Sinn Fein? They have gone away, you know.

[Maguire01]

Look at ye all discussing poll results were a small amount of people get their views taken.

Lads do something productive.

Polls are statistically valid within a margin of error, so the "small amount of people" argument doesn't hold much water.

[lawnseed]

Funny when SF down by 4, SF folk try misdirection of talking about something thats as unimportant as party leader. The party leader wins one seat, we are not the USA.

i've been saying this for quite a while even when we were up in the polls. theres stagnation- a leadership change can make a serious change especially if its a younger man/woman. the policies already there will sound like new ideas that may appeal to younger voters. this is where sinn fein will make progress since the older crowd are blinkered sheep who just want things to go back to 2005

[Farrandeelin]

Why aren't there any leadership heavescagainst Adams? Is EVERY SF representative happy with him? Just wondering.

[glens abu]

Why aren't there any leadership heavescagainst Adams? Is EVERY SF representative happy with him? Just wondering.

I can't speak for every representative but can honestly say I have never heard any disquiet within the party about Gerry's leadership,if fact quite the opposite.

[lawnseed]

Why aren't there any leadership heavescagainst Adams? Is EVERY SF representative happy with him? Just wondering.

i think there has'nt been a challange because up and until gerrys move into louth his position as leader in west belfast was unassailable. he only had to show his face and the sea parted for him. then disaster.. mad mulla mcdowell of the peewee PDs savaged him in a rte tv debate and suddenly the emperor was naked. mcdowell was on very soft ground he and his party were propping up the worst government in the history of the state. adams just got steamrolled. adams' knowledge of southern politics is at best weak hes ponderous and hesitatant because of this weakness. o'caolin if he wanted the job is a better choice. to make progress in the dail it has to be a southerner or a good compromise a nordie southerner.. pearse doherty! acceptable to nordies and mexicans.

[Maguire01]

Funny when SF down by 4, SF folk try misdirection of talking about something thats as unimportant as party leader. The party leader wins one seat, we are not the USA.

i've been saying this for quite a while even when we were up in the polls. theres stagnation- a leadership change can make a serious change especially if its a younger man/woman. the policies already there will sound like new ideas that may appeal to younger voters. this is where sinn fein will make progress since the older crowd are blinkered sheep who just want things to go back to 2005

So, older voters are sheep... and young voters are so stupid they won't realise that new policies are actually old policies.

[lawnseed]

Funny when SF down by 4, SF folk try misdirection of talking about something thats as unimportant as party leader. The party leader wins one seat, we are not the USA.

i've been saying this for quite a while even when we were up in the polls. theres stagnation- a leadership change can make a serious change especially if its a younger man/woman. the policies already there will sound like new ideas that may appeal to younger voters. this is where sinn fein will make progress since the older crowd are blinkered sheep who just want things to go back to 2005

So, older voters are sheep... and young voters are so stupid they won't realise that new policies are actually old policies.

ffs they are all sheep.. its about trying to find out appeals to these particular sheep

[orangeman]

Sinn Fein calls for dissident republicans to end armed actionsSinn Fein vice president Mary Lou McDonald has told republican splinter groups to end their armed actions immediately.

Giving the address at the annual Easter commemoration in Belfast, Ms McDonald said Sinn Fein is open to dialogue with the dissidents.

She said armed conflict is in the past and had no place in the present.

Ms McDonald said such groups are acting out a travesty which too often turns to tragedy.

Speaking at Milltown cemetery, she also reiterated Sinn Fein's demand for a border poll, arguing that the campaign for such a referendum should threaten no-one, but demonstrates Sinn Fein's resolve to end partition peacefully.

[Tony Baloney]

Sinn Fein calls for dissident republicans to end armed actionsSinn Fein vice president Mary Lou McDonald has told republican splinter groups to end their armed actions immediately.

Giving the address at the annual Easter commemoration in Belfast, Ms McDonald said Sinn Fein is open to dialogue with the dissidents.

She said armed conflict is in the past and had no place in the present.

Ms McDonald said such groups are acting out a travesty which too often turns to tragedy.

Speaking at Milltown cemetery, she also reiterated Sinn Fein's demand for a border poll, arguing that the campaign for such a referendum should threaten no-one, but demonstrates Sinn Fein's resolve to end partition peacefully.

I am sure it isnt a mystery to SF who these chaps are. Sure just give them a bell.

[lawnseed]

Sinn Fein calls for dissident republicans to end armed actionsSinn Fein vice president Mary Lou McDonald has told republican splinter groups to end their armed actions immediately.

Giving the address at the annual Easter commemoration in Belfast, Ms McDonald said Sinn Fein is open to dialogue with the dissidents.

She said armed conflict is in the past and had no place in the present.

Ms McDonald said such groups are acting out a travesty which too often turns to tragedy.

Speaking at Milltown cemetery, she also reiterated Sinn Fein's demand for a border poll, arguing that the campaign for such a referendum should threaten no-one, but demonstrates Sinn Fein's resolve to end partition peacefully.

I am sure it isn't a mystery to SF who these chaps are. Sure just give them a bell.

I'd say they'd be a lot easier to talk to if the party were topping the polls and making political gains... again this stagnation IS a serious problem.

pearse doherty was on rte radio yesterday he sounds tired. i think the reemergence of fianna fail has knocked the shite out of the shinners. i don't think they saw it coming. i'm thinking of shakespear "there is a tide in the affairs of men which taken at the flood leads on to fortune" sinn fein have missed the tide

[muppet]

This won't be read as intended by the usual suspects but here goes.

Gerry Adams, in one of his more relevent tweets, mentioned how moved he was after meeting the Magdalene women. Fair enough. I'd say some of the stories they have would draw tears in any of us.

