Until defeat in 2002, the Flanagan family spent 60 years representing the midlands constituency. The colourful and controversial Oliver J Flanagan first won a seat in 1943 and his son Charlie was first elected to the Dail in 1987. An opinion poll published last week showed that Flanagan may soon be back involved in national politics. The Red C survey had Fine Gael taking two seats, with Sean Fleming of Fianna Fail or PD junior minister Tom Parlon under threat. Flanagan, however, is wary of the prediction.

"The polls the last time did a job on me. I was supposed to be a shoo-in, " he recalls. "The last election was very difficult for Fine Gael. We had our differences in the party, which told on the doorstep. I feel much fresher this time and I am much more focused."

After his defeat five years ago, he returned to his legal career. But politics eventually drew him back. "Politics is a virus that is difficult to shake out of the system, " he admits.

That virus has several other high-profile losers from 2002 also on the comeback trail. Fianna Fail's best-known potential Dail returnee is Mary O'Rourke, who will celebrate her 70th birthday during the general election campaign.

But it is Fine Gael, having suffered so many casualties five years ago, which has the highest number of former TDs seeking a return to national politics. This group includes Alan Shatter in Dublin South, PJ Sheehan in Cork South West and Frances Fitzgerald in Dublin Mid-West.

Fitzgerald has moved constituency from Dublin South East, where she lost out in 2002. She describes her election defeat as "a tough experience". Initially, she returned to involvement in the voluntary sector while also working as a consultant with Carr Communications.

However, the opportunity to get reinvolved in party politics was hard to resist. "There is a lot of dismissal of politics but I believe it's very important and, for all the bad things said, it is an extremely interesting job, " she says.