A candidate in Ireland South is receiving plaudits for his innovative rendition of Frank Sinatra’s ‘That’s Life’, which combines old-school crooner charm with a bid for voter support on June 7th.
Irish Freedom Party candidate, Michael Leahy, doesn’t hold back in verses penned to the famous Sinatra tune. “RTE gets it’s kicks from stomping on a dream,” he sings, before criticising the other parties: “I know Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and Sinn Féin are scam, I know Greens are crazy, and Mary Lou, she just ain’t much fun”.
The song opens by questioning the ‘far-right’ label, and what Leahy says is the tendency to call people “a fascist in April and a racist in June” – before opining that he is “going to change, change their tune – when I come out on top on Friday, 7th June.”
“There are times you just gotta sing it. “Far Right” in Ireland refers to women with prams, to working men with families trying to put food on the table and protect their families. Maybe we should all embrace our inner “Far Right”. Enjoy, and with compliments to old Blue Eyes,” he wrote when launching the catchy cover on X.
As views mounted up on social media platforms, there were plenty of appreciative comments for the campaign video: “That put a smile on my face well done Michael best of luck Ireland badly needs you in Europe,” one commentator posted on You Tube.
“I can’t wait til you have them dancing to your tune in Brussels Michael,” said another on X, while a supporter said: “Brilliant, we should have sent HIM to the Eurovision.”
There were some naysayers who said Leahy should stick to politics, while one declared “Sinatra would hate you”.
Leahy told Gript that he had shot the video at home in Clare won his phone with the aid of karaoke, and used the speaker system he has used since last October in public addresses in ‘every major town in every county in the constituency”.
He said people the length and breadth of the country had told him they were tired of being labelled ‘far-right’ for expressing concerns about immigration and the effect of the government’s policy on housing and services.
Covering the province of Munster, as well as four counties in south and east Leinster, candidates In Ireland South are as follows: with 23 candidates in total:
Derek Blighe (Ireland First); Lorna Bogue (Rabharta – party name not on ballot paper); Graham de Barra (Independent); Christopher VS Doyle (Independent); Susan Doyle (Social Democrats); Mary Fitzgibbon (Independent); Kathleen Funchion (Sinn Féin); Paul Gavan (Sinn Féin); Niamh Hourigan (Labour); Billy Kelleher (Fianna Fáil); Seán Kelly (Fine Gael); Ross Lahive (The Irish People); Michael Leahy (Irish Freedom Party); Una McGurk (Independent); Michael McNamara (Independent); John Mullins (Fine Gael); Patrick Murphy (Aontú); Cynthia Ní Mhurchú (Fianna Fáil); Ciaran O’Riordan (Independent); Grace O’Sullivan (Green Party); Cian Prendiville (PBP-SOL); Eddie Punch (Independent Ireland); Mick Wallace (Independents 4 Change).