{"product_id":"race-for-the-aras","title":"Race for the Áras","description":"\u003cp\u003e‘Reads more like a political thriller which ultimately it was’\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003ePat Kenny\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003ePolitical intrigue, high drama and farce characterised Ireland’s presidential campaign of 2011.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eConsistent opinion poll-topper \u003cstrong\u003eDavid Norris\u003c\/strong\u003e was the first to declare and the first to crash out after it was revealed he had appealed for clemency for his former lover who was convicted of statutory rape of a teenage boy. A month later, he was back in the race.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eA media frenzy erupted again when it emerged that new party leader, Micheál Martin, had tried but failed to convince broadcasting legend Gay Byrne to run for Fianna Fáil.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eFine Gael’s Enda Kenny favoured parachute candidate Pat Cox — but \u003cstrong\u003eGay Mitchell\u003c\/strong\u003e bucked party HQ and won the nomination. Weeks later, both he and Special Olympics organiser \u003cstrong\u003eMary Davis\u003c\/strong\u003e laid claim to the exact same slogan as they unveiled their poster campaign!\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMartin McGuinness\u003c\/strong\u003e was a surprise entry into the field and was dramatically confronted and challenged throughout the campaign about his past as an IRA commander.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eFormer presidential candidate \u003cstrong\u003eDana\u003c\/strong\u003e was the final entrant into the field. When her campaign car skidded off the road it launched speculation about an assassination attempt.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eBut it was the revelations on the final TV debate on ‘Frontline’ and a fake tweet that became a game changer for ‘Dragons’ Den’ star \u003cstrong\u003eSeán Gallagher\u003c\/strong\u003e and resulted in the election of poet and politician \u003cstrong\u003eMichael D. Higgins \u003c\/strong\u003ewith over one million votes to secure the Áras.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eThe whole story is here, recalling the highs and lows in the most gripping election ever.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePolitical intrigue, high drama and farce characterised Ireland’s presidential campaign of 2011. The whole story is here, recalling the highs and lows in the most gripping election ever.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Gill Books","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":55123766870403,"sku":"9780717153435","price":16.99,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0910\/3664\/7811\/files\/e5250d2d7403913601c1c3a08dfa0215.jpg?v=1741008699","url":"https:\/\/shop.gill.ie\/products\/race-for-the-aras","provider":"Gill","version":"1.0","type":"link"}