Well enjoy this year’s Ecclestones – I assume you’re heading south for them.

I read some back in July and it was Fianna Fáil that was jumping out at me. Haven’t gone back admittedly. Specialist blogs, with the exception of tech, don’t hold my attention.

3. yes I was indeed, good night out and thanks to the venerable mr. mulley for pulling it together

4. er no, not sure if you’ve read the blog, the ‘Fianna Fáil landscape’ probably crops up occasionally but is not or certainly not intended to be the dominant theme.. it’s a part personal, part political musing on what one particular activist gets up open to the online floor for discussion.. exactly the local lack of which you were lamenting no? Or are we damned if we do, damned if we don’t?!

1. No mention of glossy A4 … election material here. Reread the third last paragraph again, with particular reference to cost centre.
2. … Aine at least she gave it a go … Nearly never bulled a cow.
3. ‘Best Political Blog at the Irish Blog Awards’ nominee. Were you? I hadn’t noticed. Then I am not a big fan of these awards.
4. … the political landscape and what we get up to here in the Naas/Sallins/Kill beltway. You mean the Fianna Fáil landscape surely?
5. Get something for that cough. I wouldn’t like to see you end up on a trolley.

There are downsides for sure, but the pros far outweigh the cons in my opinion. Politicians should embrace the internet as the powerful tool it is, not shy away from it.

It only lasted through the election. Once elected it was simply ignored – at least her posters on the telephone poles were taken down.

Suzy ~ I’d dearly love to read that!

What I like about the idea of political blogs is that citizens can hear what other citizens have to say. (I am jumping into Gayé’s comment now, but) isn’t that cost effective? If one citizen poses a question 100 others wish to ask the politician offers one answer – rather that than responding 101 times by phone, email or letter.

Let me give you a non-blog example of cost effective communication:

Kildare County Council host a forum and issues raised on it are, where relevant (i.e. of concern to many) are replied to by the Council PR. They also provide an online feedback form.

The Council PR also fields the forum and form issues during his weekly stint on local radio. Naturally more issues come in then via text, phone and email.

Mr. Talbot is also brilliant at handling trolls. He recently replied to a caller to the show who complained his question submitted on the feedback form was not acknowledged by asking which of the 200 or so you sent last week are you referring to, or is it one of the 200 from the previous week?

Gayé ~ Cost/time issue covered in reply to Sam.

The traffic was not heavy. When I said much more feedback it was in the context of 10 comments being much more than 4.

Heavy traffic is a non-issue anyway. When comments become excessive they are not answered individually. They don’t need to be. One response can cover a multitude. (See Bock, Twenty etc.)

The Internet can get convoluted, loud, noisy and out of control for sure. So too can political rallies, hustings, public meetings etc.

What really galled me in this case is what Maman Poulet remarked on in comments on that blog: An election candidate telling us how she would use the medium to engage with constituents; expressing delight at the prospect; yet not understanding it in the slightest; then running away crying when it turned out not to be what she thought; and blaming everything and everyone else for her failure to learn how blogging works and the benefit it can bring.