Sinn Fein? They have gone away, you know.

[mayogodhelpus@gmail.com]

Nally a poll topper in Louth means little when you try and understand the views of the state. Louth is largely populated from blow-ins from the north. A priest hold very little moral weight in the minds of a very high % of people our side of the border.

[NAG1]

Nally a poll topper in Louth means little when you try and understand the views of the state. Louth is largely populated from blow-ins from the north. A priest hold very little moral weight in the minds of a very high % of people our side of the border.

I dont normally drop into these debates because of the personal nature of the replies to various points.

That being said that on a purely political 'skill' level, I would venture to say that there are very few if any politicians in the Dail that could go toe to toe with GA. That is taking the backgrounds and 'politics' out of it, purely on quickness or mind, thought and language, I have yet to see any one that could cope.

Purely personal opinion but have yet to see anything to convince me otherwise.

[Applesisapples]

Gerry grates on me too. But I have to say some of the small minded anti northern attitudes displayed here in answers are sad. I don't think he has a great personality, but I would concede that he is an astute and clever politician. Any doubts I have as to his ability to lead SF are all predicated on how he is portrayed in the media, his position on the IRA and his role there in and the knock on effect it has on his credability. Kenny's answer doesn't surprise me an intellectual pygmy he was on his way out as FG leader before FF's implosion handed him a life line.

[mayogodhelpus@gmail.com]

Gerry grates on me too. But I have to say some of the small minded anti northern attitudes displayed here in answers are sad. I don't think he has a great personality, but I would concede that he is an astute and clever politician. Any doubts I have as to his ability to lead SF are all predicated on how he is portrayed in the media, his position on the IRA and his role there in and the knock on effect it has on his credability. Kenny's answer doesn't surprise me an intellectual pygmy he was on his way out as FG leader before FF's implosion handed him a life line.

You haven't noticed all the anti-ROI/26 threads and posts on this board, they appear regularly, "the Rotten Republic" is the latest abuse from the north. O and there was Fuzzmans ranting thread that came and went like the wind.

[muppet]

Gerry grates on me too. But I have to say some of the small minded anti northern attitudes displayed here in answers are sad. I don't think he has a great personality, but I would concede that he is an astute and clever politician. Any doubts I have as to his ability to lead SF are all predicated on how he is portrayed in the media, his position on the IRA and his role there in and the knock on effect it has on his credability. Kenny's answer doesn't surprise me an intellectual pygmy he was on his way out as FG leader before FF's implosion handed him a life line.

There are only about 3 seriously anti-North posters here. The others are just taking the Mick.

And of the  you can't really take MGHU & Mike Sheehy as representative of the rest of us.

Disliking Adams has nothing to do with where he is from geographically, it is where he is from historically. He was the face we grew up watching after every IRA bombing. All of them I disagreed with, despite that some of them I could understand and some I was totally horrified by. But all of them had Gerry smugly refusing to condemn them.

He will have his supporters as he is entitled to have, but anyone in the Dail is perfectly entitled to ask him about his membership of the IRA. Because most of us want to hear him deny/admit it.

[Nally Stand]

but anyone in the Dail is perfectly entitled to ask him about his membership of the IRA. Because most of us want to hear him deny/admit it.

Of course he is entitled to be asked on it. But when he is trying to represent his constituents on issues nothing what-so-ever to do with the the IRA, then Enda Kenny's persistent childish jibes are nothing more than a two fingered salute to Adam's constituents and a cowardly get-out clause when asked uncomfortable questions about so many much more modern and pressing issues than Gerry Adams' past. And I really don't think "most" people "want to hear him deny/admit it". I think most people have their mind made up on that long ago. I'd say only the Dublin media really cares. Well, the Dublin media, and those who have their entire thought process led/dictated by it.

[mayogodhelpus@gmail.com]

Gerry grates on me too. But I have to say some of the small minded anti northern attitudes displayed here in answers are sad. I don't think he has a great personality, but I would concede that he is an astute and clever politician. Any doubts I have as to his ability to lead SF are all predicated on how he is portrayed in the media, his position on the IRA and his role there in and the knock on effect it has on his credability. Kenny's answer doesn't surprise me an intellectual pygmy he was on his way out as FG leader before FF's implosion handed him a life line.

