Strong Mayo speculation of a return of the Flynn political dynasty

by Dr. Richard Martin

A Fine Gael councillor recently forwarded an article to me from The Connaught Telegraph website.

I was curious. It was an article scribed by the editor, Tom Kelly. The piece was about Blackie Gavin.

The previous day Blackie had attended the annual general meeting of the Castlebar Fianna Fáil Cumann in the Welcome Inn in Castlebar.

In the article Blackie confirmed that "he will be backing the county town-based Fianna Fáil candidate in the next general election," adding: “I will be working hard for the candidate who is selected.”

Later in the same piece he was quoted saying: “I am fully committed to Fianna Fáil but I won’t be re-joining the party’s grouping on Mayo County Council."

I had to stop there and take a deep breath, sigh and look out the window. I looked at the pages of maths scattered around the desk in front of me and felt comfort for a few seconds in the realm of logic.

I had to go back and read that line a few times over to try and digest it. Of course FG see the whole thing hilarious. But it’s not funny.

The situation is completely and totally unprecedented in Irish politics and perhaps European history and politics.

As far as I’m aware there is no politician in Western Europe who is a member of a party, undermined his party and thwarted his party on multiple occasions and not being reprimanded.

Only the Bould Blackie could pull it off. It’s not just an unprecedented situation in Irish political history – it’s unprecedented in European political history.

Dessie O’Malley was expelled from FF in 1985 for conduct unbecoming. He never voted against FF.

He abstained in a vote and once Haughey and Flynn saw the vulnerability they moved quickly and decisively to remove him from the party. They were right.

A politician can disobey the party whip. It happens all the time. But usually there is a price to be paid.

Lucinda Creighton was a rising political heavyweight. Someone with stature and ability. She defied the FG party in 2013 when she voted against a bill designed to ease restrictions against abortion.

It was a principled stance but she paid the price and ultimately lost her seat in 2016. Taking that stand essentially ended her career.

Blackie hasn’t voted against FF once. He’s voted with the Independent council grouping on every occasion. He has ensured that the independents have more representation on committees.

FF HQ on Mount Street have refused to deal with the situation and have allowed it to fester. Blackie is still a member of FF and as a member he is perfectly entitled to attend the FF annual general meeting.

I read through the article a few more times and I had to put the phone away and get ready for an exam. Later that evening I drove home from Galway. And tried to thrash the whole thing around in my head.

Why don’t FF expel Blackie? Truthfully, I think they’re afraid of making a martyr out of him. They’re afraid that he could scupper any new FF candidates coming in future elections. But, by being weak and indecisive, the situation is rapidly becoming farcical.

Why did Blackie decide to leave FF in the council chamber and work with the independents? That’s the real question and one I’ve thought a lot about.

The backdrop to the story is this. After the local elections of 2024 the FF grouping in the council decided not to form a coalition with the independents.

The council is roughly 10:10:10. - 10 FF, 10 FG and 10 independents. They decided to form a governing coalition with FG as they felt it would be a far more stable and productive coalition than that which they had with the independents.

They found it difficult working with the independents as they felt they were being held to ransom at times around different projects.

The FF councillors held a vote amongst themselves and the majority ruled to work with FG. Some weren’t in favour of it but they went with the majority decision.

Blackie couldn’t accept the deal. Emotionally he could not do it. Logically, it was the right decision but I believe he made an impulsive decision which has ultimately backfired. He underestimated the FF faithful who see any form of dissent as betrayal.

I don’t think his decision was based on the old civil war rivalry between FF and FG.

He always had a good relationship with Frank Durcan and Michael Ring. The fact is that he doesn’t have a good personal relationship with some in FG. I believe that was the core issue.

He could not break bread and sit down and work with them. The FG/FF badge was irrelevant. His emotions led him to make that decision.

I have been at council meetings and I have seen him being harangued by one or two in FG. It’s personal and petty and I don’t agree with it and I don’t like it. He may have been right to feel aggrieved but he should’ve paused and thought it through.

Why did he go to the AGM? I’m not sure. I’m told there was tension in the room. Councillor Damien Ryan chaired the meeting and told Blackie that ‘You left FF – we didn’t leave you’.

