Share 0 SHARES

“YOU learn to appreciate mornings like today, when it’s cold, but dry. You can do anything on a morning like this. Labour has nothing to fear about mornings like this”.

We’re talking to former Green Party leader Eamon Ryan, as he walks the banks of the Royal Canal picking up rubbish with a claw-armed tool and putting it in a black sack that he carries by his side.

Ryan, first elected to the Dáil in 2002 after winning a Dublin South seat, worked his way up to be deput leader of the party, before a disastrous decision to form a coalition government with Fianna Fáil led to his party being wiped out in the 2011 General Election.

Seeing parallels between the demise of his own party and the growing anger at Labour TDs during their junior partnership in the current coalition, Ryan stresses that Joan Burton and co. “won’t know themselves” when they get annihilated at the polls, but they’ll soon come to appreciate a life outside politics.

“Me, I keep myself busy tidying up around here on a voluntary basis,” said Ryan, flicking a hardened dog turd off the path and into the canal with a deft swing of his boot.

“All the Labour crew, they’ll find a peace when they’re out of government. And who knows, in a few years a new Labour party might try their hand at getting elected again. In the meantime, I could do with a hand around here! Ha ha!”

Our interview with Ryan ended here, as he ran after an empty crisp bag that was being carried down the footpath by a strong wind.