The Race for the ARAS.....

[Billys Boots]

Whoever should win this election, should consider what has been lost in the process. The Irish media industry stand exposed as partisan, untruthful and incompetent. Irish society has been exposed as devoid of vision, and an inability to learn from past mistakes. Northern Nationalists have seen their aspirations trampled upon and are now totally abandoned. When your colonial masters treat you with more respect than your fellow countryman, the time has come to consider your position. Michael D has behaved with presidential decorum and dignity and will probably succeed to the presidency. Sadly he will preside over a bankrupt,fractured state, that has turned its back on its history and culture, and has no future other than a pleasant playground for rich european elites

Right. The presidential election is all about Northern Nationalists. Their rights are trampled upon because the people refuse to do Sinn Féin's bidding. Everything we do down here must be pre-approved by the few self-appointed cultural censors who not only see themselves as our betters but constantly go out of their way to proclaim it here.

I'm sorry, but I'm not accepting any lectures today from people who are capable of the simultaneous condemnation of one liar and blind idolatry of the liar who trapped him. And I'm never accepting lectures, today or any other day, from anybody who has the barefaced hubris and gall to proclaim himself and/or his community superior to me and/or mine.

I can understand (to an extent) why Northern Nationalists are fixated with themselves and their place in the world (and Ireland) and am happy enough to co-exist with that.  I understand that they feel 'betrayed' by a bad political decision made some ninety years ago. 

What I don't 'get' is how they feel that this 'betrayal' ninety years ago should form the cornerstone of their relationship with the country they want to be a part of in the future; as neither they nor us have (nor should have) any real relationship with or understanding of the Ireland of 1922.  I don't see either how this fixation with the past should shape how we move into the future, together, if that is indeed how we progress.  It strikes me as trying to gain some greater-than-equal status in a larger political 'pool' than that to which they're accustomed - I'm not impressed by that. 

[AQMP]

I believe that media coverage of the election stops at 2pm today?  Pity, I'll miss the fun!  The board remains open though!

My guess for 1st preferences:

1.  Michael D
2.  Mr €5k
3.  Martin Boom-Boom McGuinness
4.  Monsieur Norris
5.  Gaybo
6.  All Kinds of Nothing
7.  The Other One

[AQMP]

Whoever should win this election, should consider what has been lost in the process. The Irish media industry stand exposed as partisan, untruthful and incompetent. Irish society has been exposed as devoid of vision, and an inability to learn from past mistakes. Northern Nationalists have seen their aspirations trampled upon and are now totally abandoned. When your colonial masters treat you with more respect than your fellow countryman, the time has come to consider your position. Michael D has behaved with presidential decorum and dignity and will probably succeed to the presidency. Sadly he will preside over a bankrupt,fractured state, that has turned its back on its history and culture, and has no future other than a pleasant playground for rich european elites

Right. The presidential election is all about Northern Nationalists. Their rights are trampled upon because the people refuse to do Sinn Féin's bidding. Everything we do down here must be pre-approved by the few self-appointed cultural censors who not only see themselves as our betters but constantly go out of their way to proclaim it here.

I'm sorry, but I'm not accepting any lectures today from people who are capable of the simultaneous condemnation of one liar and blind idolatry of the liar who trapped him. And I'm never accepting lectures, today or any other day, from anybody who has the barefaced hubris and gall to proclaim himself and/or his community superior to me and/or mine.

I can understand (to an extent) why some Northern Nationalists are fixated with themselves and their place in the world (and Ireland) and am happy enough to co-exist with that.  I understand that they feel 'betrayed' by a bad political decision made some ninety years ago. 

What I don't 'get' is how some of them feel that this 'betrayal' ninety years ago should form the cornerstone of their relationship with the country they want to be a part of in the future; as neither they nor us have (nor should have) any real relationship with or understanding of the Ireland of 1922.  I don't see either how this fixation with the past should shape how we move into the future, together, if that is indeed how we progress.  It strikes me as trying to gain some greater-than-equal status in a larger political 'pool' than that to which they're accustomed - I'm not impressed by that.

