Michael McDermott: One of the Few Joke Candidates in Irish Politics – The University Times

Michael McDermott believes he is the first meme page admin to run for public office in Ireland. The person behind the Facebook page Trinity Collidge, McDermott has amassed an internet following with clever, if often absurd, satire, as well as through his animated past campaigns in Trinity College Dublin Students Union (TCDSU) elections, running in 2018 for role of the unions president and the editorship of this newspaper simultaneously.

In an interview with The University Times, McDermott draws a parallel between those and his current bid for the Seanad. I guess its very much: If I get it, thatd be great.

On the other hand: If I dont, I just go back to what I was doing anyway.

Labelled as a joke candidate in his past efforts for office, the meme page admin largely agrees with this label, but warns its not a joke if I win, though, and then quickly changes his mind. Or its an even better joke.

The fact that McDermott is running in a 17 candidate race for one seat that can only be voted on by a small portion of the electorate is not lost on him. Its silly that thats a constituency, he says. Its just weird, he laughs. Some of the smartest people Ive ever known have been graduates of Trinity, some of the dumbest people Ive known are also graduates of Trinity.

Remembering the 2013 Seanad abolition referendum, McDermott says he voted to retain the Upper House, on the assumption that reform would follow. I dont remember what my reasonings were. I thought, give them a chance, I guess. I dont think anythings actually really been done since then.

its not a joke if I win. Or its an even better joke

Understandably, then, one of McDermotts campaign slogans is abolish from within. How would this work in practice? I think I would just be so annoying and also just take away the, what would you call it, prestige of being a Seanadir. Just having me there I think would bring the whole thing down so much that no ones really going to want to be elected after me, and it basically abolishes itself.

Im surprised there arent more joke candidates in Irish politics. I mean, the UK has Count Bin Face, the Monster Raving Loony Part, and I think Irish politics could benefit from a bit of levity.

To McDermott, this is even more true due to some of the grave situations Irish politics finds itself in. With the housing crisis, theres not a shortage of houses, its just, theyre not selling to people. Having been a victim of an unfair lease termination over the summer himself, McDermott sees the direction the housing market is going and thinks its more profitable to basically, turn [buildings] into something thats not housing, or just leave them vacant.

On this, and on most other issues, McDermott says he doesnt yet have a specific policy, but believes this is to a democratic advantage. If I did get into the Seanad, Im not a person whos coming into this with all the things I want to do. Instead Id probably be a perfect representative, because if enough people annoy me on Twitter with something, Ill be like, okay, I guess I can use my speaking time to raise that issue or whatever. I think in a roundabout way, itd be the most democratic Seanad really.

McDermotts fianc has a hip debilitating hip condition, which has opened his eyes to concerns about disability rights in Ireland. She talks to me about how in the US, not everythings really accessible, but like, its a different world compared to someplace like Dublin.

Legislation-wise, the Seanad hopeful adds that the Americans with Disabilities Act mandates that a lot of places have to be accessible, whereas Dublins just an awful city to get around with if you have any kind of difficulties moving.

I want her to be able to walk around the city safely without being in a massive amount of pain. So, I think we need to really have a better think about how this country is laid out. I worry when Im bringing her to the train that like, you know, theres no one there, shed have to go somewhere on her own.

Noting Dr Tom Clonan as another candidate who is passionate about disability rights in the bye election race, McDermott compliments his sincerity it seems like something hes very genuine about. This is in contrast to when McDermott ran a satirical campaign for TCDSU president in 2018, where his opponents ran to launch a political career. Having like, good, genuine people makes it hard to be a bit of a jokester.

Im surprised there arent more joke candidates in Irish politics. The UK has Count Bin Face, the Monster Raving Loony Part, and I think Irish politics could benefit from a bit of levity

McDermott raises other concerns affecting Ireland at the moment. Im very anti climate change he says earnestly. I dont know, I do my bit. I separate my recyclings from the general waste, and then, I turn on Twitter and the Gulf of Mexico is on fire.

Aside from acknowledging the importance of improving public transport systems in the struggle against climate change, the candidate doesnt believe the problem deserves to be dealt with tentatively. I think were past the point where personal choices are going to make any difference. I think we kind of just have to completely re-organise the way the world is run to have any chance of mitigating it.

This all sounds rather capital-G Green, and yet McDermott is running as an independent. I dont particularly like the concept of political parties, he admits. I just cant imagine myself joining any party. It seems that even if there are parties [where] the general kind of policy seemed grand, sometimes the culture can be apparently quite toxic.

Youth political parties creep me out, he says. Most of my interaction with Irish politics comes from Twitter, and the people who were in a youth party, like they kind of scare me.

McDermott goes on, half-explaining how valuable his status as a newbie to Irish politics is. I cant imagine deciding at like 16 or 17: Ive got to join this group. And then five years later theyre in government and are doing really horrible shit and like being like: Well I have all my eggs in this basket. Gonna have to defend this shit.

Despite a dislike for party politics, McDermott names Hazel Chu as his biggest competitor in the Seanad race. Shes the only candidate Id actually heard of before, he admits. As soon as she declared, I was like, well, Im not going to win this one.

You join a political party at 16 or 17, then five years later theyre in government and are doing really horrible shit and youre like: Well I have all my eggs in this basket. Gonna have to defend this shit.

On his PhD candidacy, McDermott says that, unlike Hannah Montana, he is getting the worst of both worlds, since PhD work is not considered standard employment. Turning off the satire for a moment, McDermott explains how, as a PhD student, you are working a full-time job but are just getting a set monthly amount in payment, which can be enough to live, I guess, but not necessarily comfortably.

I mean, in my case, my rent is half the stipend. So, instantly, half my stipend has just gone to having a roof over your head.

A lot of times, especially when deadlines are coming by, especially around [the] time of your thesis,you could be working like 60- to 80-hour weeks, but youre still getting the same amount of money.

So yeah, Id definitely be an advocate of PhD students getting more money. And thats one of my things, is that, you know, if you elect me to the Seanad, Ill be a PhD student getting more money, he says with a grin. My standard of living will go up significantly.

McDermotts PhD researches a type of infrared lasers, which, he quickly reassures, are not the dangerous spy-movie kind. I dont think youre allowed bring weapons into the Seanad. I guess if it was more visible light it could really help me abolish the Seanad. If I was just there, like pointing lasers at everyone.

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Michael McDermott: One of the Few Joke Candidates in Irish Politics - The University Times