It’s a dog thing

One thing I learned on the canvass trail is that densities in suburbia are much higher than people actually think. The problem is that the statistics only count two-legged residents of households. Add in the four-legged occupants and the population of Dublin South escalates dramatically. Almost every home has a dog or multiple dogs, which proportionately represent the canine gene pool from somnolent St. Bernards to prissy poodles. Some households boast big trophy dogs, while others favour the Parish Hiltonesque small dogs.

Dog owner households hold a particular canvass difficulty. You get the door open, but as we launch into our pitch we notice that the dog owner has assumed a pained expression, and a painfully contorted pose. They are trying to block the doorway, without actually closing the door in your face. Instead of focusing on the merits of the candidate, its all about “stopping the dog from running out”. We put your pitch on speed dial and watch with apprehension as the owner’s legs, precariously crossed begin to wobble and the dog bludgeons his way through to freedom . Exasperated, the household snatches the leaflet and retreats. The canvassing team rally round making a vain effort to corral the offending dog and shepherd him/her home …it’s a doggone drag…..

Leopardstown in the rain.

Now that we are on the home straight, its not really possible to be "rained off"- so we took ourselves out to Leopardstown on Wednesday evening. The response was really positive. In some of the estates, we were the first canvassers to call although in fairness, a Green team, was hot on our heels. There was lots of talk of change on the doorsteps and lots of highly engaged children. In fact, that has been a really heartening aspect of this campaign: the way in which primary school children in particular, and talking about and thinking about the candidates, parties and issues in the election. One 10 year old boy whom we canvassed told us they had been discussing the election in school and he had a number of questions to put to candidates. He asked us about the problem of graffitti and how it should be tackled. Thankfully, our answer (keep cleaning it off until the perpetrators get bored, and provide adequate facilities for young people so that they don't have either the aspiration or inclination to scrawl on walls!) dovetailed with the views of this particular young man's teacher. On another doorstep, a 10 year old girl informed us that "her granny was very much in favour of Pat Rabbitte".

Bad and all as it was for us scurrying through the rain with our umbrellas aloft garnering votes, I felt humbled by the soccer coach we encountered on the green in Fernleigh coaching a bunch of kids in the lashing of rain. True grit. Making it happen for the kids.

The feting season

It's not all about shopping malls and shopping centres in Dublin South. The election this year coincides with the garden fete season. Hundreds of people descent on far flung school grounds to muddle through piles of bric a brac, try their hands at winning a goldfish, or purchase some wonderful home-baked pastries. Fetes are ideal stomping grounds for candidates, as we learned on our whistle stop tour on Saturday last. Having nearly gotten Alex killed trying to find a parking space on Whitechurch road (a word of thanks to a cool headed steward and an efficient garda) I finally deposited the candidate safely at the gates of Whitechurch N.S. Having earlier eaten a hearty lunch at the Kilternan fete, the candidate was in fine form and cut a dash as he moved among the throngs of people attending the event. A chat with the organising committee, a cup of tea with Rev. Horace, the purchase of a pleasing outdoor plant, and then back on the road (thankfully a different driver!) and on the way to the next pitstop. Garden fetes are most definitely not just a throwback to a bygone day. They are living proof that our communities survive and thrive even in the face of consumer culture. Locality and sense of place still matter, and the people who actively participate in community are our greatest resource.

Death by a thousand cranes

Saturday morning in Stepaside, definitely part of the rural hinterland when we were growing up in Rathfarnham. Now the pitch and putt course where we whiled away many a Saturday morning is gone (sold for development) and Stepaside has become a satellite suburb on the periphery of the new edge city of Sandyford. From every vantage point, Sandyford draws the eye. It is like a mini-Dubai city emerging on the skyline of south Dublin. Back gardens that once looked out on greenery and hills, now lie in the shadow of canyon office blocks. People are angry that an urban landscape has rudely invaded their suburban idylls…..densities are increasing, green space is disappearing, and infrastructure is lagging far behind development. There is a palpable sense of grievance that the juggernaut of “development” is destroying everything – nature, open spaces, communities- that lie in its path. Its time for change…..

Spanking new suburban housing estates nestle in the foothills of the Dublin mountains. Young children play out front, bathed in dappling sunlight. Swedish au pairs are the only people home at the first three houses I canvass. My male canvassing colleague is mad as hell he didn’t get to meet them. Welcome to the suburban frontier in Dublin South.

Week One nearly concluded and all is well. We've had a very good week. There's been a terrific response on the door step and there is certainly a real appetite for change. Our campaign has built a strong momentum with a good constituency spread of posters (despite a few removals already!), positive recognition at the Luas stops and the schools. So onwards and upwards. More anon. Alex

Welcome Note

Welcome to Alex White's campaign blog. Over the coming weeks, as the campaign in Dublin South intensifies, I hope to be able to bring you, 'up-to-the minute' news and information, commentary on issues and policy initiatives, and occassionally some fun and insight into what happens at a day-to-day level of an election campaign.

Clearly establishing this blog is also about you.

I want to hear from you; how do you think the campaign is going; what do you feel we should be focusing on right now - a blog is a shared community and I look forward to welcoming you, your friends and the broader community of Dublin South in the coming days and weeks.
regards
Alex White
Labour Candidate for Dublin South