So just how interesting are the Labour candidates?

Seriously, whatever about their worthiness, intellect or ability, if you were to ask every Labour candidate what the single most interesting fact about them is, what would they say? In the spirit of scientific endeavour and uh, procrastinating writing an essay, here’s what the Dublin candidates had to say, courtesy of the very lovely mycandidate.ie site

Category 1: Very worthy but (whisper it) a little dull

Ruairi Quinn: I was the first Minister for Finance to balance the budget in more than three decades, and was President of the European Finance Ministers Council that agreed to bring in the euro.

Eamon Gilmore: The youngest ever President of USI

Tommy Broughan: Tommy was the first T.D. to propose the introduction of a citywide wifi network for Dublin

Roisin Shortall: The only female T.D. of any Party in the five North Dublin constituencies

Joan Burton: Joan worked for 3 years in Africa to set up a hugely successful co-operation programme in Commerce education between Ireland and Tanzania. Later as Minister for Overseas Aid she initiated a big expansion of Ireland’s Aid programme

Derek McDowell: Speaks fluent Irish, French and German.

Category 2: That’s actually pretty interesting. Kudos.

Alex White: Alex was for four years the producer of RTE’s highly successful radio programme the ‘Gay Byrne Show’. He also produced a range of other programmes including current affairs programmes and election coverage.

Joanna Tuffy: When I was a student and for a while afterwards I used to do some work as an extra for films and TV programmes and I play ‘young Ma’ in the film of Hugh Leonard’s ‘Da’ starring Martin Sheen!

Brendan Ryan: I love cooking. Always checking out recipes. I like to cook for all the family on Saturday evening. Feedback usually positive. One exception: Surf and Turf did not get universal approval. I have a great quick and easy recipe for Chilli Chicken. Email recipe to brenATbrendan-ryanDOTie and I will let you have it. (NB: I’ve emailed him to ask for the recipe. Sounds good).

Joe Costello: During student holidays Joe worked as a driver for a limousine company delivering limousines coast to coast across the States. He also worked in furniture removal in the States.

Category 3: The completely random

Pat Rabbitte: I can listen to the radio, watch the TV and read the papers at the same time. My kids go mad that instead of turning one down to listen to the other, I increase the volume depending on what gets my attention. Who says men cannot multi-task!?

Mary Upton Brian Kerr, former Ireland football coach, is a good friend and recently launched Mary’s re-election campaign

Eric Byrne: Eric is known as the ‘Marathon Man’, (no crude sexual innuendos please!) as a result of the series of re-counts in the election of ‘02. The re-count process lasted 10 days with three official recounts and three re-checks

Category 4: Dude, do you really want to admit to that kind of thing?

Oisin Quinn: I’m a big Arsenal fan which started in 70s when 6 Irish players (Jennings, Brady, O’Leary, Stapleton, Rice and Nelson) played for Arsenal, and my favourite book is Nick Hornby’s Fever Pitch.

So far Aidan Culhane is the only Dublin candidate not to have an interesting fact about him put up. Hopefully it’s because he just hasn’t got around to submitting one yet and not because there’s simply nothing interesting about him.

More on the candidates from the rest of the country tomorrow.