Ireland is going to the polls this month and Dublin is strewn with posters for every sort of candidate and for one referendum issue.

All of Europe is voting for members of the European Parliament.  Further Dublin appears to be having City Council elections and there is a referendum on Divorce on the ballot.

I was fascinated by the range of political posters, and, especially from the left, calls for “People Before Profits,”  “Share the Wealth,” “Socialist Feminist,” “A Europe for People Not Profit,” “For Europe,” “For a People’s Europe.”  “Fighting for Dublin in Europe.”  In what US election would you see some of these posters?

And the Divorce referendum posters, “Help Reduce Financial Distress,” and “Help Reduce Emotional Distress.”

And the pictures, Ii’s refreshing to see candidate pictures that have obviously not been screen tested.  One woman looks practically demented while on the other side of the spectrum Denise McMorrow looks like a heavily air brushed (I’m dating myself here) headshot for a theatre audition.  Hers, and Rita’s are my two favorites.  The radical with the megaphone vs. the celeb. 

I saw very little defacing of the posters but I did see one that was outstanding.  I couldn’t get a picture of it because I was on the top deck of a bus speeding by with reflections in the window.  The poster just at fmy eye level and it jumped out at me.  Denise McMorrow with cat’s whiskers.  Look at the poster and try to imagine it.  Brilliant!

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

Irish Election Posters.