Champagne for Maura Healy Rae as she celebrates the election of her dad, Danny Healy Rae and uncle Michael Healy Rae to the 32nd Dáil during the Healy Rae Thanksgiving Tour of the constituency in Castleisland on Sunday evening. ©Photograph: John Reidy Local publican, Betty O’Connell of Kearney’s Bar blew the cork off a bottle of champagne in honour of the Healy Rae Thanksgiving Tour of the constituency in Castleisland on Sunday evening. ©Photograph: John Reidy Den Joe O’Connor and his passenger, Danny Healy Rae TD surrounded by supporters during the Healy Rae Thanksgiving Tour of the constituency in castleisland on Sunday evening. ©Photograph: John Reidy Michael Healy Rae TD is offered a glass of champagne by local publican, Betty O’Connell pictured here with supporters, Mary O’Reilly, Martina Long and Ann Foran during the Healy Rae Thanksgiving Tour of the constituency in Castleisland on Sunday evening. ©Photograph: John Reidy Sisters, June McCarthy front and Maureen Coffey waiting for the Healy Rae cavalcade in Castleisland on Sunday evening. ©Photograph: John Reidy Den Joe O’Connor with his just elected pillion passenger, TD, Danny Healy Rae during the Healy Rae Thanksgiving Tour of the constituency in castleisland on Sunday evening. ©Photograph: John Reidy Healy Rae supporter, Ellen Barry-Lynch in sparkling form during the Healy Rae thanksgiving tour through Castleisland on Sunday evening. ©Photograph: John Reidy

The man in the street is a fair old judge of weather, religion and politics and many other forbidables in the list of topics in public house rule-books.

Ever since Cllr. Danny Healy Rae entered the race for the 32nd Dáil, the man on the street has had an opinion of his chances of joining his brother Michael in that most exclusive club.

The man on the street had his opinions firmly vindicated by the turn of events over the weekend and he revelled in this evening’s ‘Thanksgiving Tour’ by the just elected Healy Rae brothers through many parts of their constituency.

The cavalcade arrived in Castleisland close to 6-30pm and the street was lined with well-wishers as Danny arrived as a pillion passenger behind Den Joe O’Connor and Michael sat out through the window ope of a car in the cavalcade.

There was a brief stop for selfies and photographs and good old fashioned hand shaking. Then Betty O’Connell arrived in the plinth in the middle of the street with a bottle of champagne and a fist of glasses and pop went the cork and up went the cheers.

The famous Kilgarvan brothers were left in no doubt about their popularity as the colourful cavalcade made its way through the cheering crowd before heading into the darkness and the next stop in their brand new constituency.

One man on the street summed up the event by asking another: “Did you ever see the likes of that before? “I didn’t,” came the reply “but isn’t that why they’re where they are this evening.”

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