Simon Harris - bright mind, dark side

Simon Harris has launched his political career with a bang and left some hard working politicians in pools of tears and mists of anger. As a Fine Gael party-man he served up the biggest victory witnessed in town and county politics for many a year. 

There are not many tricks that he did not pull or guarded promises he did not make. He made it clear that he shaped himself on the presidential style of Barak Obama. Said he would not charge up his expenses. Had a neat paint job executed on a SUV, and dressed up as a bunny-boy to dole out refreshments. And let us not forget his youthful followers in T-shirts emblazoned with his name as long ago as St Patrick’s Day. 

His worst political enemies could not but admire the sheer audacity and brilliance of his campaign.

"Boy Wonder"

He was a boy wonder. He wrote and staged his first drama while still at school and the year after formed a campaign group for sufferers of Autism, Asperger, and Attention Deficit Syndrome (The Triple AAA Alliance). 

Aged 22, he is still slightly embarrassed that he cannot drive a car having failed his first test. Doyen of town and county council, Fine Gael's George Jones will wonder if he will be the one to drive him to meetings. 

As a Greystones Town Councillor and Wicklow County Councillor, Harris will have to translate his election manifestointo action. We are all going to have to look at the small print to see exactly what he promised that swept the electorate off its feet. 

Treachery

“Next year,” is what he said in connection to his vow to see footpaths fixed in La Touche Park, since door-stepping during his campaign. “And if I do not succeed I will consider that I have failed.” 

So there you, go. Simon has already worked out the inevitable. 

Some La Touchers have been waiting forty years for footpath repairs.

Big question is how long he will stick the pace and the opposition. He had one love affair with the Fianna Faíl Party which he kissed goodbye by while accusing the Party of political treachery. 

Fact follows fiction

There is another good reason Harris may not last the full five years in office. His eyes are fixed on the next general election. With his current popularity – and Fine Gael’s – he will yearn for a seat in Dáil Éireann. And why not? Andrew Doyle will feel threatened by this. But that scenario would take Simon out of the loop for his local responsibilities.

“Well,” I can hear him whispering in my ear, “think how much more I can promise for town and county”. 

On the bright side, he will not mind being accused of being a singular causative factor in the raising of interest in the democratic processes among young adults in this neighbourhood.

On the dark side, Harris has moved from writing dramas with fictional characters to manipulating living people in real dramas. 

One thing is for sure, life in local politics will be lively and fun for voters who enjoy sitting on the fence. How easily they have swooned for Simon Harris.

We can only hope that he will succeed. We know what a trier he is.