I think the reason he went was because he wants to retain his seat. He’s worried. Without FF he never would’ve had the career he has had in politics. But that relationship was always symbiotic.

No other FF candidate could’ve attracted the vote he got. He was the consummate working class FF lad who everyone knew and could relate to. FF needed him just as much if not more.

Now that relationship is broken. And beyond repair, it seems.

FF and FG meet separately before every council meeting for a brief discussion. The FF councillors will not allow him into their meeting room, simply because the trust is broken. Going forward that won’t change. It’s too late now to try and return to the fold. I feel it would be best for everyone if there was a clean decisive break.

If Blackie runs in the next local elections as an independent he will make it. He’s never lost an election. He’s not going to start now.

He commands a huge personal vote, and has qualities that I admire. Grit, determination, hard work and ambition. People underestimate his abilities – his contributions in the council chamber are solid.

He can speak and communicate just as effectively as anyone else in there. Remember his brother Pat is special. A rare precious diamond that has pulled him over the line more than once. And he will pull him over in the future if needs be.

The bottom line is that he will not get through an FF convention again. The party members won’t allow him to wear the badge.

There is fresh talent coming through. At that AGM, Caoilinn and Harry Gaughan were both elected as officers. PRO and secretary respectively. Ronan O’Malley was elected as treasurer. I know Ronan through Community Radio Castlebar, and he’s a good lad. Smart, knowledgeable and passionate about politics.

The problem with this circus is that the change that’s needed is happening and it’s becoming an entertaining sideshow.

If FF are serious about challenging for a seat they need to understand what they’re up against. The Dillon office will have 10 years of bread and butter constituency work done (unchallenged by anyone else) by the time the next GE rolls around.

Ger Deere came home on the first count at the locals last year with 1,958 votes. Ger Deere is an integral part of the Dillon office and is their eyes and ears on the ground. He has discretionary funding – it’s likely his vote will grow further by the time the next local elections roll around.

He needs Dillon. Dillon needs him. And they both need Orla Cunningham, who runs Dillon's constituency office. Together they’re winning elections.

I stood beside Al McDonnell at the count last year and watched across the room as Ger Deere was hoisted into the air by the rapturous blue faithful.

It was clear to me that night that there is a huge difference between the two parties in the town. One is united, the other isn’t. One is working together, the other isn’t. All three FF candidates were positioned distantly from each other. No interaction. No communication.

The contrast with Ballina FF is striking. There is total unity. Calleary is the undisputed leader. He works closely with Annie May Reape and she provides the valuable discretionary funding. Michael Loftus in Crossmolina, Sean Carey in Belmullet, John Caulfield in Kilkelly are all loyal allies. That’s four councillors with discretionary funding.

I was in Calleary's office recently. It’s just a bit smaller than the cathedral they have down there. Ballina FF is a top class operation from top to bottom. Everyone knows what they have to do and everyone knows they have a role to play and the bottom line is this. They win elections. That’s the ultimate litmus test.

Castlebar FF is in rag order in comparison. Here’s a troubling thought for FF. What happens if SF get their act together in the town and identify strong candidates for the locals and possibly general election? Rose Conway-Walsh is immensely popular and received 2,000 votes in the town at the last GE. Can SF translate that vote at local level? Why aren’t they?

However, here’s where the logic comes in. There has to be a second FF seat in the county. Castlebar is a two seat town. There’s a proud FF tradition in the town. There’s a dormant vote in the town. A good candidate will galvanise the party faithful. Once the candidate is right then you work from there.

And FF have that. Caoilinn Gaughan would’ve been elected in the locals and the general last year. I’m certain of it. I was in her company on the Sunday morning at the General Election count last year. Tom Tom Denning was there too. The FF councillors were lining up to meet her. They crave a figure they can rally around.

She has recently completed an Honours degree in Business and German in Trinity College Dublin and is working in the IDA. Time is on her side and it will happen.

The town desperately craves a senior minister. And our patience is begging to wear thin. The town has fallen behind. The sports clubs like the Mitchels and Celtic need major capital investment. The ATU needs an upgrade. It needs more courses. The hospital needs more operating theatres and more investment. The town needs a revamp, full stop.

When you vote for a Flynn you’re not voting on a promise. You’re voting for a dynasty that delivered.

Nothing much more to say really.