On the canvass/ Roisin Ingle with Willie O'Dea:Willie O'Dea and his moustache are canvassing Woodview just outside Limerick city on a sunny Saturday evening.
O'Dea takes a moment to recount an experience he had last week on the Ray D'Arcy Showwhere a young woman asked Ray to organise it for her so she could sit on O'Dea's lap and play with his trademark facial hair. "I didn't realise exactly what she wanted until I got into the studio," he says.
"She just tickled it a bit. I can't get over the amount of people who heard it. I didn't realise it but an awful lot of young people seem to listen to Ray D'Arcy".
Yes, Minister, and the pope is a Catholic.
O'Dea has one of those infectious giggles that make you want to laugh yourself. "Heh, heh, hee, hee," he says in reference to the moustache tickling episode.
Then he's off down the road like a pocket rocket, shaking hands all around him and sucking on a toffee provided by one of his loyal canvassers. There are 16 teams of O'Dea foot soldiers spread out around Limerick tonight and plenty more where they came from. "I've 600 or 700 people I can call on to come out for me," he says.
They call O'Dea the 365-day politician. Legend has it he holds constituency clinics in his car, should the need arise. He's the man, they say, who gets things done. Whatever the result on Thursday, the joke around Limerick is how long after the election it will be before the man with the bristles is back out canvassing again.
Before tonight's canvass begins, O'Dea is not sure that Woodview is a "stronghold" for him but there can't be many parts of Limerick East where this consistent poll topper isn't revered.
His canvassing style is hurried, yet slick. At the doorsteps he hangs around only long enough to say "I'm just doing a spot of canvassing" or "sorry to disturb you" or "hope we'll have your support" and then he's off, with a smile that reaches his bright blue eyes, to the next door.
He gets a uniformly positive response whether from older women in "pinnies", teenagers getting ready for a night out, "young fellas" in football jerseys or harassed looking mothers in pyjamas.
"Howiya, Willie, sure you have no worries here". "Six number ones in this house Willie". "Thanks for all your help, we'll be supporting you William". "Up Willie," shouts a boy passing on a bike.
"Heh, heh, hee, hee," responds O'Dea. "I'm stronger here than I thought. That's a bonus".
There's a dog yapping happily outside one door, Willie gives him a pat. Joe Crowley who will be contesting the local elections for Fianna Fáil confides that O'Dea is "a real dog man". "There's dogs who bark at the rest of us but who don't bark at Willie," he says.
Dr O'Dealittle reveals that his own dog is called Scampi. "Don't mind him, he's called Bertie," says Derek.
O'Dea can feel things turning for Fianna Fáil and this is before yesterday's poll results. "I've noticed it on the doorsteps," he says. "People don't want a change just for the sake of change. They are worried about throwing away everything that this Government has done. They know it's a risky business."
Hardly any issues come up around Woodview. There is one man who wants a light fixed on the lam-post outside his house - "I'll get that done for you," says O'Dea - and another who has a problem with her neighbours, but mostly they just want to wish him well.
"There he is, the only politician who ever comes to our door, we love you Willie," yells one woman.
The Willie Posse retire to a nearby bar for a post-canvass drink where he answers a few questions. About the confusion over whether he smoked cannabis: "I thought I had but it turned out I hadn't".
About the possibility of Fianna Fáil going into government with Sinn Féin. "The chances are nil, zilch, zero. I don't trust them. I would prefer to be in opposition . . . I couldn't serve in government with Sinn Féin".
About Michael McDowell's intervention on the issue of Bertie Ahern's financial dealings: "Politically a huge mistake, traditionally the PDs benefit from our transfers and that will have done damage," he says.
About Enda Kenny's suitability as taoiseach, a subject he could talk about all night: "I personally like him, but his performance over the last three weeks proves you can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear. He is programmed with facts and he is good at regurgitating them but he doesn't have the ability to lead the country. He would be ruthlessly and quickly exposed to the detriment of the country."
Suddenly a man dressed as Batman is waving at him from the bar. A photo opportunity? O'Dea considers the possibility but then says no, mindful of his gun photo faux pas.
"Go wan, Willie, ye good thing," yell a group of teenagers as he takes his leave. No wonder Willie O'Dea is giggling.