An old-style "tannoy debate" in Co Meath provoked a less than passionate response, writes Michael O'Regan.
IT WAS a Lisbon referendum meeting where the organisers were hoping for a certain amount of chaos.
But it did not happen. The F-word was not heard and no rotten eggs were thrown at the speakers when an old-style debate was held in Trim, Co Meath, on Saturday evening.
It was a balmy evening for the outdoor meeting, as the arguments for and against were put to a crowd of a few hundred people.
The tannoy debate, named after the old-style loudspeakers favoured by politicians in political rallies in years gone by, was held in the green area outside the castle walls.
The atmosphere was positive and good-humoured. The speakers included: Minister of State for European Affairs Dick Roche, Fine Gael MEP Mairead McGuinness, Independent TD Finian McGrath, Declan Ganley of Libertas and former Socialist Party TD Joe Higgins.
The debate was part of the lively and interesting Swift festival and represented a brave effort by the organising committee to vary the format of the referendum campaign.
However, although the speakers held the attention of the audience, the apathy among the spectators was palpable.
Joan Gilmore came from Navan with her husband and children.
"We see it as a day out. We had a picnic in the sunshine near the castle and then came to the debate," she said.
"I admire these people for giving up their bank holiday Saturday to speak here, but I have to admit this is a social occasion for me rather than an attempt to find out more about the treaty."
Ms Gilmore said that she has yet to make up her mind on how she will vote. "I suppose it is apathy on my part, even laziness," she said. "I definitely will vote, one way or the other, although I am not too sure about my friends."
Local man Séamus Hayes thought it was a great idea. "Perhaps if there was more of this kind of debate there might be more interest," he said.
"I cannot help feeling, however, that the campaign, overall, is reminiscent of what a British politician said in the middle of a general election.
"He remarked that his colleagues and himself were touring the country stirring up apathy."
The audience included Minister for Transport and local Fianna Fáil TD Noel Dempsey.
He had been canvassing earlier in Navan, where he encountered a considerable number of undecided voters. "I really don't know how you can get people interested," he said. "There is an active campaign by both sides."
The Trim event had been well advertised, he said. "There are about 300 people here . . . certainly is a problem in terms of lack of interest on the part of voters," the Minister added.