Jim Gavin responds to criticism as 'white trousers farm video' panned ahead of Áras election
Jim Gavin has said that farming is "in his DNA" as he responded to criticism of his first presidential campaign video which was shot on a farm. In the video, Gavin, who is the Fianna Fáil candidate for the upcoming Presidential elections, speaks about his honour at being asked to run for the Presidency and recalls the pride he felt when he wore the uniform of the defence forces "at home and overseas." Uploaded to his official campaign Instagram platform, the video shows Gavin opening a gate and entering a farm, before it depicts the ex-Dublin football manager walking in a field of cows. Other parts of the video show Gavin speaking with a toddler, having a conversation with two men on the farm, before it ends with the candidate speaking down the camera while cuddling a dog. The video has drawn criticism from some corners of social media, with users questioning the authenticity and sincerity of Gavin strolling around a farm of a Sunday afternoon. "The crouching down to pet the dog at the last shot was so cringey and overly staged," said one social media user, with another saying "Not bolting the gate, and wearing cream trousers working on the farm? Give me a break." "Lovely white trousers. Ideal for farming," wrote another, with the general feeling on social media being that Gavin was 'cosplaying' as a farmer. When asked about the backlash to the video, Gavin, speaking at a Fianna Fáil event in Cork responded by explaining how farming has been in his blood for many years. "These things happen," he said when it was put to him that his 'white trousers look' had attracted criticism. "I was down on a family farm in Kildare, they are very close friends who moved up from Clare. I do have very much a rural connection - I am a proud Dub. I was born on the east coast but my parents are from the west coast. "I would go to my father's farm in the summertime on holidays. I feel at home on a farm - it is part of my DNA." At the Ploughing Championships this afternoon, Gavin again reiterated that farming was in his DNA. "I'm a proud Dub, but like many Dubliners, we're only just one generation away from rural Ireland, from the land. "My family roots are in west Clare. I do have farming in my DNA."
