Going to the bench

A blow for Enda as the front-runner to retain Padraic McCormack’s long-held seat in Galway West has withdrawn. The Irish Times (sub. req’d) reports that Councillor Brian Walsh, seen as having the best chance of winning the seat, has cited “personal reasons” for doing so. Enda’s statement includes greetings to Walsh’s “new wife Fiona”—one wonders if Fiona decided that being a TD spouse was not what she signed up for. While TDs are not an obvious object of sympathy, the life for those far from Dublin can be very difficult. In any event, it’s remarkable that FG’s ambitions seemingly extend only to retaining one seat in this five seater.