GENERAL Montgomery sits in the war room at a map covered table, planning the logistics. The support teams move in and out, preparing for Dday, less than a week away.
This is the Dingle headquarters of Independent candidate, Breandan MacGearailt (52), a man who could win the third seat in Kerry South. His efforts were boosted by last week's Kerryman poll which indicated that Fianna Fit could lose its second seat.
The poll suggested that the former Fianna Fail-er and another Independent, Jackie Healy Rae, would receive more first preference votes than Brian O'Leary who wants to retain the seat held by his father, John.
The MacGearailt campaign is run like a military manoeuvre and be "general", Ciaran Cleary, is she statistics and logistics man. He has worked out the first preference votes for each candidate based on the poll and the average turnout, normally 70 to 75 per cent.
This puts his man level with Labour's Breeda Moynihan Cronin at 4,735 or 14.35 per cent of the vote. That's just over 400 votes ahead of Jackie Healy Rae. Mr Cleary has lists of all the electoral areas numbered for the teams which will canvass them.
This weekend there are about 40 canvassers around the constituency. A small team moves in on The Grove, a council estate where it seems most people have gone to the beach. Those at home welcome the candidate by name. "Ah Breandan, conas ata tu?" "There's a number one vote for you here, gan dabht."
The former teacher and now chairman of the VEC, is asked if he is Independent, a status which appears to be welcome.
In one house, where there are six votes, he is asked what he would do with a hung Dail. "I will go back and consult with my people and make decisions based on what's best for Kerry South."
But later he says there will be no hung Dail and the Coalition wilt return. Mr MacGearaitt is a former Fianna Fail member who stood in 1987 but failed to win selection in 1992 or this time around. He says he was supported at central office but not locally. The speculation is that he would vote Fianna Fail and for Bertie Ahern as Taoiseach.
On the influence of an Independent candidate, he says Tony Gregory has shown that a well informed, strong Independent is better than 10 backbenchers who are "witless and toothless". He says he is a "hard man" and that means "I don't take crap from anybody".
The candidate moves to Killarney where the campaign office has a few chairs and a small table covered with a plastic bin liner. Here about 10 canvassers and local community workers and campaigners don T shirts with the messages "Breandan MacGearailt, simply the best" on the front and our friend Breandan, vote MacGearailt" in Irish on the back.
A musician and accordion maker has arrived to deliver a "box" to the candidate, who tests it out for the assembled crew.
Someone suggests he could play it up the street to meet Fianna Fail's John O'Donoghue who is about town. "As far as we're concerned he doesn't exist," the candidate quips. But when they meet on the street there is a handshake.
Sean O'Grady, an Independent councillor, is the chief organiser in Killarney and leads the entourage through the town. Workers are warned to be careful with leaflets. "They're no good to the tourists," says MacGearailt.
Sean greets everybody as if he knows them and says: "If your vote is not committed, wilt you give Breandan your number one?" He lists his qualities: strong on education, on promoting jobs in technology, on equality of European road funds, and that if he is elected be will open an office in Killarney.
Tourists and shoppers alike are friendly and even in Dunnes Stores nobody throws the canvassers out as they slowly make their way around the few customers and young staff, many of whom say they won't be voting.
The team is hopeful about Friday, believing that it is between Breandan MacGearailt and Jackie Healy Rae for the third seat. "If we don't get in it won't be for lack of effort," says Sean.
