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Unfortunately theres a fair chunk of ordinary people with genuine concerns about immigration (fair few there will be a small bit racist too I'll admit) but they're by no stretch far right looneys. The danger is the far right looneys who are probably 0.001% can appeal to that more moderate chunk who have been let down the major parties and feel like they've no choice.

If you are looking at the next election with your main focus being on immigration, then I'm afraid you are either stupid or racist (and all racists are stupid).

Interesting listening to Brolly's podcast today. He referenced a recent Ipsos research poll into people's biggest priorities in the 26 counties.

Immigration finished top at 22%!!!! To put that f**king lunacy into context, healthcare came in at 4%. Education came in at 2%. Taxes and the economy at 2%. Energy prices, which have increased by around 1,000% in the last decade at 2%.

If you're the sort of person for whom immigration is more imporant than healthcare, taxation, education, housing, the cost of living, then you're too f**king stupid to see how you're being manipulated.

Thanks for that RH. I see the odd McDowell piece in the paper, i don't frequent his website.

McDowell's claim that SF was undemocratic wasn't because she was elected unopposed though.

If you believe some puppet master told Coveney, Donohue, Humohries, McEntee etc that they were not permitted to contest the election then that would be equivalent alright. Personally I don't think Harris is controlled by shawdowy puppet master figures. I think he really wants it and will make decisions (whether good or bad) himself and for his personal agenda of what he thinks would be successful. And he has persuaded most of his elected parliamentary colleagues to side with him. The other potential contenders were either not interested (SC and PD) or knew they would lose (everyone else).

Here's some of what McDowell said about SF (from the 2019 article that was linked):

I think Sinn Féin is still an undemocratic, marxist movement masquerading as a conventional political party. Most of its members are probably unaware of its true nature.

Let me pose two questions.

Why did Sinn Féin recently spend a large sum sending a delegation to the inauguration of the undemocratic marxist, Nicolas Maduro, as president of Venezuela?

How precisely was Michelle O'Neill chosen to succeed Martin McGuinness as leader of Sinn Féin in the North?

In the case of Maduro, the Provisional movement have long backed communist movements in that region. They sold their weapons technology to the Farc communists in neighbouring Colombia in exchange for millions of narco-dollars. They had, despite denials, a permanent representative in Castro's Cuba. The common thread was a belief that they were and are a revolutionary movement with a marxist orientation. Readers of An Phoblacht over the years will remember the constant stream of supportive articles for marxist revolutionary groups internationally.

It should come as absolutely no surprise that the party sent a delegation to Caracas to celebrate the subversion of democracy in what used to be one to Latin America's most liberal states.

This may not lie easily with the polished, bourgeois professional image which the Party seeks to create using Mary Lou McDonald and, until recently, the urbane Peadar Tóibín.

But the truth is that Sinn Féin is rigidly controlled by a small clique of Provo veterans who are puppet-masters in what appears to be a normal democratic party.

It was they who chose Michelle O'Neill. It is they who secured the unopposed election of Mary Lou as the party's Uachtarán. It is their network of commissars who impose order and discipline on the party's members. It is they who decide on strategy. It is they who will decide if and when the party resumes participation in the NI executive.

In true marxist style, the entire party is subject to what Lenin described as "democratic centralism".

Sinn Féin members of the Oireachtas do not choose their advisors, interns or secretaries. The party commissars make those decisions. By this means all vestiges of political privacy and autonomy are absent.

We are still somewhat in the dark as to whether the party confiscates its public representatives' earnings and allowances over certain average industrial wage thresholds to apply them to party purposes under the guise of a voluntary contribution to the support of the party.

Most Sinn Féin members, elected and un-elected, are outside the loop of decision-making. I do not believe for one minute that Mary Lou or Michelle is in charge of the party rather than the old gang in the backroom of the Felons' Club on the Andersonstown Road.

If the party does not make sufficient progress at the polls, either or both of them will receive a tap on the shoulder from the Felons' Club – not from the ordinary members.

