Hi °C | Lo °C Fianna Fail was forced to remove all their posters from a town after complaints that they had ignored a 'gentleman's agreement' to preserve the local environmental heritage.
Fine Gael reacted with fury after posters -- most of which were emblazoned with the face of new FF leader Micheal Martin -- were erected around the town centre and approach roads to Clonakilty in west Cork.
Amid the anger, the posters also proved to be a source of potential embarrassment for FG's candidate and local standard-bearer -- councillor Jim Daly -- after some motorists thought it was actually his face that was on the FF posters.
"I don't want to mention the phrase 'high forehead' but I think that might have been responsible," he joked.
Mr Daly was contacted by several locals to complain about his posters being erected in breach of the embargo -- and he pointed out that he hadn't erected any posters because his own political placards weren't due to be delivered until 4pm yesterday.
A quick investigation by party workers revealed that the offending posters belonged to FF -- and were all carrying the image of new party leader, Mr Martin.
"In fairness to them, the posters were all taken down with a couple of hours once the matter was brought to their attention," Mr Daly said.
For almost a decade, Clonakilty has tried to preserve its poster-free status. The request has been endorsed by Clonakilty Town Council despite the fact there is no by-law to enforce the matter.
The initiative was adopted by all the political parties at the 2007 General Election -- and was hailed as a great success.
