There was a serious show of electioneering at last week’s IFA hustings event in Claremorris for MEP candidates in the midlands-northwest, and I’m not just talking about the MEP candidates themselves.

Thomas Cooney, Padraic Joyce, Angus Woods and Brian Rushe were all in the room for the meeting, some confirmed to be running in the next IFA election and some mooted to run for one position or another.

There’s nothing wrong with attending meetings away from the home turf, but you would know well it is election season in the IFA, never mind Europe.