He then announced a vague call for ALL those who lost their lives FIGHTING for Ireland to be honoured, thereby irritating large sections of the voters in all parts of the Island. IMHO this behaviour is politically silly for a party trying to grow amid the chaos of the current economic crisis. The call for the honouring of the fighters appeals to his own supporters and very few others. They already support SF so politically what is the point? If he thought it would outflank FF the polls have given him his answer.

It would have been politically far smarter to call for something like the Magdalene Women to be honoured/immediately compensated or whatever and to keep banging that drum loudly. That would be something almost everyone would have bought into and would have given credence to his claim about being moved when he met them. Enda Kenny went from last place (among party leaders) to first on the Magdalene issue but in my opinion, Gerry missed a golden opportunity to be statesmanlike and keep ahead of Kenny, on an issue where there is a large consensus.

[glens abu]

I will let him know what it takes to get the muppets on board,I am sure he will pleased to get your advice.

[lawnseed]

This won't be read as intended by the usual suspects but here goes.

Gerry Adams, in one of his more relevent tweets, mentioned how moved he was after meeting the Magdalene women. Fair enough. I'd say some of the stories they have would draw tears in any of us.

He then announced a vague call for ALL those who lost their lives FIGHTING for Ireland to be honoured, thereby irritating large sections of the voters in all parts of the Island. IMHO this behaviour is politically silly for a party trying to grow amid the chaos of the current economic crisis. The call for the honouring of the fighters appeals to his own supporters and very few others. They already support SF so politically what is the point? If he thought it would outflank FF the polls have given him his answer.

It would have been politically far smarter to call for something like the Magdalene Women to be honoured/immediately compensated or whatever and to keep banging that drum loudly. That would be something almost everyone would have bought into and would have given credence to his claim about being moved when he met them. Enda Kenny went from last place (among party leaders) to first on the Magdalene issue but in my opinion, Gerry missed a golden opportunity to be statesmanlike and keep ahead of Kenny, on an issue where there is a large consensus.

yes you are 100% correct. gerry's intentions are honourable i believe, but hes coming across very badly. he needs a 'max clifford' or a reality check. he IS the weakest link. he needs to stop tweeting and start working. if he cant turn this around SOON (next 2 mths) he needs someone to tell him to quit. as for the party only pearse,tobin and mary lou and non former combatants and nobody over 50 should be allowed to be interviewed on rte unless its just reading a statement. also angus needs to fade away quitely.

[Nally Stand]

This won't be read as intended by the usual suspects but here goes.

Gerry Adams, in one of his more relevent tweets, mentioned how moved he was after meeting the Magdalene women. Fair enough. I'd say some of the stories they have would draw tears in any of us.

He then announced a vague call for ALL those who lost their lives FIGHTING for Ireland to be honoured, thereby irritating large sections of the voters in all parts of the Island. IMHO this behaviour is politically silly for a party trying to grow amid the chaos of the current economic crisis. The call for the honouring of the fighters appeals to his own supporters and very few others. They already support SF so politically what is the point? If he thought it would outflank FF the polls have given him his answer.

It would have been politically far smarter to call for something like the Magdalene Women to be honoured/immediately compensated or whatever and to keep banging that drum loudly. That would be something almost everyone would have bought into and would have given credence to his claim about being moved when he met them. Enda Kenny went from last place (among party leaders) to first on the Magdalene issue but in my opinion, Gerry missed a golden opportunity to be statesmanlike and keep ahead of Kenny, on an issue where there is a large consensus.

So he should forget about those that died for the freedom of Ireland? Ah I think there are enough revisionists and british apologists doing that already in Irish politics. He's probably just proud if men and women who died for us. An odd concept in certain parts, I realise.

[lawnseed]

This won't be read as intended by the usual suspects but here goes.

Gerry Adams, in one of his more relevent tweets, mentioned how moved he was after meeting the Magdalene women. Fair enough. I'd say some of the stories they have would draw tears in any of us.

He then announced a vague call for ALL those who lost their lives FIGHTING for Ireland to be honoured, thereby irritating large sections of the voters in all parts of the Island. IMHO this behaviour is politically silly for a party trying to grow amid the chaos of the current economic crisis. The call for the honouring of the fighters appeals to his own supporters and very few others. They already support SF so politically what is the point? If he thought it would outflank FF the polls have given him his answer.

It would have been politically far smarter to call for something like the Magdalene Women to be honoured/immediately compensated or whatever and to keep banging that drum loudly. That would be something almost everyone would have bought into and would have given credence to his claim about being moved when he met them. Enda Kenny went from last place (among party leaders) to first on the Magdalene issue but in my opinion, Gerry missed a golden opportunity to be statesmanlike and keep ahead of Kenny, on an issue where there is a large consensus.

So he should forget about those that died for the freedom of Ireland? Ah I think there are enough revisionists and british apologists doing that already in Irish politics. He's probably just proud if men and women who died for us. An odd concept in certain parts, I realise.

no one should forget nally. but we are trying to change the voting habits of people the vast majority of which have never been further into the north than the buttercrane in newry or never been north at all and who dont give a flying fuk about the struggle for freedom north of the border. what appeals to them is what jao duffy says or pat kenny says and right now they have nothing good to say about our party. infact they are more willing to put the boot in sinn fein than fainna fail who actually ruined the place.
  the problem is image plain and simple. the policies dont matter at all. you create the belief that shinners are "clean cut suit wearing go getters" like the conservatives did at the last election in the uk and the sheep will vote for you. the southern irish electorate are the north koreans of europe they have'nt a baldy notion about politics, they voted for young mcentee mostly out of pity thats how dumb they really are. if you dont believe me.. two words... healey raes