There are only about 3 seriously anti-North posters here. The others are just taking the Mick.

And of the  you can't really take MGHU & Mike Sheehy as representative of the rest of us.

Disliking Adams has nothing to do with where he is from geographically, it is where he is from historically. He was the face we grew up watching after every IRA bombing. All of them I disagreed with, despite that some of them I could understand and some I was totally horrified by. But all of them had Gerry smugly refusing to condemn them.

He will have his supporters as he is entitled to have, but anyone in the Dail is perfectly entitled to ask him about his membership of the IRA. Because most of us want to hear him deny/admit it.

Hold your horses there Muppet, I'm not anti-the north, I don't like SF and dislike all the ROI bashing.

If ya want to single out someone who doesn't like the north surely you Laoislad is your man.

Also it's not me who is slagging off their accents.

[Maguire01]

Personally, I never warmed to Mary Lou much but she is highly capable all the same. Though in saying that, under Adams' leadership, SF has trebled it's support in one term, he's topped the poll in his constituency and despite a good eight weeks of Adams bashing in the media in their campaign to oust him, the very next poll in it's aftermath showed the party as being the only one to increase support and showed a slight increase in his own personal support. Long may he stick around.

How much of the growth of SF in the south do you credit to Adams' leadership and how much to the collapse of FF? Is it the same with Kenny and the current strength of FG? In spite of the leaders rather than because of them?

[laoislad]

Gerry grates on me too. But I have to say some of the small minded anti northern attitudes displayed here in answers are sad. I don't think he has a great personality, but I would concede that he is an astute and clever politician. Any doubts I have as to his ability to lead SF are all predicated on how he is portrayed in the media, his position on the IRA and his role there in and the knock on effect it has on his credability. Kenny's answer doesn't surprise me an intellectual pygmy he was on his way out as FG leader before FF's implosion handed him a life line.

There are only about 3 seriously anti-North posters here. The others are just taking the Mick.

And of the  you can't really take MGHU & Mike Sheehy as representative of the rest of us.

Disliking Adams has nothing to do with where he is from geographically, it is where he is from historically. He was the face we grew up watching after every IRA bombing. All of them I disagreed with, despite that some of them I could understand and some I was totally horrified by. But all of them had Gerry smugly refusing to condemn them.

He will have his supporters as he is entitled to have, but anyone in the Dail is perfectly entitled to ask him about his membership of the IRA. Because most of us want to hear him deny/admit it.

Hold your horses there Muppet, I'm not anti-the north, I don't like SF and dislike all the ROI bashing.

If ya want to single out someone who doesn't like the north surely you Laoislad is your man.

Also it's not me who is slagging off their accents.

Nonsense!

[muppet]

Gerry grates on me too. But I have to say some of the small minded anti northern attitudes displayed here in answers are sad. I don't think he has a great personality, but I would concede that he is an astute and clever politician. Any doubts I have as to his ability to lead SF are all predicated on how he is portrayed in the media, his position on the IRA and his role there in and the knock on effect it has on his credability. Kenny's answer doesn't surprise me an intellectual pygmy he was on his way out as FG leader before FF's implosion handed him a life line.

There are only about 3 seriously anti-North posters here. The others are just taking the Mick.

And of the  you can't really take MGHU & Mike Sheehy as representative of the rest of us.

Disliking Adams has nothing to do with where he is from geographically, it is where he is from historically. He was the face we grew up watching after every IRA bombing. All of them I disagreed with, despite that some of them I could understand and some I was totally horrified by. But all of them had Gerry smugly refusing to condemn them.

He will have his supporters as he is entitled to have, but anyone in the Dail is perfectly entitled to ask him about his membership of the IRA. Because most of us want to hear him deny/admit it.

Hold your horses there Muppet, I'm not anti-the north, I don't like SF and dislike all the ROI bashing.

