An election of hope

I call the most recent election, one of hope as it really did see the political landscape change in a way we have never seen before here in the 26 counties.

As someone who has contested many elections since 2007, I know a count centre can be filled with so many highs and lows. May 2019 had been one of the more difficult experiences for us in Carlow and Kilkenny. I cried many tears that day and in the days that followed for our hard working Councillors that suffered such unfair losses.

I questioned (a lot) how people in such a time of crisis in our health and housing systems could still vote overwhelmingly for FF and FG who have caused such stress, worry and difficulty for people with their policies.

However the resilience of Republicans never ceases to amaze me and we continued our work to the best of our ability in Carlow and Kilkenny, helping people who were struggling and who in general have been let down and forgotten about by the establishment.

• Gerry Adams helped out Kathleen Funchion (17,493) in Carlow/Kilkenny canvass

Roll on nine months and things had definitely changed. This campaign was different to any other I had been involved in, people were engaged and angry and people wanted to talk about the issues. For the first time since I became involved in politics, it felt like people were finally making the connection between the political parties in power and the detrimental affect their policies were and continue to have on people. This was evident in how many people transferred to the left. People Before Profit and the Greens were the benefactors of our surplus which saw a second left seat for the first time ever in Carlow/Kilkenny.

Change is slow but I’m confident after the recent election that we will see a left wing government in the 26 counties in the near future

As someone that was written off as having no hope of retaining the seat, (even a week before the election) it not only is an honour to get the opportunity to keep representing the people of Carlow and Kilkenny but to do it as the first woman to be re-elected in the constituency and the first woman to top the poll makes the victory even sweeter.

Times are definitely changing, at last!

• Kathleen Funchion is the Sinn Féin TD for Carlow Kilkenny