On the campaign trail

As the Kildare by-election approaches, Ailbhe Jordan tracks Fianna Fáil candidate Áine Brady

Its 6.50am and Áine Brady is running late. Her canvassing partner, Mary O'Rourke, paces up and down the car park at Leixlip train station.

"Áine and I are friends from way back," explains the former Minister for Transport, her breath visible on this icy cold morning.

"We used to give each other lifts when we both worked in the Fianna Fáil National Executive." She looks at her watch. Where is she? She'd want to hurry up."

Áine's campaign manager Gearóid is next to arrive, bearing boxes of glossy campaign flyers and hurried excuses for her tardiness.

"Her driver is having problems getting to the house, she says the roads are too dangerous," he says.

"She has a driver who's afraid to drive?" says Mary, raising her eyebrows. "She'd want to get rid of him."

At 7.15am, Áine arrives, half running along the train platform, cursing the traffic and the weather in her thick Galway accent. She is a very attractive woman with big, hazel-brown eyes and a disarming grin. Dressed in a long, black overcoat and sturdy ankle boots, her prim elegance is reminiscent of a Victorian headmistress.

"Mary dear, how are you?" she says, greeting her colleague a hug and kiss on the cheek. Gearóid is not far behind, struggling down the steps with a large sandwich board bearing a blown-up image of Áine's smiling face.

A native of Castleblakeny, Galway, Áine is a learning support teacher in Scoil na Mainistreach, Celbridge. She has canvassed for Fianna Fáil in Kildare since she moved there in 1981, becoming one of only two female members on the National Executive in the early 1980s. Education and childcare are her main election platforms.

"Childcare will have to be dealt with," she says to Mary now as they stand on the platform. Both agree that Fianna Fáil have not addressed the issue properly.

"I was delighted when Bertie picked up on it yesterday at the press conference. Usually I feel as if they're like: 'here she goes' whenever I mention it."

A young man walks past and Mary shoves Áine into his path.

"This is Áine Brady, our candidate for the by-election," Mary says.

"Hi, how are you?" Áine says, flashing him a grin. Over the next hour, she does a lot of grinning and asking people how they are, yielding little response as commuters rush past her on the platform. Whilst there is no good time of day to approach some people, it seems early morning is a bad time for almost everyone.

With less than two weeks to go until election time, Áine faces a gruelling canvassing schedule if she is to close the headstart her competitors have gained from Fianna Fáil's delay in announcing her as a candidate.

"I wasn't running initially; I didn't give it any thought until I knew that Paul Kelly and Charlie McCreevy Jr were not going to be candidates," she says.

"I've always had a very good working relationship with Charlie McCreevy. He was one of the first people I informed, and he wished me every success."

One of eight children of Galway TD Michael F Kitt, a sister of Galway East Senator Michael Kitt and Government Chief Whip Tom Kitt, Áine has been involved in politics all her life.

"My house was absolutely hectic, most of the time," she remembers.

"People were always coming and going; clinics weren't really done then, people would mostly call to the house if they had a problem. My mother was also very heavily involved in politics. She was a great support to my Dad; he was at the Dáil from Tuesday to Thursday. She acted as his secretary; she was always dealing with people on his behalf when he was away. You didn't have the sort of supports that are available today back then.

"I was the first of the children my dad brought out at 10 years of age, even though I wasn't the eldest. I remember thinking: 'Why me?' I wasn't a very chatty youngster, but I would always have been very interested in what was going on. Maybe he saw that. My husband was also a councillor for 20 years, so from him I would be very knowledgeable on the workings of the council."

Next stop is Scoil Eoin Phobail, Leixlip. It's 8.30am but school does not begin until 9.15. Dublin South-West TD Conor Lenihan arrives to help Áine canvass. "Was I telling you what happened yesterday?" she says to him.

"I was standing beside Bertie at the press conference and this man who was talking to me comes up and says to him: You must be Mr Brady!" She bursts into laughter. "The poor fella got an awful shock when he realised who he was!"

Outside the school, local councillor Paul Kelly joins the group. It's mostly women passing through the school gates with their children and reaction to Áine here is more positive than at the train station. Some people are familiar with her; a few of the teachers know Áine personally and stop for a chat.

The school lollipop lady hugs her tightly and wishes her all the best. She has been an enthusiastic Fianna Fáil canvasser for years, according to Paul.

However, as time ticks on, parents become less interested in her and more interested in getting their children into the classroom on time and the group moves on.

Following a short coffee break that gives Áine the opportunity to canvass Lenten mass-goers outside Confey Church in Leixlip, Conor Lenihan, Mary O'Rourke and Paul Kelly depart.

Next on the schedule is a visit to Ryevale Nursing Home in Leixlip. Áine decides to go in without the group, so as not to frighten any of the residents.

"Poor crayturs," she says, getting back into the car.

"They asked me to sing them a song, but I said please, not at this time of the morning."

"My family would be quite musical," she explains.

"I'm sure you know about David; my eldest son Eamon is also involved in singing and songwriting at the moment. He has recorded a few tracks."

Then it's on to Avondale housing estate, where Junior minister Síle DeValera, Dublin-West TD Charlie O'Connor and Alice Robinson from the Fianna Fáil Leixlip campaign are scheduled to join the group. After 20 minutes of waiting, Síle has not turned up. Nobody knows her number, so the group presses on.

On the estates, people receive Áine warmly; one woman invites her in out of the cold for tea and homemade brown bread, whilst another man takes one look at her and asks for a flyer so he can stick it up on his bedroom wall.

For the most part, she has little work to do. The estates on today's schedule are in old Leixlip; a settled area that is full of long-term Fianna Fáil voters. Many people recognise Áine from times when she canvassed for her husband Gerry, whilst others are familiar with her political pedigree.

"It helps that both my husband and my brother are well-known," Áine says later.

"Initially when I told Gerry I was running he was a bit reticent about his enthusiasm, but what changed his mind was the amount of public support and good will there is for me – he was impressed. I could have used my family name; it would certainly be no disadvantage. The family name is very strong, but I feel I've been a Brady since I came to Kildare."