If ya want to single out someone who doesn't like the north surely you Laoislad is your man.

Also it's not me who is slagging off their accents.

Nonsense!

I would put LL firmly in the taking the Mick category.

[muppet]

but anyone in the Dail is perfectly entitled to ask him about his membership of the IRA. Because most of us want to hear him deny/admit it.

Of course he is entitled to be asked on it. But when he is trying to represent his constituents on issues nothing what-so-ever to do with the the IRA, then Enda Kenny's persistent childish jibes are nothing more than a two fingered salute to Adam's constituents and a cowardly get-out clause when asked uncomfortable questions about so many much more modern and pressing issues than Gerry Adams' past. And I really don't think "most" people "want to hear him deny/admit it". I think most people have their mind made up on that long ago. I'd say only the Dublin media really cares. Well, the Dublin media, and those who have their entire thought process led/dictated by it.

Two can play at the twisting the mandate game.

For example:

What about Adams two fingered salute to those who want to know whether he was in the IRA or not? They would include Kenny's constituents and many others, even some beyond the easy scapegoats loik da D4 meejah.

[Nally Stand]

but anyone in the Dail is perfectly entitled to ask him about his membership of the IRA. Because most of us want to hear him deny/admit it.

Of course he is entitled to be asked on it. But when he is trying to represent his constituents on issues nothing what-so-ever to do with the the IRA, then Enda Kenny's persistent childish jibes are nothing more than a two fingered salute to Adam's constituents and a cowardly get-out clause when asked uncomfortable questions about so many much more modern and pressing issues than Gerry Adams' past. And I really don't think "most" people "want to hear him deny/admit it". I think most people have their mind made up on that long ago. I'd say only the Dublin media really cares. Well, the Dublin media, and those who have their entire thought process led/dictated by it.

Two can play at the twisting the mandate game.

For example:

What about Adams two fingered salute to those who want to know whether he was in the IRA or not? They would include Kenny's constituents and many others, even some beyond the easy scapegoats loik da D4 meejah.

You said "most want to hear him deny/admit it". He has denied it. Thousands of times. So denials isn't what those you refer to are interested in. They want to hear an admittance because they don't believe him. Yet if they are so content within themselves that he was in the IRA, then what difference does it make to them what Adams says? The media are not just "easy scapegoats" in that regard. They are the ones who both start and then fixate on that particular bandwagon every now and again. A bandwagon that the same few numpties, including the spoofer of a Taoiseach, will always obediently hop onto when it comes by. If Adams admitted being in the IRA he would be arrested. Martin McGuinness served his time and was free to admit having been a member. Did it make one iota of difference to anyone to hear him say what everyone had decided to have been true themselves years before? No. There are more important things in the world. The current scandal at the CRC is the perfect example. A month before it hit the headlines, Adams challenged the Taoiseach on state agency pensions and voiced the view that people need to know what happens "to the money they give to charity", and yet what was the response of An Taoiseach only another sorry old "yeah but were you in the IRA Gerry?" A pathetic example of "leadership" from a man who on many's another night, (perhaps on the occasion of a British Head of State's visit), would pontificate to us all about the need to leave the past behind. Meanwhile, Paul Kiely sits with €742,000 of a pension while research points to 97% of Irish charities believing that the CRC scandal has damaged public trust in charities, with 54% believing such damage may be permanent. But sure more to the point, "were you in the IRA Gerry?" 

[muppet]

but anyone in the Dail is perfectly entitled to ask him about his membership of the IRA. Because most of us want to hear him deny/admit it.

Of course he is entitled to be asked on it. But when he is trying to represent his constituents on issues nothing what-so-ever to do with the the IRA, then Enda Kenny's persistent childish jibes are nothing more than a two fingered salute to Adam's constituents and a cowardly get-out clause when asked uncomfortable questions about so many much more modern and pressing issues than Gerry Adams' past. And I really don't think "most" people "want to hear him deny/admit it". I think most people have their mind made up on that long ago. I'd say only the Dublin media really cares. Well, the Dublin media, and those who have their entire thought process led/dictated by it.

