Jack Leahy
Elections Editor
Thursday of campaigns week is never a particularly raucous affair, and this year it has proven no different. That is not, however, to imply that this has been a particularly exciting week. Because it has not.
As such, today’s blog is short and sweet. The day’s highlights included another excellent debate between our communications candidates on Trinity FM, hustings and polling at Trinity affiliate Church of Ireland College of Education (CICE) and the return of Declan Harmon-style question posts. Here we go.
Ents
First of all, apologies to Team David Whelan: we were unaware that the team opted to hit Halls yesterday instead of unleashing mass campus presence at the time of writing yesterday’s blog.
Second, I can hardly contain my excitement: concluding our successful series of ‘They Want your Vote’ discussions with Trinity FM, tomorrow will see UT’s unsung champion Shauna Watson moderate a discussion between Whelan, former UCD Ents officer Jonny Cosgrove, and TFM Ents guru Claire McCabe. It’s a hell of a lot of hassle to get these discussions online (thanks, TCD wifi) but I hereby pledge to do it as soon as possible.
However, Whelan insists that the lack of campaigning presence on campus is down to their focus on nailing down deals for students to give more substance to his manifesto. Indeed arranging special offers before receiving the position of Ents officer is time consuming but surely the campaign team would step up in this situation to hold the fort and work harder to gain more votes ahead of RON?
Regardless of how dedicated the team are to his run for the SU, it’s evident that Whelan and Cantillon are working harder to up their game, not only organizing deals with companies in Dublin for students to avail of during the election period and if he wins the position, but also trying to accommodate for all student groups in Trinity including students in the affiliate college in Rathmines, CICE. During hustings there earlier today, Whelan proposed the idea of organizing a discount card, focusing on deals and offers for local shops and restaurants closer to their own college (similar to the one brought in during his reign as Ents officer for JCR Halls.)
Whelan and his campaign team will announce the deals that have been put in place for the week on Monday. The ‘Whelan for Ents’ facebook page has also been reinstated after the two day ban by the EC.
President
All three presidents had stands in the Arts block today, localising their presence. Team John Tighe continued its rise in campaigner numbers, leaving orange as present and – honestly – well-received a force as blue or black and yellow. I think Tighe has surprised us all throughout this race, failing to deliver on the negative stereotypes that Trinity students prejudicially attach to student activists. While Rory Dunne and James Kelly are still the front-runners in the top race, a number of students told me today that talking to Tighe in the arts block convinced them to vote for him. I’d imagine it’ll be much of the same again tomorrow, so.
Nothing huge to note from Teams Kelly and Dunne, with both sides maintaining their usual tactics of sending out numbers armed with conviction and manifestos. This afternoon, UT published a list of questions specific to each candidate to which they are invited to respond in the ‘comments’ section. Safe to say we’re prepared for ‘trolololing’ or whatever it is the kids are saying. I think the questions are great – see how they’re answered here: https://universitytimes.ie/?p=8226.
Communications
These guys just keep on making it interesting. Once again, Owen ‘Cabbage’ Bennett – who did not, as was stated here yesterday, fill his stand with lettuce – Hannah Cogan, and James Hagan discussed and debated and, once again, it was engaging. What was immediately obvious from their TFM discussion is that, perhaps more than most other races, these guys have really considered their material.
All three impressed today me for different reasons; Bennett for his concise speech (a quality evident not for the first time) and assurance, Hagan for his intelligence and insight, and Cogan for her breadth of SU and UT knowledge for someone until recently disconnected from both. While you may not want to listen to the whole thing, listen to at least a few snippets of the linked debate. I’d, of course, recommend the whole thing.
Highlights from the above include an agreement between Cogan and Hagan that the lack of correlation between UT poll results and on-the-ground verdicts means that the next Communications Officer has to reconsider online polls as a reliable means of canvassing opinion, and the subsequent advocacy by all three of a Town Hall-style meeting that allowed for a greater range of opinions.
Furthermore, Bennett and Cogan confirmed that no editorial positions have been offered to student journalist contacts should they win the election. Bennett was optimistic that he could keep on a number of UT writers and bring in some good Trinity News staff too, but stressed that nothing had been decided. Hagan admitted that campaign manager Leanna Byrne would assume the deputy editorship of this publication should he claim victory, asserting that there was no problem with appointing someone with whom you share trust and extensive experience given the unique and important purpose served by the deputy.
Elsewhere, it’s probably relevant in a communications section to allude to the popularity of Hagan’s latest campaign video, ‘Shit Trinity students say’, which has received 2,170+ views in 30 hours. Unassumingly, Hagan is having a good week.
Welfare
A quiet day proves that being happy and bubbly all the time is really a tiring business. Welfare correspondent Emma Tobin reported that Emma Walker’s campaign enjoyed its usual positive reception, that Andy Haughey’s stand in the Hamilton drew in some positive feedback, and that Aisling Ní Chonaire’s campaigners also reported a positive reception from students.
Emma did note, however, that what was a keen awareness of the importance of the role for which this trio are vying is being dulled by pestering by campaigners. I get this – with welfare candidates, people want to hear from the person on whose door they may have to knock in the next year. I don’t quite believe that this means that minds are made up; it simply affirms the power of one-on-one campaigning.
Education
Dan Ferrick won’t allow himself to be seen as complacent, and as such is prepared to continue addressing lectures and talking to voters. His ‘what do you want your education officer to do?’ whiteboard has been well-received, with a few novel suggestions complementing engagement with the office for which he is running. He has been well-received, with one student describing him as ‘by far the best candidate’ in the Hamilton this afternoon.
Ents by Shauna Watson and Jack Leahy
