Race for the ARAS 2025

[Snapchap]

Prediction

Something is going to come out about CC which will scuttle her candidacy and she'll have to abandon her bid

Plenty has come already about her. She'll brazen it all out.

Given the history of FFG, I'd wager that if something was to come out about one of the candidates, it wouldn't be Connolly.

I doubt anything could come out much worse for Connolly than her endorsement of Gemma O'Doherty for President. She's likely vanilla now. 

Soft on Putin and Assad, hiring an Éirigí criminal, refusing to applaud Zelensky, Gemma, Moscow Mick Wallace, Kremlin Clare Daly...

I see a list of things you don't agree with her about. I don't see anything corrupt.
P.s. She did clap Zelensky.

She's not above a bit of good old Irish nepotism though is she.

Gifting a council seat to her sister after she'd been recently rejected by the electorate. Tsk tsk.

So she's partial to a spot of nepotism, while Heather is someone who wanted to put disabled people through humiliating examinations to test thier suiability for work and who failed to seek planning permission on two buldings and told journalists who asked her about if to "f**k off and leave me alone". It's a toughie.

Once doesn't cancel the other out.

If HH had pulled the council seat stunt, you'd be shouting all about it. But if Saint Catherine does it, it's not really a big deal. Sure.

This type of thing is rife, in Ireland and in Northern Ireland

Indeed, one doesn't cancel the other out. I don't approve of nepotism from any quarter, but I'd still suggest co-opting a family member isn't as objectionable as humiliating the disabled, but that's just me.

[marty34]

Prediction

Something is going to come out about CC which will scuttle her candidacy and she'll have to abandon her bid

Plenty has come already about her. She'll brazen it all out.

Given the history of FFG, I'd wager that if something was to come out about one of the candidates, it wouldn't be Connolly.

I doubt anything could come out much worse for Connolly than her endorsement of Gemma O'Doherty for President. She's likely vanilla now. 

Soft on Putin and Assad, hiring an Éirigí criminal, refusing to applaud Zelensky, Gemma, Moscow Mick Wallace, Kremlin Clare Daly...

I see a list of things you don't agree with her about. I don't see anything corrupt.
P.s. She did clap Zelensky.

She's not above a bit of good old Irish nepotism though is she.

Gifting a council seat to her sister after she'd been recently rejected by the electorate. Tsk tsk.

So she's partial to a spot of nepotism, while Heather is someone who wanted to put disabled people through humiliating examinations to test thier suiability for work and who failed to seek planning permission on two buldings and told journalists who asked her about if to "f**k off and leave me alone". It's a toughie.

Once doesn't cancel the other out.

If HH had pulled the council seat stunt, you'd be shouting all about it. But if Saint Catherine does it, it's not really a big deal. Sure.

This type of thing is rife, in Ireland and in Northern Ireland

WTF? What a partitionist!

Just say Ireland.

[Banks of the Bann]

Prediction

Something is going to come out about CC which will scuttle her candidacy and she'll have to abandon her bid

Plenty has come already about her. She'll brazen it all out.

Given the history of FFG, I'd wager that if something was to come out about one of the candidates, it wouldn't be Connolly.

I doubt anything could come out much worse for Connolly than her endorsement of Gemma O'Doherty for President. She's likely vanilla now. 

Soft on Putin and Assad, hiring an Éirigí criminal, refusing to applaud Zelensky, Gemma, Moscow Mick Wallace, Kremlin Clare Daly...

I see a list of things you don't agree with her about. I don't see anything corrupt.
P.s. She did clap Zelensky.

She's not above a bit of good old Irish nepotism though is she.

Gifting a council seat to her sister after she'd been recently rejected by the electorate. Tsk tsk.

So she's partial to a spot of nepotism, while Heather is someone who wanted to put disabled people through humiliating examinations to test thier suiability for work and who failed to seek planning permission on two buldings and told journalists who asked her about if to "f**k off and leave me alone". It's a toughie.

Once doesn't cancel the other out.