Sinn Féin is not a democratic or republican party. It remains a carefully constructed façade for a small, manipulative and undemocratic clique with very different values.

You've blown the whole thing wide open, Hound.

Another rat abandons ship. I'm sure it has nothing to do at all with the Ditch making enquiries into her dodgy mileage expenses.

https://www.rte.ie/news/2024/0322/1439426-josepha-madigan/

She's no loss to national politics, but I wouldn't be using The Ditch as a reference for anything - Paddy Cosgrave is unhinged...

Didn't realise Paddy Cosgrave was a reporter for the ditch.

Funds it.

So nobody should refer to any of the multiple cases of political corruption The Ditch has uncovered purely because you don't like who provides their funding? Free pass for the politicians involved?

Varadkar stepping down, according to RTÉ.

Dr Rose Dugdale

An incredible woman who came from English aristocracy to be a revolutionary. Poignantly there is a movie about her life being released this week. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a hanam.
https://www.rte.ie/video/id/9526/

RIP Rose. A remarkable life story. Good documentary about her available here: https://ifiarchiveplayer.ie/mna-an-ira-1/

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cv2yn4nr97qo

What harm was it doing.

Equally what good was it doing and why would a council spend money on it?

Probably therapeutic to those who used it. Particularly I'd imagine, for children. And I'd imagine the cost would have been fairly negligiable, in the grand scheme of things.

Good article by Cahir OKane in todays Irish news about the problems with our attack. he's saying essentially the players are there its the shape thats wrong. i would strongly agree with him

He is basically saying Brian Dooher and his coaches aren't up to it.

That might well be the case.

Very good. Strange Cahir wasn't asked to take Derry when Rory Gallagher left

Exactly. You get a job as a reporter and suddenly you are an expert in GAA.

I don't know if this guy played football to any serious level but he starts telling a double all Ireland winner where he is going wrong.

Is he wrong though?

Is he right? That's the thing about shooting from the sidelines. You don't put your ideas on the line to get tested. It's easier to hypothesis a reason for a failing that won't be tested than to implement a solution.
 And I say this as no major fan of Dooher either.

Is the argument then that sports journalism should be discontinued? That they shouldn't be allowed to critique management/tactics? Or that they can only do so on the condition that journliasts must be either former or current managers with a proven track record of success?

As far as I'm concerned, you don't need to be a sports journalist to see that Tyrone, tactically, are lagging behind the top teams. The problems that Cahair O'Kane spoke about are the exact same things that you hear Peter Canavan saying in his TV analysis during every Tyrone game this year to date. His frustration at the lack of support for Darragh in particular is very evident every day he's on punditry duty (although he's typically diplomatic about it). Is it OK for Peter to say it, but not a journalist, even though they are both stating the absolutely blindingly obvious?

[Is it true that its the brother of current Tyrone player?]

Another bad smash. O'Dowd needs to get the finger out and get the Omagh - Ballygawley stretch built asap

A 30 year old man killed. Yet another life lost.

Is it true that its the brother of current Tyrone player? God help the poor family. That road isn't fit for purpose. How many lives does it take?

Really think its a good idea to be speculating online about the identity of a crash victim before the victim has been named publicly? There are good reasons why it takes time for the names to be released in these circumstances.

Dissident Arm na Poblachta claim two PSNI vehicles targeted in Co Derry
Security alert continues around Dungiven


https://www.irishnews.com/news/northern-ireland/dissident-arm-na-poblachta-claim-two-psni-vehicles-targeted-in-co-derry-PGTRS55FSZDEFFHD7CDC3GSKO4/

Wrong thread, Eire90.

[If I was to ask 10 random Irish people if they've heard of Paul Brady, honestly I doubt he'd register with more than 5.]

It would seems the list of Bob Dylan's favourite songwriters could extend from here to the moon.

If I was to ask 10 random Irish people if they've heard of Paul Brady, honestly I doubt he'd register with more than 5.