Fixed that for you Billy

[armaghniac]

What I don't 'get' is how they feel that this 'betrayal' ninety years ago should form the cornerstone of their relationship with the country they want to be a part of in the future;

I haven't agreed with some of the over the top stuff posted here and have said so. But when people routinely come out with this kind of exclusionist partitionism is it any wonder that northerners feel a bit pissed off?

[Declan]

My guess for 1st preferences:

1.  Michael D
2.  Mr €5k
3.  Martin Boom-Boom McGuinness
4.  Monsieur Norris
5.  Gaybo
6.  All Kinds of Nothing
7.  The Other One

I think Seanie the bag man will top the poll,question is whether the call to the FF disciples will be enough to get him up to high 30s?

[mayogodhelpus@gmail.com]

I'd rather have a man with a dodgy £5k in his background than a man involved in the murder and maiming of men, women and children.

Michael Collins? 

Michael Collins never lied or hid what he done.

St Michael 

Maybe because he died at 31 and twitter wasn't what it is now?...

Well said

Some of the Southern Partitionists on this board really are a laugh! They would soon put you off joining them!!!!

Who said we wanted yous? 

It does highlight that there are fairly big differences in outlook between north and south though.
I'm not sure about this, but maybe there's some confusion because in the north if you're nationalist you vote SF (more or less), and in the south it's not as cut and dried.
So if a person in the south doesn't vote SF, some northerners seem to think this means they don't want a UI or give a sh*te about the north. That's not necessarily the case at all.

As Appliesisapples has said, if there is to be a United Ireland, it's not going to be a utopia for anyone.
For us in the south, it won't be carry on as normal with the 6 northern counties merely slotting in to our existing structures.
For those in the north, it's not going to be some northern nationalist republic that extends into and consumes the 26.

In fact it will probably be the current Northern Unionist population who will be in permanent government, tacked on to FG, SF, Labour or another party that may arise, switching their alleigence as they see fit. Indeed they may be the lead party in a coalition of fractured nationalist parties. What might prevent this if the middle class ones break away into a seperate party or join up with an existing party in the Republic.

[Bingo]

I believe that media coverage of the election stops at 2pm today?  Pity, I'll miss the fun!  The board remains open though!My guess for 1st preferences:

1.  Michael D
2.  Mr €5k
3.  Martin Boom-Boom McGuinness
4.  Monsieur Norris
5.  Gaybo
6.  All Kinds of Nothing
7.  The Other One

I think we should apply the media ban as well.

I see it as Higgins, FFer, SFer, The Stone, The Queen, The AA woman, ANother.

[Ulick]

Whoever should win this election, should consider what has been lost in the process. The Irish media industry stand exposed as partisan, untruthful and incompetent. Irish society has been exposed as devoid of vision, and an inability to learn from past mistakes. Northern Nationalists have seen their aspirations trampled upon and are now totally abandoned. When your colonial masters treat you with more respect than your fellow countryman, the time has come to consider your position. Michael D has behaved with presidential decorum and dignity and will probably succeed to the presidency. Sadly he will preside over a bankrupt,fractured state, that has turned its back on its history and culture, and has no future other than a pleasant playground for rich european elites

Right. The presidential election is all about Northern Nationalists. Their rights are trampled upon because the people refuse to do Sinn Féin's bidding. Everything we do down here must be pre-approved by the few self-appointed cultural censors who not only see themselves as our betters but constantly go out of their way to proclaim it here.

I'm sorry, but I'm not accepting any lectures today from people who are capable of the simultaneous condemnation of one liar and blind idolatry of the liar who trapped him. And I'm never accepting lectures, today or any other day, from anybody who has the barefaced hubris and gall to proclaim himself and/or his community superior to me and/or mine.

Instead of a hyperbolic rant Hardy, if you are going to reply why not attempt a reasoned response to his/her points instead? 

