Sitting in Bewley’s hotel, 2am. After canvass we decided to have a campaign meeting here. The current phase of planning is all about positioning: getting ourselves ready for the surge (in activity and volunteer numbers) that will come as the election date draws closer. Planning is really out of my hands now. The core of four are now completely independent of me and it’s great. Emails pass back and forth and I don’t even read them all. This evening the public meeting posters came down and I had no idea it was happening when it was. All good stuff. Can’t believe what these guys are putting in. How will I ever repay them?

We’ve had a very good couple of weeks. A new flyer dropped to the entire constituency, the bus shelter posters, two successful public meetings, the bikes, a TV slot at the Ard Fheis, mention in the Irish Times, and now the Phoenix. I haven’t read it yet though I know the front carries a picture and says “Eoghan Murphy: blueshirt in a hurry”. As they can be quite harsh, I’m concerned about the content. Though the team are keen to stress that it’s not about what they say, but that they are saying anything at all. They’re right, again, of course. But still.

I stayed on after to work on an article for the papers about North Korea’s latest missile test. Would have gone home only the internet, after having been fixed, is broken once again.

Looking forward to Easter weekend “break”. Have taken on some work from Vienna (a rather long and convoluted speech for the end of the month) which I have to get done asap. I wouldn’t have only I am now officially broke. The last few weeks of profile raising really ate in to my savings (devoured them in fact) and fundraising continues to be very difficult given the economic climate. We carry on regardless though. This election will be won on the ground, in meeting people and getting the message across.