I like his music too. But for whatever reason, he seems to have no ability to transcend generations.

I respectfully think you're talking through your hoop! Anyone who can sell out Vicar street for almost a  month solid, and who has has his songs covered by the sort of names listed above, can't serioulsy be argued to be not well known. Especially in hs own country.

You could say the same of  the  pop stars of today.  I just  had  a look at the charts  .  This lot could have sold out vicar Street for  6 months , but I've never heard  of any of them. Have you?

Lu.Ci
Kygo
Billie Gillies
YG Marley
Muni Long
Cat Janice
Noah Kahan
Yung Filly

Heard of just a couple of them but does that mean they aren't well known? Everyone has their audience. Take Noah Kahan, a one hit wonder if ever there was one, but he's a "tiktok star" who's currently selling out arenas around the world, so each generation to their own - and you're saying he's not well known just because you've never heard of him? I'd hazzard a guess that were he and Paul Brady to both walk down the street in Dublin, they would both be recognised, albeit to varying degree and by very different generations. And I'd say that were Kahan to walk down the street in his own hometown/country, he'd be recognised there too. So to say Paul Brady, one of Ireland most successsful singer/songwriters, wouldn't even be known of even in Ireland, is again, just daft.

[a busy Kilbroney Forest park without anyone recognising him? Absolutely.]

But could he also spend the afternoon in a busy Kilbroney Forest park without anyone recognising him? Absolutely.

Your head's in the clouds!!

[If I was to ask 10 random Irish people if they've heard of Paul Brady, honestly I doubt he'd register with more than 5.]

It would seems the list of Bob Dylan's favourite songwriters could extend from here to the moon.

If I was to ask 10 random Irish people if they've heard of Paul Brady, honestly I doubt he'd register with more than 5.

I like his music too. But for whatever reason, he seems to have no ability to transcend generations.

I respectfully think you're talking through your hoop! Anyone who can sell out Vicar street for almost a  month solid, and who has has his songs covered by the sort of names listed above, can't serioulsy be argued to be not well known. Especially in hs own country.

A few who wound be very well known but maybe neither "loved" nor disliked (Sam Neill? Darren Clarke? Paul Brady?)

Dennis Taylor is famous and I think generally well liked.

Bernadette Devlin would surely tick both boxes though.

Lol, was reading through this and had Neill and Ckarke in my head before seeing your post. Is Paul Brady really well known? I doubt the majority of his hometown would even know who he is.

Hugo Duncan would be up there too unfortunately.

I was wondering how long it would take before someone would mention Uncle Hugo. I'm afraid I'm going to have to request the mods blacklist you.

Would have to disagree on the idea that Paul Brady isn't well known though. In fact I might even have to contact the mods a second time, and request that your post containig that claim be tranfered over to the "WTF Thread". He was a member of Planxty (one of the best regarded Irish folk groups ever), is noted by Bob Dylan as one of his favourite singer/songwriters. Ditto for Mark Knopfler, who has recorded with him numerous times. He has had his songs covered by the likes of Tina Turner, Cher, Art Garfunkel, Cliff Richard, Trisha Yearwood, Phil Collins etc etc. He sold out Vicar St for 21 nights in the space of one month - a record at the time but not sure if it still stands. If his career keeps going the way it has been, I'm sure he'll sooner or later become known in his hometown of Strabane too!

A few who wound be very well known but maybe neither "loved" nor disliked (Sam Neill? Darren Clarke? Paul Brady?)

Dennis Taylor is famous and I think generally well liked.

Bernadette Devlin would surely tick both boxes though.

However 55-64 is 64% to 28% in favour of Union. Is the disparity that great in that age group or would it indicate as they near retirement, good few nationalists opt for the status quo in the absence of a plan from Dublin/clarity over pensions they've paid into.

I don't think there's too much analysis required on that one. Support for the union is strongest in that age category because that's the age categry with the biggest majority of unionists. The protestant/unionist population is ageing one.