Can he be caught?
Age: 24
Hometown: Clontarf, but Maynooth for the last four years
Course: MA Music Performance and Musicology
Manifesto Promises: SU Bar improvements, Better and cheaper services for students, more sports awareness and participation, more transparent capitation for Clubs and Socs, Weekly C&S Newsletter, no increase in student levy.
Beyond a shadow of a doubt, Aengus has all the momentum coming into election week. With a strong and dedicated grassroots movement, and a powerful showing at last week’s hustings, it appears this election is Aengus’ to lose. The Observer had heard his name mentioned excitedly before any others, and those mentions have only gotten more frequently. Of all the candidates for this job, Aengus has proven the most accessable (with the possible exception of Gavin Brady), having encountered The Observer at least half a dozen times in the last week asking if we had any questions or would like to see more from his campaign.
Beyond a shadow of a doubt, Aengus has all the momentum coming into election week. With a strong and dedicated grassroots movement, and a powerful showing at last week’s hustings, it appears this election is Aengus’ to lose. The Observer had heard his name mentioned excitedly before any others, and those mentions have only gotten more frequently. Of all the candidates for this job, Aengus has proven the most accessable (with the possible exception of Gavin Brady), having encountered The Observer at least half a dozen times in the last week asking if we had any questions or would like to see more from his campaign.
But is it that easy for him? Based on last week’s hustings, the answer seems to be yes. Rather than opting to be verbose at every opprtunity like some of his adversaries, or to have the loudest voice, like some others, he was succinct in his answers, almost every one of which was greeted with rapturous applause by those present. His entire campaign has not been based on eye-catching posters, on witty slogans, or on ridiculous promises, and he has steered clear of any mud slinging (as, to their credit, has almost everyone), and through this he has become the favourite to succeed Brian Murphy.
One can’t shake the feeling, however, that if Aengus does win this election that it will be because “everybody else was voting for him”, a herd mentality. Aengus talks the talk, he carries himself like a politician, but is that what Maynooth needs? The people so far seem to suggest that Aengus is their man for the job, and in the best of worlds, the best man for the job is the one who gets it. Is he the best? We’ll find out Wednesday
Student Observer Odds: Aengus 1/2 to win
-Pangloss
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