*John Haugh.
NEWMARKET-ON-FERGUS based John Haugh (AON) will be Aontú’s first ever Clare candidate.
A native of Montpelier in O’Briensbridge, John has lived in Co Clare for the past thirteen years with his wife Karen. He went to school in Castleconnell and hurled for Ahane.
This month, he was announced as Aontú’s candidate in the Shannon Municipal District for the local elections. It will be the first time since Peadar Tóibín (AON) set up the party in 2019 that they will contest an election in Clare.
Qualified as a project manager, John has worked as an assistant director on television productions such as Game of Thrones, Vikings and Hidden Assets since completing a masters degree in 2007.
Two years ago he joined Aontú due to growing frustration with the political outlook. On putting himself forward for election, John said, “I want to do this, it’s always been in me, I’ve always loved politics, I’d always have been giving out about politics and one of my mates said ‘Jesus Johnny would you not go into politics because you’re always giving out’ so I said I’d put my money where my mouth is”.
Deputy Tóibín’s defection from Sinn Féin to form the party over pro-life views is what appealed to John, a father of four. “I love the way Peadar stood up on the rights of life, he is a man of conviction, I’ve always been pro-life and it was good to see him take a stance on what he thinks is right. When I spoke to him first, I applauded him for doing what he did, it is hard to take such a stand today but he stood up for what he knew was right. I’ve never been in politics, I always listened to political coverage and I’ve got sick of doing nothing”.
The death of his daughter Ava is what has formed his pro-life stance. “The reason why I’m pro-life is because when he had Ava there was an issue”. Both Karen and he were offered the option of an abortion “ but we wanted to give her a chance, there is always something in you saying hope can come out of it but we gave her a chance to try survive and hope she would, she never did, that is why I’m pro-life”.
He told The Clare Echo, “I’ve heard stories where the same problem happened with other kids and they didn’t have an abortion with nothing wrong with child, my wife is pro-life and her mum is massively into theology and has been pro-life. I know I’ll be alienated because of other’s people views, I won’t stop people from having their other views but that is my view”.
Haugh is aware voters may be turned off voting for Aontú because of the pro-life stance. “I’ve no problem explaining to people why I’m pro-life, people have experiences in their life to make their decision. I will hear their side and explain why I am pro-life, I’ve no problem telling them about my daughter because that is life and these things happen, we tried our best”. He did not canvass prior to the 2018 referendum when the people of Ireland voted 66.4% to 33.6% to repeal the Eighth Amendment.
Prior to moving to Drumline in Newmarket-on-Fergus, John and his wife Karen resided in Killaloe. His native Montpelier which borders O’Briensbridge means he is without a portion of votes in South-East Clare that lie within the Killaloe Municipal District. “The local electoral area I’m in is Shannon, not having the votes from O’Briensbridge doesn’t bother me, I know a lot of people anyway and my family does too, my Dad knows a lot of people in Clonlara and Ardnacrusha”.
Health, housing, the cost of living and education are key priorities for the forty six year old. “I don’t think the Government realise how much damage they are doing, people are living day to day”. He recalled getting an ESB bill last summer for €417 when the previous year it was €114, “I rang ESB and asked why so much of an increase, they said the war is leading to the increase, I said it was just a money making racket”. He claimed that for making the call and complaining ESB were then willing to knock €100 off his bill.
His father spent four days on a trolley in a corridor of University Hospital Limerick (UHL) after returning from hospital in Dublin, he had previously underwent a triple bypass and has had prostate cancer, “the Government don’t see this because they have blinkers on and if it is not in their area they have nothing. He is still not right, I took a photograph of him in the corridor, the nurses are doing their best but it seems like the Government care more about the look of the hospital than the patients, that is my point of view, it is horrible to see that people with sick children are waiting three to four days to be seen. I come from a project manager view, to see the Children’s Hospital and the money wasted, it is just shocking”.
John has pledged to listen to people when he canvasses and make their issues his priority. “I’m not going to say what I can do, I’m going to ask what the people need. I remember when politicians called to my door, they said they’d do this and this, they never asked what we could do”.
He is currently involved with the Bunratty Development Association and brings his two sons with him each Saturday to assist the local group working “to make Bunratty look amazing”. He stated, “it is all about community and everybody giving a hand, in O’Briensbridge everybody helped each other, I want to show my kids that we are there to help”.
