Enda enjoys a long tea break after voting

TAOISEACH Enda Kenny took his longest tea break in months this morning after casting his vote just after 10 a.m. in his native Castlebar, writes Tom Shiel.

Along with his wife, Fionnuala, he chatted with the Returning Officer for Mayo, Fintan Murphy and others for up to half an hour in a private area at St. Anthony”s National School on the outskirts of the town.

Earlier, Fionnuala cast a protective arm around her husband as they voted together in a classroom.

Then Enda patted the ballot box as if to wish himself luck. It’s a little habit of his on every polling day.

As he exited the voting area and a platoon of photgraphers clicked their shutters, the Taoiseach met Bridget McLoughlin, an 88-year-old woman, who lives locally.

‘Oh Jesus,' Bridget said repeatedly as Enda’s arm and the media scrum tightened around her.

As he emerged from the polling station with Fionnuala after their long tea break, a reporter put it to the Taoiseach: “Job done?”

'Well,' Mr Kenny mused in reply, “two votes cast there. I just hope that everyone around the country accepts their responsibility and goes out and vote and do their constitutional duty.

“It’s an important day for Ireland.'

 

It was then pointed out to Enda that earlier Micheál Martin, the Fianna Fáil leader, was wearing a blue tie when voting and now he (Enda) was wearing a green one. Was this perhaps a portend of things to come? the reporter wondered.

Mr. Kenny joked: “Well, he didn’t contact me about that.' Looking down at his tie, he explained: “This one’s for Ireland.”