Speculation from insiders and outsiders, from above and below is flowing freely about the possible timing of the next general election.
Already, the Castleisland area has had a visit from Fianna Fáil and Sinn Féin and both in weather that had to question its arrival in summer time.
No one in Kerry is going to be caught flat-footed if Taoiseach Enda Kenny decides to fire the starting gun one of these days. The oft used ‘Catch a Sleeping Mouse’ comes to mind.
Scramble for Votes
The nearer we get to 2016 the closer the inevitable and very real scramble for votes will get underway in earnest.
Have a look at our alfresco diners, Michael Healy Rae TD and his local insider, Luke Keane in Knocknagoshel yesterday and the sun shining down on them. Kerry will be one huge, sprawling, five seater constituency for the next Dáil election and six into five simply won’t go.
Analysts Drooling
So, how many of the five, sitting representatives will survive – and we don’t have a clear picture of the ‘field’ yet – and who will have to go.
It’s now an arena which has political analysts drooling and that is, probably, why they spent so much of this silly season in idle speculation.
In the meantime, the protagonists are taking nothing for granted and are trawling main and secondary roads in search of the votes they’ll all need so badly to keep the seats they now have – minus one.
