EUROVISION star Linda Martin yesterday claimed a political party had asked her to run for President.
But within hours of the Why Me? singer’s shock radio revelation, the main parties denied they had approached her about an Aras bid.
President Michael D Higgins is in his final months of his second term, with an election to replace him coming up at the end of the year.
High-profile names such as ex-Taoiseach Bertie Ahern, former EU Commissioner Mairead McGuinness and even comedian Tommy Tiernan have been tipped to run by the bookies.
But no real contenders have yet to officially enter the race.
Yesterday, Linda tried to throw her hat in the ring as she claimed a political party wanted her to be their candidate.
The 1992 Eurovision winner was on RTE Radio One’s Oliver Callan Show to discuss her dog shelter when she was quizzed about rumours she was considering a run for the Presidency.
Speaking to host Callan and comedian Jason Byrne, she joked: “Listen you two, in future, address me as Lady President.”
She added: “I’m saying nothing. That’s all I’m saying. You’ll have to wait and see. Can you imagine all the dogs in the Aras?”
Belfast native Linda, 72, said she would run for a political party instead of as an Independent.
But when asked which party, she would only say: “I was approached. Sounds bizarre but sure . . . .”
And asked if she was seriously considering an election run, she insisted: “I’m mulling it over.”
In order to run in a Presidential election, candidates must get the backing of 20 TDs and senators, or the support of four local councils.
Fine Gael, Sinn Fein and Fianna Fail all confirmed they did not approach Linda.
Labour and the Social Democrats also denied it was their party.
Independent Ireland insisted it “definitely” wasn’t them, while Green leader Roderic O’Gorman also confirmed his party had not reached out to the singer.
And asked if it was Aontu, leader Peadar Toibin told The Irish Sun: “No, we are Johnny Logan fans only!”
NO RESPONSE
The Irish Sun contacted Linda’s booking agency about the claims yesterday, but received no reply by the time of publication.
Linda began her career with the band Chips, which had a number of hit songs in Ireland.
She became a national treasure when she won the Eurovision for Ireland in 1992 with Why Me?, written by Johnny Logan.
Her Song Contest triumph was the first of three back-to-back Eurovision titles for Ireland in the ’90s, along with Niamh Kavanagh’s In Your Eyes, and Rock ‘n’ Roll Kids by Paul Harrington and Charlie McGettigan.
FOLLOWING IN FRIEND’S FOOTSTEPS
Linda would not be the first Eurovision winner to fancy her chances in a Presidential election.
Dana Rosemary Scallon, who won the title in 1970 with All Kinds of Everything, came third in the 1997 Presidential election.
That year, Mary McAleese won the race to the Aras with 574,424 first preference votes — nearly three times Dana’s 175,458.
But Dana made history as the first Presidential candidate to secure a nomination solely through councils, without the backing of members of the Oireachtas.
And while political parties don’t seem to be backing Linda, one TD yesterday quipped: “She can still go to the councils!”
