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Gallagher poster stance rubbished VOTERS MAY have wondered if Seán Gallagher’s claims of not using posters were rubbish on seeing…

Gallagher poster stance rubbished

VOTERS MAY have wondered if Seán Gallagher's claims of not using posters were rubbish on seeing his face on bins in shopping centres and supermarkets.

The posters were spotted on bins in Dundrum shopping centre and in Waterford. The poster features a large photo of Gallagher and advertises his meet and greet in the shopping centre later this month. A spokeswoman for his campaign said it was using advertising on places such as bins and “fixed advertising points”. However, it was not using “lamp post posters,” she said.

Gallagher has made his vehement opposition to posters a feature of his campaign, repeating his mantra that every poster people see costs taxpayers €3

.

Mitchell hoping to shade it with his leaflet range

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LAST WEEK Gay Mitchell said he was fed up with people talking about the colour of ties. Well, the Fine Gael candidate has given the electorate three colours to collect as his campaign leaflets began landing on doormats yesterday.

The three leaflets are in green, blue and yellow featuring three different photos of the Fine Gael candidate and three different messages.

The green leaflet is anoraked rural Mitchell which explains his record of hard work. The blue leaflets feature urban images of a besuited Mitchell with a section entitled “knowing who we are” and features some old black and white photos of Mitchell.

The yellow leaflet shows Mitchell in a suit with a tree and hedge and explains why to vote for the candidate.

It is not clear if the leaflets are being targeted at different types of voters or if they are being sent at random. A campaign spokesman said a variation in literature was “common”

Name-dropping Davis is friend of the stars

THE NAME-DROPPING continues in this campaign following Martin McGuinness’s celebrity endorsements in recent days. This time it’s Mary Davis. The Independent candidate’s campaign yesterday uploaded a photo slideshow of “Who is Mary Davis? Her life through images” on to her Facebook page.

Among the 13 photos of Davis are her with U2 frontman Bono (above), with president of the European Parliament Jerzy Buzek and Prince Albert of Monaco (left).

Surprisingly the slide show also features her campaign rival Martin McGuinness, the photo taken when she was chairing the North South Consultative Conference.

Also uploaded is a photo of Davis with Nelson Mandela, which also appears on her campaign literature. The caption describes him as one of her “heroes”. “One of her most treasured possessions is a signed card from Nelson Mandela with the message: If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.” the caption says.

See the slideshow at http://on.fb.me/pM6PnL.

Nude awakening in Tuam

THERE’S more to Tuam mart in Co Galway than bullocks and farmers when you’re on a presidential election canvass.

Fine Gael discovered this yesterday when Taoiseach Enda Kenny and candidate Gay Mitchell were presented with a nude charity calendar to raise funds for Cystic Fibrosis Ireland. “Enda said there were lots of nice ladies in it,” patient advocate Caroline Heffernan told reporters afterwards. The calendar also included pictures of men.

Earlier, a woman enjoying a foot pedicure at the Eyre Square shopping centre in Galway found herself the focus of intense attention when the Fine Gael parade descended. Tiny fish swimming between her toes were nibbling at the dead skin, the Taoiseach and Mr Mitchell were told, before they made a rapid exit.

Quote of the day: Michael D Higgins:

"You know even in the old days, I never liked champagne for a start"

When asked about Gay Mitchell’s warning to voters not to elect a president who will sip champagne and recite poetry in Áras an Uachtaráin

Genevieve Carbery

Genevieve Carbery

Genevieve Carbery is Deputy Head of Audience at The Irish Times