Choppy waters, overcast skies and a chilly sea breeze provided a potentially dismal backdrop on the hustings yesterday but it was all plain sailing as presidential candidate Adi Roche hit the Co Wicklow campaign trail. Launching a traditional rowing skiff for the Greystones Sea Scouts she revealed that she had once been an oarswoman herself. "I was a champion rower, on lakes and rivers," she told a uniformed group of intrepid young sailors. "I was in the bow, because I was so small."
White-haired sea veteran Capt Tommy Myler, of the National Commission of Sea Scouts, was on hand to do the honours, popping a bottle of champagne. Ms Roche said she knew the pleasure that boating and sailing could bring and wished a safe journey for everybody who travelled in the vessel.
The Adi Roche battle bus arrived in Greystones at 3.30 p.m. You heard it before you saw it as the rousing strains of Labi Siffre's Something Inside So Strong blasted from its loudspeakers. "This is strong Adi Roche territory," explained local woman Ms Anne Cracken. "She has a lot of Chernobyl groups in the area. I rather fancy McAleese but I wanted to come and see what she's like. You can't really tell from TV."
The campaign was proving a successful mission in precision timing, said Pat Magner of the Labour Party. Earlier, the "People's Candidate" had chatted to Mass-goers at an Arklow church and conducted a walkabout in Wicklow town. "We are keeping no one waiting, timing is all important," he said.
Ms Roche was dressed for the elements in a smart trouser suit and a long beige overcoat. Almost as soon as she stepped off the bus Jefferson Murrae (6), from Killiney, presented her with a painting of a tree. "It's a tree that gives," said Jefferson. "It's beautiful," said Ms Roche.
Afterwards there was a short ceremony to commemorate those affected by the Windscale-Sellafield fire which occurred 40 years ago.
Armed with bunches of her favourite wild flowers, donated by a local florist, Ms Roche marched along the pier. Patricia Feldwick of the Green Party and Democratic Left TD Liz McManus joined with the 100 or so supporters in welcoming the candidate to Co Wicklow. After a speech where Ms Roche remembered victims of all nuclear accidents, the colourful blooms were tossed into the grey sea. "They are sending us radiation", said a supporter, "so we will send them flowers".
On Saturday, Ms Roche had revisited Carnsore Point in Co Wexford, where 20 years ago she had protested against plans to establish a nuclear energy station. People-power had won out and had put an end to the proposal, she said. The government had listened to the people and it was the people who won out in the end. A man on crutches stopped her as she made her way back along the pier. "I walked all the way down here with my bad hip to meet you," he told Ms Roche who rewarded him a warm handshake. Last stop on the whistle-stop tour of Greystones was the busy Beach House pub on the seafront. Labour Party member Jack McCann's introduction to the candidate was guaranteed to raise a smile. "Would you like to meet the next President of Ireland, Adi Roche?" he asked almost every single person present. They did. "You handled yourself really well through all that controversy," said one woman. "I've a big family," said another, "and we'll all vote for you." Later, taking tea at the scouts' clubhouse, the candidate tucked into a cream cake and another chocolate confection. "Now, I've got a sugar rush," she exclaimed back on the bus. She would probably need it, she joked, glancing through her hectic campaign schedule.