On the campaign trail with Simon Harris in one of the bearpits of General Election 2024

An American visitor is holding court on all things political in Hennessy’s Bar in the lakeside town of Blessington, Co Wicklow.

It’s a freezing cold Wednesday afternoon and she’s having her say on the recent US elections, in the warmth of the lounge.

“We’ve got our own version of Trump in here today,” some wag at the counter pipes up, pointing over to Fine Gael’s Edward Timmins, who has dropped in for tea on the canvas. Genial Timmins sees the funny side: “Yeah,” he says, not missing a beat: “Make West Wicklow Great Again.”

READ MORE: Storm Bert Red Alert LIVE updates as Met Eireann says do not travel and issues severe flood warning

READ MORE: Taoiseach insists Ireland would arrest Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu

It’s a joke of course, but he might be onto something: his plan of bringing the Luas out to here from Saggart in Co Dublin - a distance of only 10 miles (16km) – harks back to the good old days and pulling that off would make him a local legend.

The steam tram used to go out to Blessington until 1932, when the motor car and buses took over. If Timmins was successful, such a move would be a game-changer to the quality of life here.

The idea of bringing west Wicklow into the spotlight rings true to voters from this side of the constituency divided in two by a vast mountain range. They feel they have been shortchanged by geography, particularly when it comes to roads and transport.

The east/north side of Wicklow is home to 82 per cent of the county’s 155,000 population, while only 18 per cent of it live in the more rural and working-class west Wicklow. It’s the home county of the Taoiseach – for the first time ever – but Simon Harris lives on the other side of the Gap, along with the remaining four TDs.

The people of Blessington or Baltinglass have no connection with Bray or Greystones; would never have need or reason to go all the way over there. They tend to do their business in either Naas — over the border in Kildare — or up in Dublin. They currently have no representation in the Dail at all. They’re in political limbo, somewhat disenfranchised.

They’d like to change that on November 29, and Councillor Timmins reckons he’s their man. His political leaflet says: “Give west Wicklow a voice” and urges voters: “Let’s all unite and give us a local voice again in Dail Eireann.”

On his election campaign, Fine Gael's Cllr Edward Timmins pulls a pint with Ronan Hennessy of Hennessy's bar located on the main street in Blessington Co Wicklow
(Image: Mick O'Neill)

But will being Harris’s running mate enough? Or will he be scuppered by virtue of being located in the part of the county that has only one-sixth of its population? You’ll hear it said here that the only things that unite Wicklow as a county are GAA and politics. And even that is beginning to splinter.

This election, the constituency was reformed to give some territory in the south of the county to the new Wexford-Wicklow constituency. It has turned Wicklow into one of the bearpits of General Election 2024, meaning the five sitting TDS are fighting it out for four seats, like a game of musical chairs.

It’s competitive enough that all the big players are out midweek to see a local youth hub being opened in a retail unit beside the Dunnes Stores complex in the middle of the 400-year old town, which lies around 30km – or 20 miles – from Dublin. I hear Cynthia Ni Mhurchu – now a Fianna Fáil MEP – was spotted around the town earlier.

An Taoiseach lands in and is treated like a superstar, with kids from the local St Mary’s school running down to see him. Looking much younger than he does on TV, Simon says he’s enjoying campaigning in his home county. On a pit-stop to Kildare, before he goes onto Laois, he tells me the difference in this election is he’s travelling all over the country too.

“This is the first election I’ve tried to get around my own constituency and everyone else’s too. It’s an operational challenge, but I’m really enjoying it,” he said. “I think there’s a sense of pride in the county having a Taoiseach first time, it’s where I’ve lived in all my life and I’ve got to know a lot of people right across the county, being a TD for the last 13 years.”

I run into Health Minister Stephen Donnelly at the launch of the new Foróige club, in the youth hub office donated by local pharmacist Kilian McGreal. Donnelly tells me crime and the visibility of Gardaí is a main issue in a growing commuter town like this.

Reporter Larissa Nolan talks to Fianna Fáil Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly during his election campaign in Blessington Co Wicklow
(Image: Mick O'Neill)

“A few things I want to see here – firstly, Gardaí. We need the station open. Baltinglass is the nearest Garda station. I have been talking to women saying they don’t feel safe walking down the street at night, alone or with their kids. That was not the case six or seven years ago, it’s grown, they’re nervous and they need more community Gardaí. This is not a dangerous town, but it needs more Gardaí.”

Donnelly says despite the local joke about how you only ever see a TD over here on an election poster, he says he goes to the west side often. “I’m here a lot, Blessington FC were looking for about €140,000, who went and met them? I went. Who got the money? I did.” He said the clogged one-lane N81 to Dublin also needs an upgrade. I have huge time for the Greens but the funding for the N81 got pulled by Eamon Ryan. A better N81 and more high-frequency buses [is needed],” he says.

Dublin Bus goes out this far but currently there’s only one 65 bus every one or two hours for a commuting population of about 6,000. Due to its proximity to the city, and the fact the county has the highest house prices outside Dublin, the average cost of a family home here is €455,000. Average rent I’m told is in the region of €1,600 – that’s if if you can find a place.

Reporter Larissa Nolan talks to local man Kilian McGreal, who runs a family pharmacy on his issues with the country and how it effects him in Blessington Co Wicklow
(Image: Mick O'Neill)

Lots who live here commute to the capital for work, and besides being priced out of renting or buying, the other biggest issue many residents have is traffic and public transport. It’s one of Timmins’ top priorities – he says he is committed to fully delivering that much-needed, long overdue N81 upgrade.

He understands the need and the costings more than most, as an engineering graduate and a chartered accountant. He’s well known and liked here in Blessington, where his brother Billy was a TD for years and his father Godfrey Timmins before him.

He’s greeted by Gerry Flanagan from behind the counter in Crimin’s Family Butcher on the main street. Timmins says housing is a bigger issue perhaps here than other, more affluent parts of Wicklow. Prices here are not far off Dublin.

Ronan Hennessy, owner of Hennessy’s Bar, says housing is the big issue for the majority, and what he hears most from patrons of the pub. So too does David Lennon from shoppers in the Centra, where he is supervisor. Lennon is 37 but has to live at home as it’s so expensive to rent and people can’t afford to buy. He’s hoping to get on the housing ladder but like lots in his age group, is finding it a major challenge.

Fianna Fail councillor Patsy Glennon says the key issue here is infrastructure. “We need a new N81, we have nothing here until we get infrastructure. Transport here is chronic,” he says.

Glennon also gives us two cents on their current coalition partners, saying the “Wicklow Taoiseach” shtick won’t wash with voters: “Harris is not going to do nearly as well as he is expecting to.

“Take it from me, having been on the doors, he’s starting to slip, the shine is coming off.” Timmins hits back: “I’ve been on a couple of thousands of doors at this point and he’s definitely an attraction.” Timmins also bats off claims by Glennon that getting voted in when located on this side of the county is almost “impossible.”

He’ll need to hoover up about half of the local votes over here, but he reckons he has a chance.

Timmins says he’s not just a “Fine Gael” candidate — he is a representative for the west side of the county for all, as well as the Taoiseach’s running mate.

“It will take a phenomenal effort, but it can be done,” he says. Don’t rule me out. Look at the bookies. Paddy Power has me at 6/4 and Boylesports at 11/8 and they have to put their money where their mouth is.”

Join the Irish Mirror’s breaking news service on WhatsApp. Click this link to receive breaking news and the latest headlines direct to your phone. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.