Thursday, April 02, 2009

Why should I care about politics? Video interviews from the Labour Party Conference

I was at the 2009 Labour Party Conference held last Saturday.

It was my first political party Conference/Ard Fheis/Meeting. I'd never have considered myself interested in politics but something Suzy said - along the lines of "if you're interested in things changing or improving, you're interested in politics" - struck a chord and so I took the Labour Press Office invitation to attend the event as a blogger and went along for a look, not knowing what, if anything, I could contribute.

I'll do a longer post on this soon - Simon McGarr's is well worth a read - but I wanted to upload the videos I have ready to show of interviews I was lucky enough to get.

How? I asked for them.
Why? Well, I just wanted to know two things - why I should be interested in politics and why should I be interested in the Labour Party.

I knew of course that they were simple leading questions, designed to help party members talk with passion about the Labour Party, but passion is important too.

Here's some of what people told me:

Eamon Gilmore, Labour Party leader



Pat Rabitte TD, Spokesperson for Justice (be warned, we were in a very noisy place)



Emmet Stagg TD tells me about his political career and why I should care about politics. He was a gentleman, we had a great chat.



Senator Ivana Bacik:



I'll be blogging more about this - I have more interviews to come - but I sit here now, looking at them again, impressed by the passion and the hunger for change with not just those I interviewed, but practically everyone I spoke to.

Huge thanks and props to Stephanie who was a brilliant camera person and partner in crime.

5 comments:

  1. That's the first time I've actually heard what they were saying properly, some great stuff there. And so much more to come jayziz! Won't be winning any awards for camera work but it was a super day.

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  2. Glad you came, and really glad you asked those questions. Wish more people would, and wish I was better at talking about it. I am really looking forward to watching the interviews (am in work, can't now) but really, I just wanted to say thanks for being interested, and thanks for coming.

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  3. Thanks Darragh - really good to meet you on the day - I know I was meant to introduce you to Cllr Sean O Hargain and Sean Butler but didn't get a chance - you should contact them yourself

    Ian

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  4. Hey I met one of ye at the international reception, just wanted to say that it was great to get an outside view of the Conference. It was my first labour event and to me it was all new etc but I was glad to find someone who seemed just a little bit more lost then I. Just wanted to say that i really appreciated your opinion.

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  5. All these people ought to have these videos on their own sites.
    Congrats to Stephanie as well, because the camera work lets you watch comfortably without getting in the way.

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