Are people in rural Ireland abandoning their traditional party loyalties? 

In the not so distant past, many rural seats would return only Fine Gael or Fianna Fáil TDs, occasionally mixing it up with the odd independent. 

But with Sinn Féin surging in the polls, is the party eating into that support? 

Out at the National Ploughing Championships, attendees had mixed views on the current Government.  

“Maybe [I’d] give Sinn Féin a chance to see how they get on,” one man told Josh Crosbie for Newstalk Breakfast.  

He said he “possibly” would give the party a preference but others were more emphatic. 

One couple told Josh they wanted change “big time” and thought Sinn Féin were the ones who could deliver it. 

“We’re particularly against the Greens altogether,” the woman said. 

“We were brought up Fianna Fáil.” 

Coalition leaders Minister Eamon Ryan, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and Tánaiste Micheál Martin. Image: Sam Boal / RollingNews.ie

For them, it was the makeup of the current coalition that had convinced them to change their vote.  

“The coalition like, when they brought the Greens in,” the man said. 

“They’re not a country party anymore. 

“Sinn Féin seem to be more with the people of the countryside.” 

Another attendee said he had usually voted Labour but was leaning towards Sinn Féin this time. 

“They represent me… on housing, on pensions - things like that - which would help me,” he said. 

'On principle, not Sinn Féin'

Others were completely opposed to the idea of voting Sinn Féin - even if they did not like the current Government. 

“No, still wouldn’t vote for Sinn Féin,” one woman said. 

“We’re from Louth.”

She added her family had no particular party loyalty and usually voted Fine Gael or Fianna Fáil but “on principle, not Sinn Féin.”

Sinn Féin President Mary Lou McDonald and colleagues. Photo by: Leah Farrell/RollingNews.ie

Others were more enthusiastic about the status quo; one man remarked that he was “not a Fianna Fáil person” but admired the way the party’s leader had carried out his duties. 

“I give full marks to Micheál Martin for when he was Taoiseach for two years,” he said. 

“If only he was a fraction of that when the lunacy was going on, we wouldn’t be where we are today.” 

'A staunch Blueshirt'

There was also support for Leo Varadkar’s Fine Gael as well, with one woman insistent she would never change her vote. 

“No I wouldn’t,” she said. 

“I’m a Fine Gael lady forever and always and I will continue. [I’m] a staunch Blueshirt.” 

The National Ploughing Championships concludes tomorrow.

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Main image: Split of farmers and Mary Lou McDonald