FEATURING OBLIGATORY SHOTS OF a brisk walk on the beach and a stroll down the town, check out this YouTube footage from a familiar-sounding election candidate.

You might recognise Fine Gael by-election hopeful Barry O’Neill’s charming north-west lilt from weekend sports bulletins on RTÉ Radio.

As his Montrose sport profile reads:

He hails from Donegal and is one of the main organisers of the Rory Gallagher festival there every year. Apart from organising music festivals, and working in RTÉ Sport, Barry is also a local councillor in Ballyshannon.

He knows the road from Donegal to Dublin better than anyone as he travels in his Ford, and regularly listens to Daniel O’Donnell CDs to keep him entertained on the journey (when he’s not head banging to Rory Gallagher).

A Donegal fan naturally, Baz also supports Finn Harps.

O’Neill is now in the race for Pat ‘The Cope’ Gallagher’s vacant seat. And according to today’s Donegal Democrat, he’s certainly in with a shout:

Senator Pearse Doherty has emerged as the clear favourite with the bookmakers to take the vacant Donegal South West Dáil seat.

Boyle Sports were quoting the Sinn Féin candidate at odds of 2/7 to take the seat with Fianna Fáil’s Senator Brian Ó Domhnaill lying in third at 6/1 behind Fine Gael’s Barry O’Neill who is on 11/4.

Labour Party candidate Frank McBrearty Jnr is at 13/2 while independent candidate Thomas Pringle is at 12/1.

Game on, Ger.

But as one reader of Maman Poulet’s blog commented: “West Wing 101: when walking on a beach carry your suit jacket over your shoulder”.

[H/T Maman Poulet]