Sinn Fein fails in bid to recruit GAA star
RALPH RIEGEL
EXCLUSIVE
SINN Fein has made an audacious attempt to recruit Cork's All Ireland winning hurling captain Sean Og O hAilpin as an election candidate.
The political wing of the IRA has drawn up a 'dream team' of would-be TDs with O'hAilpin among their top targets, according to sources.
O'hAilpin would be an A-list candidate for any party. One of the biggest stars in Irish sport, he is idolised by many young people and his clean-cut image as a dedicated professional and a fluent Irish speaker would be electoral gold.
The 28-year-old hurler, who was born in Australia but brought up in Cork, confirmed last night he had been sounded out about a political career but said that he wanted to concentrate on his work.
O hAilpin, whose father is from Co Fermanagh and his mother from Fiji, told the Sunday Independent: "I have no interest in it really. None at all. Politics isn't my game. I have been approached but it's not for me."
Local sources said last night that Sinn Fein had sounded out the star about his political ambitions in recent weeks and that the Green Party had also expressed an interest.
It is understood Sinn Fein's leadership has drawn up a wish list of would-be TDs spanning every profession and with squeaky-clean, paramilitary-free credentials.
That Sinn Fein/IRA would see someone of the calibre of O hAilpin as a potential recruit should sound alarm bells within Fianna Fail in particular. A senior TD at the party's gathering in Cavan 10 days ago said colleagues were aware of the approaches.
Informal approaches have already been made to several people - including O hAilpin who quickly rebuffed the overtures - and others who are considering their options.
Sinn Fein intends to deploy "respectable" candidates across as many constituencies as possible in the next election - expected in about 18 months - who can attract middle-class votes, and particularly Fianna Fail votes.
Referring to Sinn Fein's MEP Mary Lou McDonald, one political observer said: "It's the Mary Lou effect. The party knows there are big votes in presentation, people with no baggage. People don't want the IRA and the North."
Pressure to "court" O hAilpin intensified following his rousing speech in faultless Irish at Croke Park last Sunday after Cork beat Galway in the All-Ireland hurling final. Sinn Fein sources in Cork admitted they regard O'hAilpin as "a dream candidate" - with the Na Piarsaigh club captain boasting a profile that would give any party a chance of winning a seat in Cork North Central, one of Ireland's toughest constituencies.
The constituency drops from five seats to four seats at the next election. Fianna Fail already has two sitting TDs in Noel O'Flynn and Billy Kelleher. Former Junior Minister Danny Wallace has signalled his intention to retire.
Fine Gael has one sitting TD, former Sports Minister Bernard Allen, and a high-profile Cork Co Council member, Cllr Gerry Kelly.
Labour will be unchanged with outgoing TD Kathleen Lynch while the Progressive Democrats will once again run former party chairman, Senator John Minihan.
One Sinn Fein activist indicated that, at this stage, it appears likely that Cllr Jonathan O'Brien will again contest the election for it.
Friends of O hAilpin said the Cork captain was focused on his business career after a high-profile switch from Allied Irish Banks to the Ulster Bank where he now heads up the business development team at the Patrick St branch.
One colleague said: "Don't forget that next year Cork will be going for three-in-a-row and Sean Og won't have any distractions from that."
O hAilpin captained Na Piarsaigh to the Cork Club Championship last year and boasts All-Ireland winners' medals from 1999, 2004 and 2005 as well as a 1995 Minor All-Ireland medal.
His three brothers - Setanta, Teu and Asaki - are also accomplished hurlers though Setanta is now based in Australia where he plays Rules football with Carlton.
