THE conference provided valuable exposure for the party's first time general election candidates. Their contributions to debates were carefully timed to coincide with television coverage and they also got the opportunity to get to know Ministers and pick up some electioneering advice from veteran TDs well schooled in the art of garnering votes.
It was Clare candidate, Ms Bridin Twist's first conference. As president of the ICA, Ms Twist, who has been chosen by the party to retain the seat won unexpectedly last time by Dr Moosajee Bhamjee, is no stranger to crowded halls.
The ICA, she stressed is not all about sedate ladies doing their knitting and sipping tea, an image sometimes portrayed by the media.
"We are a broad national organisation - we have branches in Ballyfermot and Tallaght for instance - and we have tackled many social issues. For instance, we lobbied hard for a national breast screening programme for women.
A native of Ennis, Ms Twist is the first woman candidate to stand for the party in Clare and believes her high profile through her involvement in the ICA will help her considerably. Dr Bhamjee will also be working on her behalf.
Ms Twist will have a fight on her hands to hold the seat, won narrowly by Dr Bhamjee with the Mr Colm Keaveney (26), a former president of the Union of Students in Ireland (USI) and the party's candidate in the new four seat Galway East, had a dream start to his campaign when he appeared on The Late Late Show two months ago.
"Since then, I have been Working 20 hours a day on my campaign. I am going everywhere - including discos, clubs and bars - in an attempt to involve the traditionally disenfranchised in the electoral process. Many people are disillusioned with politics, and I am trying to offer them an alternative to stale, right wing, selfish politics."
He is targeting the young people who might not even bother to vote. "A National Youth Council survey found that 40 per cent of young people under 25 years will not vote in the next election." He has experienced the highly competitive nature of politics.
"Everything I do provokes a response from the traditional politicians. They are now going to the discos, but they can't dance."
A native of Tuam, he will be among those chasing the extra seat. "The PDs have a brass neck if they think their candidate, Joe Burke, will automatically win it. I am confident that I can."
The current three seats are held by Fianna Fail's Mr Noel Treacy and Mr Michael Kitt, and Fine Gael's Mr Paul Connaughton.
Ms Kathleen O'Meara has attended party conferences over the years as Labour press officer, RTE journalist and adviser to the Minister of State for Finance, Ms Eithne Fitzgerald. At the weekend, she was there as the new Labour candidate for North Tipperary, replacing the sitting TD, Mr John Ryan, who is retiring.
The constituency has attracted considerable national publicity since the decision by the former Fine Gael minister, Mr Michael Lowry, to run as an Independent. Fianna Fail's Mr Michael Smith is the constituency's third TD. Senator Michael O'Kennedy, a former TD and minister, is expected to make a strong challenge for a seat.
A native of Roscrea Ms O'Meara has her campaign headquarters in Nenagh and begins her door to door search for votes today. "I believe I have a combination of local roots and experience as a journalist and Government adviser to offer."
It is as far back as 1969 since Labour ran a candidate in the usually predictable Donegal South West, where Fianna Fail's Mr Pat "The Cope" Gallagher and Ms Mary Coughlan, and Fine Gael's Mr Dinny McGinley have held the seats.
Mr Gallagher is standing down to concentrate on the European Parliament, a move that convinces the Labour candidate, Mr Manus Brennan, that the second Fianna Fail seat is up for grabs.
"I know we are probably in for the long haul," he admitted, "but I wouldn't be surprised if we were in there in the final shake up for the third seat this time. People are tired of the political predictability in Donegal South West and are crying out for change."
Mr Brennan, who lives in Donegal town and teaches in Glenties, has had to build the local organisation from scratch, beginning with the first branch he formed in 1990.
Ms Sheila O'Sullivan, from Glanmire, will be attempting to win back the late Mr Gerry O'Sullivan's Cork North Central seat lost to Democratic Left's Ms Kathleen Lynch in a by election. Ms O'Sullivan (no relation to the late TD) works in the registration office of the Southern Health Board and is a member of the board and Cork County Council.
The other seats are currently held by the Fine Gael Minister of State for Education, Mr Bernard Allen, Mr Liam Burke (FG), Mr Danny Wallace (FF) and Ms Mairin Quill (PD).
"I was chosen as a candidate on February 18th last year, and I began knocking on doors on the following day. On the law of averages, there has to be some change in a five seater."
