Poll-topper Gay Byrne “very surprised” at young people’s backing

RTE legend and possible Irish presidential candidate Gay Byrne yesterday expressed his shock over a poll that gave him 28 per cent of first-preference votes for the upcoming election.

"This is the first major poll that has been done and it's very heartening, very complimentary and overwhelmingly good," he told the Irish Independent, adding that the demographics that supported him were not what he expected.

"Women, maybe, but young people? That's very surprising. I wouldn't have thought that's where my support was," he said.

However, Gaybo was tight-lipped on whether or not the encouraging poll is enough for him to make a run for the presidency.

"This goes into the pot of consideration, yes. It certainly goes into the pot among all the others - but I know from huge experience that poll and votes and opinions change vastly as we go along the line.

"I'm talking to people and getting all kinds of advice and all kinds of help and have all sorts of interested parties talking to me. But there's no [imminent] time limit on when I must issue a decision, so I'm taking my time."

Either way, Gaybo certainly sounded like a populist politician after describing the EU as being run by “mad people”. Broadcaster Pat Kenny, who famously replaced Gay for The Late Late Show hosting duties, caught flak yesterday for expressing his support for the 77-year-old.

TD Paschal Donohoe said that his public endorsement while an RTE employee was an affront to the state broadcaster’s objectivity.