Ireland 2009

[minionofmidas]

the idea that because we have been saved an even worse downturn because we are in the eurozone seems has gotten quite a bit of play and would seem at this point to have been adopted as conventional wisdom.

Now for the Brits to get the same idea (I'm not sure if it's literally *true*, but there's certainly some truth in there.)

[minionofmidas]

Gilmore for Taoiseach?

[minionofmidas]

Pity it has to be the ALDE. Why not the EPP-ED?

Because that's Fine Gael (IIRC).

[minionofmidas]

Pity it has to be the ALDE. Why not the EPP-ED?

Because that's Fine Gael (IIRC).

They could have joined ED. Fine Gael is in the EPP. Although I guess that opens up rivalries with the British Conservatives.

Ah. Yeah, I suppose their party is also terra prohibita.

[minionofmidas]

Wouldn't the "Trot" (I assume you mean the Workers' Party candidate), the Sinn Féin candidate (if there is one), the Greenie and Ahern all be eliminated on (by which I mean as a result of) the first count if their votes combined are less than that of the next highest polling candidate? 

You are quite correct, sir.

[minionofmidas]

How do you pronounce that (the first name. I think I have a pretty good idea how to pronounce "Ferris".)

[minionofmidas]

Have we a complete first count of Dublin Central?

[minionofmidas]

Why wouldn't they eliminate the last four candidates in one go?

[minionofmidas]

YOU FORGOT TO LIST THE NO. OF EXHAUSTED VOTES AT EACH COUNT!

For the record, they were

24 out of 203
77 out of 528
108 out of 676
124 out of 893
1121 out of 3621
1479 out of 4420
1542 out of 6537

That such a lot of FF and SF voters exhaust their ballots is unsurprising... bit surprised at the high number of Labour voters to have no preference between Donoghue and O'Sullivan, though.

[minionofmidas]

Congrats Jas, you live in the most Shinner county in the country.

Nah, I'm from and vote in the most Shinner county of the country!

Tyrone?

[minionofmidas]

What is it with SF and Tralee, anyways?

[minionofmidas]

What is it with SF and Tralee, anyways?

It seems to be largely a personal vote for Martin Ferris. It's only since Ferris became a SF candidate (after his release in 1994 - coinciding with SF developing a peace process electoral dividend), that they have had any success in Kerry. Up until that point SF's support in the Kerry North area had been marginal. You were more likely to find SF candidates on the ballot papers in local and general elections (outside of the border and Dublin areas, Kerry and Cork would have long had relatively strong pockets of strong support for militant republicanism) - though none of these candidates met with any significant degree of popular support.

Probably a case of a dormant political tradition springing back to life in just the right circumstances, then?
I'm a little surprised that one man's personal vote would extend to local elections, though, but I guess that's because it's a different country.

[minionofmidas]

I am familiar with the name Dick Spring, thank you. (Although I wasn't aware he was from there too - saves me the question of "Labour seem to be doing well there too, actually").

[minionofmidas]

I am familiar with the name Dick Spring, thank you.

But only because you have a dirty sense of humour.

No.