[mayogodhelpus@gmail.com]

Whoever should win this election, should consider what has been lost in the process. The Irish media industry stand exposed as partisan, untruthful and incompetent. Irish society has been exposed as devoid of vision, and an inability to learn from past mistakes. Northern Nationalists have seen their aspirations trampled upon and are now totally abandoned. When your colonial masters treat you with more respect than your fellow countryman, the time has come to consider your position. Michael D has behaved with presidential decorum and dignity and will probably succeed to the presidency. Sadly he will preside over a bankrupt,fractured state, that has turned its back on its history and culture, and has no future other than a pleasant playground for rich european elites

Right. The presidential election is all about Northern Nationalists. Their rights are trampled upon because the people refuse to do Sinn Féin's bidding. Everything we do down here must be pre-approved by the few self-appointed cultural censors who not only see themselves as our betters but constantly go out of their way to proclaim it here.

I'm sorry, but I'm not accepting any lectures today from people who are capable of the simultaneous condemnation of one liar and blind idolatry of the liar who trapped him. And I'm never accepting lectures, today or any other day, from anybody who has the barefaced hubris and gall to proclaim himself and/or his community superior to me and/or mine.

Instead of a hyperbolic rant Hardy, if you are going to reply why not attempt a reasoned response to his/her points instead?

Ulick, Hardy's response is no more a rant than Pangurban's. Is it only those from the 6 counties who are allowed to express their frustrations at their fellow Irishmen's narcissistic and self-orientated outlook.

[Shamrock Shore]

I'd put up an exit poll but is there any point as I am sure the lads who don't have a vote (and blame my grandparents and great grandparents for that, the curs) couldn't resist marking who they 'voted' for.

For the fun here is my estimation of 1st preferences.

Father Ted     35%
Darby O'Gill    25%
Nelson Mandela  18%
Lady Norris   9%
Greybo         8%
Special K      3%
Bambi's Mammy 2%

[Bingo]

Ray Darcys text poll - SG, Higgins, McGuinness, Norris, Davis, Dana, Mitchell.

[mayogodhelpus@gmail.com]

Ray Darcys text poll - SG, Higgins, McGuinness, Norris, Davis, Dana, Mitchell.

I wouldn't take that too seriously, D'Arcy is a 5'th columer of FF. His spreads his views in both subtle and far from subtle ways on a constant basis.

[Ulick]

Ulick, Hardy's response is no more a rant than Pangurban's. Is it only those from the 6 counties who are allowed to express their frustrations at their fellow Irishmen's narcissistic and self-orientated outlook.

Pangurban raises some very good points which deserve better than a rant from Hardy and pathetic attempt at satire by O'Neill. Namely:

1. The Irish media industry stand exposed as partisan, untruthful and incompetent
2. Irish society has been exposed as devoid of vision
3. an inability to learn from past mistakes
4. Northern Nationalists have seen their aspirations trampled upon

These are four very salient aspects to the Presidential campaign and coverage so far and deserve rational debate not hyperbolic rant against imagined slights. 

[Billys Boots]

What I don't 'get' is how they feel that this 'betrayal' ninety years ago should form the cornerstone of their relationship with the country they want to be a part of in the future;

I haven't agreed with some of the over the top stuff posted here and have said so. But when people routinely come out with this kind of exclusionist partitionism is it any wonder that northerners feel a bit pissed off?

(a) it isn't 'routine' in any way, it's my opinion.
(b) it isn't 'exclusionist partitionism' or what I understand by it, but then I don't parrot what politicians tell me to.
(c) i can't help it if you're pissed off with me being pissed off with you.

[Bingo]

Ulick, Hardy's response is no more a rant than Pangurban's. Is it only those from the 6 counties who are allowed to express their frustrations at their fellow Irishmen's narcissistic and self-orientated outlook.

Pangurban raises some very good points which deserve better than a rant from Hardy and pathetic attempt at satire by O'Neill. Namely:

1. The Irish media industry stand exposed as partisan, untruthful and incompetent
2. Irish society has been exposed as devoid of vision
3. an inability to learn from past mistakes
4. Northern Nationalists have seen their aspirations trampled upon

These are four very salient aspects to the Presidential campaign and coverage so far and deserve rational debate not hyperbolic rant against imagined slights.

Hardy has it spot on and that only backs it up. As someone said recently "Why always me?"