The evolving shape of central Mayo's political landscape unveiled
by Dr. Richard Martin
After Enda Kenny’s reign as Taoiseach came to an end and the lack of delivery in the county town over his tenure, it looked as if FG in Castlebar was facing a long period in the doldrums.
Why bother voting for FG when they won’t deliver? That was the sentiment on the ground post-Kenny.
It was wide open for FF to capitalise on the poor return, but we all know now FF couldn’t capitalise.
Instead, Alan Dillon – Kenny’s successor – pulled off the most unlikeliest of coups in getting over the line in 2020. He immediately surrounded himself with solid staff. His sister-in law Orla runs his office along with Majella Loftus.
Dean Kenny from Belcarra is his parliamentary assistant. Councillor Ger Deere provides experience and discretionary funding.
The strength of the current FG office is built on one thing and one thing only. Graft. They work and work. It’s that simple.
It wasn’t clear to me for a long time how close the Burkes were with Dillon. They didn’t canvass for him in 2020. They went down to Ballina canvassing for Michelle Mulherrin in 2020. Why?
I’d say their noses might have been a bit out of joint after Dillon slipped in and got the nomination. After all they are a political dynasty in their own right. I wasn’t sure myself how it would play out after Dillon’s victory. Would there be tension, ill feeling, rivalry and resentment?
It was only until recently, when I met Alan Dillon in Cyril’s company in a coffee shop down the town, that I realised that you couldn’t put a cigarette paper between them. After all it makes sense.
They’re both Ballintubber men and they’re a sticky bunch out there. That’s the Ballintubber way. Clannish. Sticky. Loyal.
I know all their wiles and ways. By coalescing and working together they have a power base. They have reached a political Nash equilibrium where cooperation leads to mutual self-benefit.
The two Houses know that by working together they can squash all threats and all comers. Internal and external. Working cooperatively they will never lose their seats.
Cyril has discretionary funding. He can be working with Dillon on projects out in Belcarra, Ballintubber and Carnacon. Dillon can claim credit. The House of Dillon will then canvass hard and support Cyril when the local elections come round. When the general election rolls around the House of Burke will canvass hard in return.
In so doing they will have Balla, Ballintubber, Carnacon, all those areas wrapped up.
When you are a part of a political dynasty, preservation is always paramount. There has been some speculation about Cyril’s succession.
Dean Kenny is from Belcarra. Dillon’s political assistant.
He is the current chairman of Balla GAA. A former president of the student union in Galway. Young, hungry and ambitious. He definitely has ambitions for higher office.
Dean is definitely a potential threat to Donna Sheridan and Cyril Burke. Donna, a native of Balla, has no visible working relationship with the Dillon office in town.
She is a Ring protégé. But Ring is gone now. Can she retain her seat going forward? It’s speculated that there were huge tensions between Donna and Cyril before the last local elections. It’s said they found it difficult to agree on canvassing areas.
She can turn around and say, however, that she's only one of four women in the council chamber, having come through two local elections. She will have spent €700,000 by the time of the next local elections on projects in the area.
She is formidable. And the Dillons and the Burkes know it.
It’s crucial for Keira Keogh that Donna Sheridan is returned in the next local elections. It means she has a valuable ally in the Balla area.
As it stands Donna Sheridan is a major thorn in the side of Dillon. If Donna Sheridan isn’t returned, Alma Gallagher could well throw her lot in with Mark Duffy instead of Keira Keogh for the next GE.
I wonder how it will play out. My feeling is that the Burkes and the Dillons will decide amongst themselves how to play it going forward.
Cyril’s eldest son, Patrick, is a tax senior in Mazars. I have a hunch that he is the heir to the House of Burke. Patrick Burke will not be a TD. Dillon has that sown up. But he could be a councillor. He could be a senator. After all his uncle was the father of the senate.
Paddy Burke didn’t survive all those long years in the senate by sucking on his thumb. It’s said he knows how to cultivate votes. Playing golf with Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael TDs and senators had its benefits. A canny move.
When the wolves were at the door and the heave came against Kenny in 2010, Paddy Burke and Phil Hogan rang rings around the opposition.
They even convinced the Bruton camp there was a mole in their midst – there wasn’t – but it created division in the opposing camp. Without Burke and Hogan, Kenny would never have been a Taoiseach. Big Phil was the éminence grise that paved the way for a Mayo Taoiseach.
I think it’s fair to say Paddy always had a great love and affinity for Mayo people.
A man like that is used of dealing with dynasties. The Kennys and the Burkes. Political royalty. It’s likely he still has huge influence on the FG party at all levels. Any moves the Burkes make would be run by him first.
Dillon would be quite happy to support the House of Burke succession so long as there’s no threat to his own position.
There is a lot of talk about a revival of FF in Castlebar through Caoilinn Gaughan.
Well, it’s me who’s doing the talking. She is the future of FF in the county town. There is no-one else, but you can bet your bottom dollar that Dillon and the Burkes will be doing everything they can to nip that resurgence in the bud.
The last thing FG want is a poll-topping Flynn in their backyard.