And just like that, it was all over.
Gareth Sheridan’s campaign to get on the presidential ballot paper began and ended in Tullamore. Unlike the town’s symbol, there was no phoenix rising from the ashes of the council vote.
The very tall young businessman (6ft 7in, according to a member of his campaign team) was gracious in defeat, striking a Piaf-like poignancy of “je ne regrette rien” – “I don’t regret a thing.”
For those in the council chamber at Áras an Chontae in Tullamore seeing the presidential hopeful in person for the first time, the thing that struck them most was just how tall he is as he stood alongside his wife, Heidi.
RM Block
It was “a nice full circle” to be back in Tullamore, he told the assembled councillors, but that was when he was hoping to live to fight another vote to continue the campaign.
His appeal as an “underdog” to the councillors and his quip about the All-Ireland football final in 1982, when Offaly snatched victory from kingpins Kerry, earned him smiles, but failed to garner support when it came to a vote.
“As a fellow underdog, give me the ammunition to go to Louth,” he said.
“Don’t rule me out because I’m young, don’t rule me out because I’m not a politician, don’t rule me out because I’m passionate about business,” he added.
Mr Sheridan also appealed to councillors who could not support him to abstain.
“I ask you, don’t block me, just abstain. Jim Gavin would love the extra competition,” he quipped.
However, the impassioned appeals were for nought. Before a vote on his endorsement was taken, a counter motion was proposed by Fine Gael’s Liam Quinn that Offaly County Council not endorse a candidate.
Within minutes, the aspiring candidate’s dreams were in tatters and the campaign was over.
Speaking to the media afterwards, he spoke of his devastation at not getting the endorsement, his determination to continue to advocate on issues such as housing and climate change, and the tantalising possibility that he might run again in seven years.
“I will continue to fight on these issues, but who is to say that I would be relevant in seven years?”
His spokesman later confirmed that his campaign to gain a place on the ballot paper is over.
“Meath and Offaly county councils were two of the four prime targets for us,” said his spokesman. “Losing Meath by one vote was a hammer blow. It was so tantalisingly close.”