Two can play at the twisting the mandate game.

For example:

What about Adams two fingered salute to those who want to know whether he was in the IRA or not? They would include Kenny's constituents and many others, even some beyond the easy scapegoats loik da D4 meejah.

You said "most want to hear him deny/admit it". He has denied it. Thousands of times. So denials isn't what those you refer to are interested in. They want to hear an admittance because they don't believe him. Yet if they are so content within themselves that he was in the IRA, then what difference does it make to them what Adams says? The media are not just "easy scapegoats" in that regard. They are the ones who both start and then fixate on that particular bandwagon every now and again. A bandwagon that the same few numpties, including the spoofer of a Taoiseach, will always obediently hop onto when it comes by. If Adams admitted being in the IRA he would be arrested. Martin McGuinness served his time and was free to admit having been a member. Did it make one iota of difference to anyone to hear him say what everyone had decided to have been true themselves years before? No. There are more important things in the world. The current scandal at the CRC is the perfect example. A month before it hit the headlines, Adams challenged the Taoiseach on state agency pensions and voiced the view that people need to know what happens "to the money they give to charity", and yet what was the response of An Taoiseach only another sorry old "yeah but were you in the IRA Gerry?" A pathetic example of "leadership" from a man who on many's another night, (perhaps on the occasion of a British Head of State's visit), would pontificate to us all about the need to leave the past behind. Meanwhile, Paul Kiely sits with €742,000 of a pension while research points to 97% of Irish charities believing that the CRC scandal has damaged public trust in charities, with 54% believing such damage may be permanent. But sure more to the point, "were you in the IRA Gerry?" 

I may be paraphrasing you but: "He has denied it. Thousands of times." and then "If Adams admitted being in the IRA he would be arrested."

Are you suggesting this may be a motive to deny telling the truth?

As for the media, your post sounds a lot like Lance Armstrong's supporters used to.

[Applesisapples]

Gerry grates on me too. But I have to say some of the small minded anti northern attitudes displayed here in answers are sad. I don't think he has a great personality, but I would concede that he is an astute and clever politician. Any doubts I have as to his ability to lead SF are all predicated on how he is portrayed in the media, his position on the IRA and his role there in and the knock on effect it has on his credability. Kenny's answer doesn't surprise me an intellectual pygmy he was on his way out as FG leader before FF's implosion handed him a life line.

There are only about 3 seriously anti-North posters here. The others are just taking the Mick.

And of the  you can't really take MGHU & Mike Sheehy as representative of the rest of us.

Disliking Adams has nothing to do with where he is from geographically, it is where he is from historically. He was the face we grew up watching after every IRA bombing. All of them I disagreed with, despite that some of them I could understand and some I was totally horrified by. But all of them had Gerry smugly refusing to condemn them.

He will have his supporters as he is entitled to have, but anyone in the Dail is perfectly entitled to ask him about his membership of the IRA. Because most of us want to hear him deny/admit it.

What I am saying is that inspite of my not liking him I acept and give him credit for his astutness and ability. At the end of the day Kenny like the rest of us signed up to the GFA and his answer to Adams was crass and avoided the actual question. It's a bit like your dads fatter than mine, not the behaviour of a statesman, but then Kenny is no statesman.

[AQMP]

I actually agree with Nally here, the responses of Enda Kenny (and others) to serious questions that affect the daily lives of people on the South with the pretty childish "You were in the IRA" reminds me of the unionist head in the sand attitude of the 80s and 90s when, when faced with a difficult question, they used to respond "I'm not going to sit here and be lectured by a bomber".  Yes there are times when Adams history is relevant in a Dail debate but it's a bit tiresome to hear it used to get out of an awkward corner.

To be fair on the board I take vast majority of the anti-North/anti-South thing as a bit of tongue in cheek banter (I'm convinced lawnseed is a WUM).  I spend a lot of time in the South with my work and I'd say I've faced genuine anti-Northern sentiment twice or possibly three times in the past 6-7 years.  I've come across genuine anti-Southern sentiment from northern nationalists/republicans far more...and then of course there are my unionist friends!