Irish Elections - Referendum, Presidential, and General (polling or byelections)

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Running McGuinness is a wonderful piece of trolling from the Shinners, got to give them that.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

The funniest thing is that Fianna Fáil have apparently dropped to 10% support.

wtf.

If FF's best shot at some degree of relevance is to be the junior partner in a government coalition, and if the party continues to have no real ideology, doesn't that mean it's doomed to disappear?

cough, cough, blatant plug, cough, cough.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Sinn Fein already forms part of the government in part of Ireland.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Who's going to win then?

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Obviously all heads of state should look like confused old dons.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Sinn Fein will do well in the polls throughout the lifetime of this government, I think that's fairly clear, especially given the shattering of Fianna Fail's credibility. Whether that will translate into success at a General Election...

[Filuwaúrdjan]

I would kindly suggest keeping that kind of 'debate' about Northern Ireland out of my domain.

(Some posts have been deleted, naturally)

[Filuwaúrdjan]

This issue, along with a lot of others about Gallagher's past business dealings and links with FF, has been raised over the last week. The trouble is that the same journalists and newspapers who are raking over this now have raked over so much irrelevant - but over-the-top and prurient - crap about other candidates over the last few weeks that Gallagher seems to have been "immunised" against the stories because people have switched off.

File under: 'well done guys!'

[Filuwaúrdjan]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/oct/23/david-norris-ireland-presidential-race

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Fail.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Gallagher whinging on the radio this morning that all the hard questions last night were part of a Sinn Féin conspiracy and hinting that the businesswoman who'd asked him about the money resting in his account was also politically involved.

At which point the said businesswoman rang the radio show from her car and started asking more awkward questions.

Car crash radio.

As good as Richard Keys and the 'dark forces'?

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Otherwise the impending Norris landslide is going to take the media by surprise.

Apart from the highly intelligent and ever-perceptive Patrick Barkham of the Guardian.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

RTE One will be broadcasting special election programmes at 1100 (0600 EDT), 1500 (1000 EDT) and 2030 (1530 EDT) with RTE News broadcasting the whole thing from start to finish on Friday as well. BBC Parliament do not appear to be simulcasting anything (but that might change as today goes on) so if you do not want to be tied to a computer and you live in the UK you can either a) have a aerial that points towards the Irish Republic or b) tune to channel 0160 on Sky for RTE Radio 1, 0164 for RTE 2FM or if you fancy your Gaelic skills 0166 for RTE R na G

Argh. Perennially disappointed with the Beeb's (non-existent) election coverage.

Which, given the number of Irish citizens here, is not exactly excusable...

[Filuwaúrdjan]

What's the threshold for that type of thing these days?

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Sinn Fein will lead in the polls this time next year.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Its only a matter of time, isn't it? This time next year, probably. At least. Though whether it would ever show up in electoral reality...

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Recovered isn't really accurate because even their best polls have them far weaker than what would once have been a poor election for them. But, basically, look at the current government and how its done. And then note that the only other party is the Shinners, who are still (aha) beyond the pale for many voters.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

It's just absolutely and utterly insane. You'd have thought they'd have learned something from previous experience in government...

[Filuwaúrdjan]

They are such a big fycking embarrassment. Christ. Do they even know that they're a big fycking embarrassment? I have this awful suspicion that...

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Is Burton an ex-Sticky as well?