10 laughs along the way in the General Election 2016

26 Feb 2016

General Election 2016 campaign posters image via Luke Maxwell

Polling stations are open and thousands are flocking to cast their vote in the Irish General Election 2016. This all sounds dull, so let’s remember the campaign’s funnier moments.

This particular election season has seemed a lot more drawn out than previous iterations, even if the official campaign was unusually short, with soft campaigning starting as far back as October and November as the current Government hmm’d and haw’d about choosing a date.

Then came the posters. Public meetings posters, at first, plastered with campaigning TDs’ faces. Then came the ‘official’ posters. And they were everywhere. Voter fatigue set in and, as debates passed in front of our eyes, we longed for simpler, funnier times.

So, in no particular order, here are some of the election campaign’s funnier and more surprising moments.

1. Guerrilla marketing at its best

I was passing by Santry when Jesus’ followers were busy getting their main man up for a No 1 vote a few days ago. Spreading the word, as always. This wasn’t their idea, obviously, with marketers for the new Zoolander 2 movie beating them by a couple of weeks. Bravo.

General Election 2016 poster

2. Choppy waters

There’s not much to say on this one.

Remember when Joan Burton fell out of a canoe.. Good times pic.twitter.com/CElHT0LF06

— Caoimhe (@Irish_Lovatic) February 8, 2016

3. Watch out for the mic

Poor Leo.

4. Leadership

You drop, I point.

Lending a helping hand? #leadersdebate #ge16 https://t.co/hQsFMUa7uM

— RTÉ News (@rtenews) February 15, 2016

5. Leadership II

You whinge, I dig a hole.

6. Common sense out of left field

On The Late Late Show a few weeks ago, The Rubberbandits’ Blind Boy Boat Club impressed an awful lot of people with his true grasp on what a whole generation seems to be going through.

His discussion on plans for a remembrance of the 1916 Rising was heavily loaded in logic, appreciation and intelligence.

His discussion on his generation, meanwhile, was simply realistic. And popular.

7. Set the date

Facebook user Kirsty Buchanan recently reached out to Donegal candidate Tim Jackson, letting him know exactly how she felt about him.

General Election 2016 date 1

Spotting an opportunity to drum up support – and perhaps looking for love – Jackson said he’d go on a date if enough people liked the idea.

General Election date 2

So, last night, it happened.

General Election date 3

8. Election to the Future

There are no words.

9. Booby Sands

Never cut back on sub-editors. Never.

What kind of terrorist / freedom fighter* produces milk? *delete as approp. Booby Sands pic.twitter.com/0IvxhbAgI6

— Flexo Ren (@Flexo777) February 10, 2016