26 County General Election 2020

[Franko]

Also, which Shinner thought it was a good idea to produce the tricolours and sing 'Come Out Ye Black and Tans'?

What a moron.

On a day when everything they touched turned to gold, this bunch of idiots managed to give the perennial naysayers a penalty kick.

I don't see why it's controversial which is probably why I don't see too many people getting worked up about it. Why would anyone get worked up about it outside of the blueshirts who realise it's a dig at them over the RIC commemoration? Why would any other self respecting Irish citizen be upset/offended by a song celebrating the fight for independence?

It was crass, triumphalist and unnecessary.

I don't think too many were offended.

Couldn't you say that about any song being sung to celebrate an election victory? Yet Pearse Doherty & Padraig McLoughlin in Donegal celebrated by singing 'Óró sé do Bheatha Abhaile'. Haven't seen any criticism what-so-ever of that. Why the difference? Was it purely because Ellis' one was an overt dig at FG over the RIC commemoration?

A little.  The choice of song definitely mattered.  Though if you think I'd be annoyed at someone getting a dig in at FG, you've got the wrong guy.  Dig away, for they deserve it all.

I just thought it was a perfect time to show a bit of maturity and grace.  Waving tricolours and singing that song was something more akin to a Wolfe Tones concert, than a count centre.  I think it may have alienated some of their new cohort of voters right away.

[Main Street]

I heard a claim made on an rte panel that FF's vote also suffered after their late coordinated attempt to villify SF in the eyes of the voters, that the backfire extended to taking a hit from lower number of preferences from SF voters.

Quite a number of FF candidates were just edged out, so maybe the claim has some veracity.

[Eamonnca1]

Help me out here. Why did SF run so few candidates? With hindsight it looks like the wrong decision with the whopping big surpluses they got, so what would have been the disadvantage of running two candidates? Would it split too many first and second preference votes if there wasn't such a big green wave?

[armaghniac]

Help me out here. Why did SF run so few candidates? With hindsight it looks like the wrong decision with the whopping big surpluses they got, so what would have been the disadvantage of running two candidates? Would it split too many first and second preference votes if there wasn't such a big green wave?

Running too many candidates can lose you seats, say you get two candidates on 40% of a quota they could both end up eliminated, whereas one candidate on 80% of the quota would get elected.
SF ran few candidates since their results were crap in the local and European elections earlier in the year. Some of these elected with big votes yesterday did not get elected in the local election, this is coming from a bandwagon voter with little political knowledge or interest who did not bother their ar s e voting.   

[weareros]

Help me out here. Why did SF run so few candidates? With hindsight it looks like the wrong decision with the whopping big surpluses they got, so what would have been the disadvantage of running two candidates? Would it split too many first and second preference votes if there wasn't such a big green wave?

Running too many candidates can lose you seats, say you get two candidates on 40% of a quota they could both end up eliminated, whereas one candidate on 80% of the quota would get elected.
SF ran few candidates since their results were crap in the local and European elections earlier in the year. Some of these elected with big votes yesterday did not get elected in the local election, this is coming from a bandwagon voter with little political knowledge or interest who did not bother their ar s e voting.

In addition: in some areas they ran too many candidates in 2016 and ended up losing seats.  Nominations had to be declared by Jan 22nd. Their surge came very late for them, you could say in the last week and a half. Even the first opinion poll had FF with a huge lead.

[Rossfan]

Mr Cullinane TD for Waterford allegedly singing "Up the Ra" in some Pub in Waterford.
Why do they continue to use the Tricolour as a weapon and as if the rest of us were Unionists?

[Cavan19]

Next thing it will be the Palasteine flag they will be raising.

[Angelo]

It's going to be

SF 37
FF 37
FG 35

[armaghniac]

Mr Cullinane TD for Waterford allegedly singing "Up the Ra" in some Pub in Waterford.
Why do they continue to use the Tricolour as a weapon and as if the rest of us were Unionists?

This shows a profound lack of judgement, apart from anything else.
Singing James Connolly or even Kevin Barry would provide a good night and not bring attention to yourself.

[Eamonnca1]

The Newsletter is literally talking about the weather. The storm has pride of place on their homepage, no mention of the election that I can see. Meanwhile in the Belfast Telegraph, RDE is obeying Godwin's Law by comparing SF's success to the rise of the Nazis (yes, she actually went there) and that this election that SF won fair and square is a "threat to democracy on the island."

Other quotes of note:
"Sinn Fein surge in Irish election a wake-up call for unionism"
Leader

"Faced with the choice between Leo's Tweedledum and Micheal's Tweedledee, who can blame voters for giving Mary Lou McDonald a chance?"
Eilis O'Hanlon

"Sinn Fein has spooked the unionists with election success"
Alex Kane

"Skeletons of past will haunt Sinn Fein until party addresses the pain of victims"
Suzanne Breen

"Mood for change seems so strong that Leo Varadkar may have to dust off his CV"
Tom Kelly

From the Irish News:

"Sinn Féin should be judged on its mandate"
Leader

"A political and electoral revolution is underway"
Jim Gibney

"As election tightens, Sinn Féin's past might make it difficult to attract much needed transfers"
Fionnuala O Connor
(I'm not sure if that's an issue in so many constituencies where SF only ran a single candidate that topped the poll)

"Sinn Fein's surge is the story of the Republic's election, so why aren't we hearing more about it?"
Brian Feeney

"Sinn Féin must address the past with honesty"
Alex Kane

[armaghniac]

SF voters are the most in favour of tax cuts, more than FG or FF. that fits in nicely with the plan to tax foreigners for everything.

[Itchy]

Mr Cullinane TD for Waterford allegedly singing "Up the Ra" in some Pub in Waterford.
Why do they continue to use the Tricolour as a weapon and as if the rest of us were Unionists?

This shows a profound lack of judgement, apart from anything else.
Singing James Connolly or even Kevin Barry would provide a good night and not bring attention to yourself.

Stupid by cullinane,  I believe it was a speech though not a song which is even worse. There is no need for that sort of shite.

[RedHand88]

It's going to be

SF 37
FF 37
FG 35

Assuming in this case it goes to 1st preference votes to decide who gets the top job?

[Itchy]

It's going to be

SF 37
FF 37
FG 35

Assuming in this case it goes to 1st preference votes to decide who gets the top job?

Theres no official rules on it, its whoever can get the required numbers pulled together. I'm not sure we've ever seen anything like what's happened today before

[Rossfan]

McGrath of FF on the News saying they'll let Marylou get on with talking to left wingers to try and set up a left wing Government.