John Downing: Be it Green Party lifer O’Gorman or beef farmer Hackett who is chosen, expect the unorthodox from leadership contest

Green Party leader John Gormley after defeating challenger Patricia McKenna in 2007. Photo: Julien Behal/PA

John Downing

The idea of picking a leader who has at best a minimal chance of taking a Dáil seat any time soon would not even get to the starting gate in most political parties.

But the Greens are different – and that, in many ways, is a big part of their reason for existence.