he was unseated in 2007, he boasted back in 2002 in an Irish Examiner profile article for that year's general election that he'd be the man to 'bring the Corrib Gas ashore'. Even though he has a good track record working on the project he helped start to help British-based Mayo emigrants in poverty retire in the county, I'd say that his involvement in Erris was more opportunistic than principled. And it is the latter that I'd judge him on - I might be biased but I got to see the man in action up close during those years, and I didn't like what I saw.
"It is we the workers who built these palaces and cities here in Spain and in America and everywhere. We, the workers, can build others to take their place. And better ones! We are not in the least afraid of ruins. We are going to inherit the earth; there is not the slightest doubt about that. The bourgeoisie might blast and ruin its own world before it leaves the stage of history. We carry a new world here, in our hearts."
— Buenaventura Durruti
Administrator
Re: Dr. Jerry Cowley joins the Labour Party
http://jerrycowley.blogspot.com/
His blog. A barrister and a doctor.
“ We cannot withdraw our cards from the game. Were we as silent and mute as stones, our very passivity would be an act. ”
— Jean-Paul Sartre
Senior Member
Re: Labour Party Conference - Jerry Cowley TD Joins Labour
Well, if you're voting for a Ballina candidate as your priority, then the two I mentioned would be ahead of the good doctor. Even during the Spring Tide I don't think they ran candidates in either Mayo East or Mayo West. There was only one FF TD returned the last time 'round, and the question being asked by pundits about the next GE is what'll become of Beverly 'class act' Flynn's vote. Her vote is mostly Castlebar-based, and Dr. Cowley has no presence in that part of the county whatsoever.
"It is we the workers who built these palaces and cities here in Spain and in America and everywhere. We, the workers, can build others to take their place. And better ones! We are not in the least afraid of ruins. We are going to inherit the earth; there is not the slightest doubt about that. The bourgeoisie might blast and ruin its own world before it leaves the stage of history. We carry a new world here, in our hearts."
— Buenaventura Durruti
Senior Member
Re: Dr. Jerry Cowley joins the Labour Party
You don't get to be both without a serious silver-spooned background. Lots of people wouldn't be able to relate to someone from such a privileged background, never mind vote for the toff!
"It is we the workers who built these palaces and cities here in Spain and in America and everywhere. We, the workers, can build others to take their place. And better ones! We are not in the least afraid of ruins. We are going to inherit the earth; there is not the slightest doubt about that. The bourgeoisie might blast and ruin its own world before it leaves the stage of history. We carry a new world here, in our hearts."
— Buenaventura Durruti
Senior Member
Re: Dr. Jerry Cowley joins the Labour Party
He is a GP and a qualified Lawyer I believe. I think he is ex-FF. Lost out the last time to a strong FG vote and the new boy on the block in FF. He is seen as a hospital candidate and the hospital in Castlebar is in a lot of trouble for cuts.
I can easily see he getting a seat at the expensive of FF. Caleary is in real danger despite the merc.
I think he will take the seat again.
Mr Lenihan said the guarantee was “the cheapest bailout” compared with bank rescues in other countries, including the UK and the US, where “billions and billions of taxpayers’ money are being poured into financial institutions” - October 24 2008
Senior Member
Re: Dr. Jerry Cowley joins the Labour Party
I have heard him called many things, a toff is not one of them.
Mr Lenihan said the guarantee was “the cheapest bailout” compared with bank rescues in other countries, including the UK and the US, where “billions and billions of taxpayers’ money are being poured into financial institutions” - October 24 2008
Administrator
Re: Dr. Jerry Cowley joins the Labour Party
We surely have to assume there is a lot of anger with FF and that will have its effects right across the country.
“ We cannot withdraw our cards from the game. Were we as silent and mute as stones, our very passivity would be an act. ”
— Jean-Paul Sartre
Senior Member
Re: Dr. Jerry Cowley joins the Labour Party
Absolutely and very few of these Ex-FF voters will go to FG. But they will want to get someone in. Lab with a known local name is a good bet. I think he has a very good chance.
It is a very good move all around, suits both sides. We might see a few more high profile indos breaking for Labour.
As an ex-FFer who will vote Labour this is exactly what I am looking for on the ballot paper. It is not a protest vote either, it can result in someone being elected.
Mr Lenihan said the guarantee was “the cheapest bailout” compared with bank rescues in other countries, including the UK and the US, where “billions and billions of taxpayers’ money are being poured into financial institutions” - October 24 2008
Senior Member
Re: Dr. Jerry Cowley joins the Labour Party
There is a lot of IND FF hoping to regain a seat or get a seat but they WILL always VOTE for FF. That's what people don't realise that. No point for me to vote for IND FF because it's a back door to FF in terms of votes.
Senior Member
Re: Dr. Jerry Cowley joins the Labour Party
It don't work like that in rural Ireland, Mayo in particular. I'd rate Mayo as one of the most right-wing constituencies of the 43, but a man whose parents could afford to put him through both medical school and a solicitor's apprenticeship will raise class-envy/hatred among the twenty-acre farmers and their kids, not to mention voters from the estates in the larger towns. He'll be seen as a 'liberal lefty gob$hite who presumes he'll get our votes because he says he's down with poor people'.
Now, if he advocated the shooting of travellers on sight, he might have a chance in Mayo, particularly in the slightly-less-poor east of the county.
"It is we the workers who built these palaces and cities here in Spain and in America and everywhere. We, the workers, can build others to take their place. And better ones! We are not in the least afraid of ruins. We are going to inherit the earth; there is not the slightest doubt about that. The bourgeoisie might blast and ruin its own world before it leaves the stage of history. We carry a new world here, in our hearts."
— Buenaventura Durruti
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