Michael D glides through three towns in one morning

If presidential candidate Michael D Higgins followed the dictionary definition of 'barnstorming', he would travel around the countryside making political speeches, giving lectures or presenting theatrical performances. According to the same definition, he would "appear at county fairs and carnivals in exhibitions of stunt flying and parachute jumping". There was certainly no chance of that during his tour of Navan Town Centre yesterday (Tuesday). His style is so understated that he might easily be mistaken for a pensioner who had dropped into the centre to buy his paper and do the Lotto. Earlier in the day, he had started his whistlestop tour of the county by meeting Cllrs Brian Collins and Tommy Grimes in Kells and visiting the Kells Cross, and met local interest groups including the one advocating a return of the Book of Kells to the town. When the Labour Party 'battle bus' pulled up outside the shopping centre in Navan, Mayor Cllr Anton McCabe and Meath East TD Dominic Hannigan accompanied the candidate as they met a small group of Tara Mines pensioners who were protesting at cuts to their pensions. They carried placards reading 'No 10% cut to pensioners' and 'Low hanging fruit - private pensions taken (robbed)'. They blamed Minister for Finance Michael Noonan for carrying out cuts "without consultation". Higgins told them that he was no longer a member of the Dail and had not stood in the last election. However, he said they were making their protest and he had listened to them. He said he was glad to hear from Cllr McCabe that SIPTU had set up a meeting on the issue. During the tour, he bumped into an old friend and colleague, former Meath TD Frank McLoughlin and his wife, Dympna, and was welcomed by the shopping centre manager Pat Mullaney. Michael Sheils of Navan's Small Impact Writers' Group presented the candidate with a 2012 calendar published last week by the group to raise funds for Drogheda Homeless Aid. Michael had his picture taken with Higgins for use on his 'Sheriff from Navan' blog. Then it was onto a nearby coffee shop where Higgins stopped for a welcome cup of tea and carried out an interview for radio. Here, he was introduced to members of Meath River Rescue, Peter Boland, Michael Boland, Mark Sheils and Eamonn Quinlivan. Later he visited St Stephen's National School, Johnstown, and met principal and local Labour Party councillor Jenny McHugh and schoolchildren. The award-winning school choir performed for the candidate. He also addressed a public meeting in Trim Castle Hotel Hotel after his departure from Navan.