ON THE CANVASS:THE PEOPLE'S Movement is a bit down – "in awe of what we're up against", says Patricia McKenna. It's different this time: the lack of debate forums with public interaction, the "massive" influx of money to the Yes side, the growing refrains such as "Where would we be without Europe?" and "Ah. sure haven't we got the assurances this time?"
Yes, the PM is a tad wobbly, but it’s still upright. With a couple of hours’ notice, they whistle up a dozen volunteers of all ages – among them the offspring of three formidable men, Raymond Crotty, Neil T Blaney and Jens Peter Bonde; Mary, Annraoi and 19-year-old Martin respectively.
In jig time, they unfurl a massive No banner near the stalls on Thomas Street and dole out leaflets and treaties, while McKenna and Crotty canter down Meath Street and into a welcome that should trigger a wobbly in any Yesser.
We start in Dunne’s Butchers, a family affair since 1936, where Carmel Heffernan from
Crumlin announces she is a big No.
“I was told by one person that if the Yes crowd get in, we’d be at the mercy of the British – it’d be Hitler all over again. But I don’t know about that,” she says with a big grin.
Meanwhile, John Dunne who runs the shop with his brother Simon, shifts from a kindly commentary on McKenna’s smile – “anybody that’s smiling nowadays is lovely” – to a respectful hearing.
“I never thought I’d let a woman change my mind,” he says afterwards. So you’re a definite No now? “Well, she certainly made me strongly consider voting No . . . it’s nice to see smart, intelligent people coming in looking for a No. Up to this, I felt it was kind of an ignorant thing to vote No, that people were just doing it to go against the Government, but she gave me 10 good reasons for a No.”
No one else has canvassed them. Simon, a No voter last time, is wavering – “about 70/30” — towards a Yes due to deep misgivings about the source of Declan Ganley’s funding and he’s also a rare one intent on informing himself.
Meanwhile, their co-worker Cristian Conte, is a definite Yes, although he really, really objects to the Nama billions. “But I want the country to be right. That’s why I’m voting Yes.”
Across the counter, part-time sales assistant and nail technician, Charina Byrne, declares herself a firm No. “How much of our voice is going to be taken away? Maybe it’s only hearsay, but it seems like the stronger countries will be dictating to us. And I’m not convinced by the argument that we’re stronger in Europe . . . the recession is showing up a lot of the underhandedness that went on in this country. We’ve lost the trust of other countries and they’re going to want to help themselves anyway, not us.”
In Bing Bing Fashions, three lively, lovely 19-year-old past pupils of Piper Hill school, Naas, Co Kildare, twirl around in Cinderella-style debs dresses, accessorised with blinding necklaces and tiaras.
All three are firm No people and Caitríona Heavey knows exactly why: “I was told that if I vote Yes, my three-month-old son will be roped into the army when he’s 18”.
“No no”, says McKenna, trying to interject . . . “And I don’t want the minimum wages going down,” says Emma Kelly definitively, in what emerges as a recurring theme.
Her sister Lisa nods in vigorous agreement. Caitriona’s mother, Gwen, is also a No “because our vote goes down; Ireland has a lower percentage in the voting. The other reason is the minimum wage. The posters say it will be only €1.84,” she says a bit uncertainly, “but is it true?”
McKenna is uncomfortable with this. Saddled with the wild claims of another No group, she can’t quite denounce them. So she confirms the Irish minimum wage, saying it won’t change, “but”, she adds, “if say, you’re entitled to €20 an hour and if someone else comes in and is prepared to work for the minimum wage, they can bring it down to that.”
Everyone looks baffled.
McKenna herself hardly seems convinced. But in this part of town, it’s the only explanation on offer. No one else has canvassed them. In Paddy Power’s bookies a man says he’s a No: “Why can’t they accept that No means No? And I don’t fully understand this thing about the minimum wage.”
The exchange is thwarted by a fiery little man, who spits that “it’s all f**kin’ scaremongering,” that her leaflets are “shite” and demands to know what exactly a No vote will change.
Meanwhile, a dapper man eyes her up dreamily: “One of my favourite actresses was Virginia McKenna. . .”