Welcome to my official website which has been a resource during my election campaign last June.  So what of it now?  Well I thought it would be interesting to publish "The Diary of an Election Novice" which tells the story of my election journey from 2008 to Election Day on June 5th 2009.  This is the place where the real story will be told.  No masks, no mirrors, just my diary, and my notes.  I thoroughly enjoyed the journey - it was exhilarating, fast-paced, and exhausting.  Being heavily pregnant during the election canvass itself of course was exhausting, but the real challenge in politics is emotional and requires great stamina. I hope you learn something about the world of politics from my own experience, albeit, being a short soujourn.  But perhaps it answers some of the most glaring questions in Irish politics - why aren't there more women in politics, why does your name count in politics and does croneyism still exist?

I want to thank publicly the support, friendship and advice given to me by MEP Jim Higgins who attended my official launch last April and who said "A Star has been Born."  Jim has remained in contact and is an honourable politician who cares about people, families and the issues.  I have met many people through this campaign and have made a few friends who believed in me and walked the road - most importantly Eddie McGinley from Kilmacrennan who has been in Fine Gael for 50 years and who saw a 'shining light' in me and I only wish I could have climbed the mountain to reach the tip with those missing 48 votes.  But it wasn't to be.  Now I publish my diary in an attempt to ask myself - where did those 48 votes go?