"I don't want to be President": Gaybo

Broadcaster Gay Byrne has ruled himself out of the presidential election, conceding that he "doesn't have the stomach" for the long campaign ahead.

The former Late Late Show presenter last week topped a Red C/Paddy Power opinion poll, and had been assured by Fianna Fail that they would make sure he got on the ballot paper if he was interested.

But Mr Byrne said on Saturday that after giving it full consideration, he had decided that he did not want to succeed Mary McAleese, although he had been flattered by the public support he had received.

It followed a week of intense speculation sparked by Mr Byrne's admission that if there was a public clamor for him to the next president, it was something he would consider.

Following this, Mr Byrne was embroiled in a controversy over comments he made that Ireland was now run by "mad people in Brussels".

The anti-Europe sentiment did not go down well with his prospective backers in Fianna Fail, many of whom still want the party to field a candidate from within its own ranks.

Although Byrne's Euro-skepticism was widely known, his candid remarks on Wednesday last caused a ripple at a time when he was still considering a run for the job.

"We crossed the Rubicon when we joined the single currency. I think there's no backing out now but it's a mad, mad world and we are being run by mad people in Brussels," Byrne said.

The comments came on the day an opinion poll put him with 28% of the public support, well ahead of Michael D Higgins of Labour on 21%.

Fine Gael's Gay Mitchell had 13% support, Independent Sean Gallagher 12% and Mary Davis 7%.

Brian Crowley of Fianna Fail, who has expressed an interest in running won 13% and Dana Rosemary Scallon, who suggested she might run, may be discouraged with her 6% showing.

Interestingly, the opinion poll found that almost 40% of people would still have given their first preference vote to Senator David Norris, who withdrew from the campaign in controversy the week before last.

The controversy over Gay Byrne's EU comments were just the first in a series of articles in the Irish media last week, which analyzed his suitability for the top job.

Some pointed out that while he might make a good president, he may not be a good campaigner.

Others analyzed his comments during his years of broadcasting and those expressed in his autobiography and said that Gaybo the persona, was very different to Gay Byrne, the man, who was essentially a right wing conservative.

Others still said that Mr Byrne's financial affairs may have to be probed - the broadcaster had been linked to many property deals during the boom which, by his own admission, have left him close to bankruptcy.

And at 77 years of age, there were some who questioned if he may be too old for the job, which carries a seven year term.

By the weekend, after consulting with friends and family, Gay Byrne announced that he would not be putting his name forward for October's election.

He informed Michael Martin, leader of Fianna Fail, by phone.

Mr Byrne said he felt "pestered" by the media ever since his name had been linked to the job, and he just didn't want that kind of attention.

"The people that are going forward, the four declared candidates, are obviously people who really really want to be president of Ireland. And that is a worthy and noble objective, but they have obviously put a great deal of thought into it and they know about it.

"It was a totally and completely new concept for me because, in truth, I had never dreamed about being president. I never thought about it, it never occurred to me, it never came up on my long-range radar."

Mr Byrne said he had been advised by those he consulted that it would be a long contest, and he felt he didn't have the stomach for that.

"I wouldn't be dragging my wife and family through what we were going to go through for the next two months and I didn't want to do that, I chose not to do that. It is that simple."

In a statement, Fianna Fail said it respected Gay Byrne's decision and said there had been wide support for his candidacy.

"Gay Byrne has many fine qualities and would have made an excellent candidate. However we respect his personal decision not to stand in the Presidential election," it said.

But many political observers believe the flirtation with Gay Byrne's candidacy has done some damage to the leadership of Michael Martin.

At least three members of Fianna Fail - Brian Crowley, Eamon O'Cuiv, and Mary Hanafin - have expressed an interest in running.

But the party leadership had seen Gay Byrne as a celebrity candidate who could do very well and repair some of its poor electoral support.

Now that Byrne has withdrawn, it's left Michael Martin with a headache over whether or not to run a candidate in a race he knows they are not likely to win.

Without Gay Byrne and David Norris, the field looks wide open yet again for another Independent candidate to enter the race.

Retired GAA commentating legend Michael O'Muircheartaigh is the latest name to emerge.

However, sections of the Irish public are getting annoyed that the race for the presidency is being turned into a farce by the speculation around celebrity contestants.

And the nature of both Norris and Byrne's departures from the race will give any prospective candidate pause.

Although the presidency is a position largely ceremonial and with little real power, it seems presidential elections are the dirtiest and most competitive in Irish politics.