If HH had pulled the council seat stunt, you'd be shouting all about it. But if Saint Catherine does it, it's not really a big deal. Sure.

This type of thing is rife, in Ireland and in Northern Ireland

WTF? What a partitionist!

Just say Ireland.

That's just a wee private joke between myself and SnapChap.

[Banks of the Bann]

Prediction

Something is going to come out about CC which will scuttle her candidacy and she'll have to abandon her bid

Plenty has come already about her. She'll brazen it all out.

Given the history of FFG, I'd wager that if something was to come out about one of the candidates, it wouldn't be Connolly.

I doubt anything could come out much worse for Connolly than her endorsement of Gemma O'Doherty for President. She's likely vanilla now. 

Soft on Putin and Assad, hiring an Éirigí criminal, refusing to applaud Zelensky, Gemma, Moscow Mick Wallace, Kremlin Clare Daly...

I see a list of things you don't agree with her about. I don't see anything corrupt.
P.s. She did clap Zelensky.

She's not above a bit of good old Irish nepotism though is she.

Gifting a council seat to her sister after she'd been recently rejected by the electorate. Tsk tsk.

So she's partial to a spot of nepotism, while Heather is someone who wanted to put disabled people through humiliating examinations to test thier suiability for work and who failed to seek planning permission on two buldings and told journalists who asked her about if to "f**k off and leave me alone". It's a toughie.

Once doesn't cancel the other out.

If HH had pulled the council seat stunt, you'd be shouting all about it. But if Saint Catherine does it, it's not really a big deal. Sure.

This type of thing is rife, in Ireland and in Northern Ireland

Indeed, one doesn't cancel the other out. I don't approve of nepotism from any quarter, but I'd still suggest co-opting a family member isn't as objectionable as humiliating the disabled, but that's just me.

Your natural reaction to CC's nepotism is 'whatabout ...'.

Total deflection.

Now it's nepotism 'from any quarter'. You can't even bring yourself to say 'Catherine Connolly's nepotism'.

You should start a cult. Buy some robes.

[DaleCooper]

What is best term for the new President?

Her Holiness
Her Highness
Hulk Hogan

Or?

[Snapchap]

Prediction

Something is going to come out about CC which will scuttle her candidacy and she'll have to abandon her bid

Plenty has come already about her. She'll brazen it all out.

Given the history of FFG, I'd wager that if something was to come out about one of the candidates, it wouldn't be Connolly.

I doubt anything could come out much worse for Connolly than her endorsement of Gemma O'Doherty for President. She's likely vanilla now. 

Soft on Putin and Assad, hiring an Éirigí criminal, refusing to applaud Zelensky, Gemma, Moscow Mick Wallace, Kremlin Clare Daly...

I see a list of things you don't agree with her about. I don't see anything corrupt.
P.s. She did clap Zelensky.

She's not above a bit of good old Irish nepotism though is she.

Gifting a council seat to her sister after she'd been recently rejected by the electorate. Tsk tsk.

So she's partial to a spot of nepotism, while Heather is someone who wanted to put disabled people through humiliating examinations to test thier suiability for work and who failed to seek planning permission on two buldings and told journalists who asked her about if to "f**k off and leave me alone". It's a toughie.

Once doesn't cancel the other out.

If HH had pulled the council seat stunt, you'd be shouting all about it. But if Saint Catherine does it, it's not really a big deal. Sure.

This type of thing is rife, in Ireland and in Northern Ireland

Indeed, one doesn't cancel the other out. I don't approve of nepotism from any quarter, but I'd still suggest co-opting a family member isn't as objectionable as humiliating the disabled, but that's just me.

Your natural reaction to CC's nepotism is 'whatabout ...'.

Total deflection.

Now it's nepotism 'from any quarter'. You can't even bring yourself to say 'Catherine Connolly's nepotism'.

You should start a cult. Buy some robes.

Whilst your reaction to me poiting out that she did in fact clap Zelensky when it was claimed by another poster that she didn't, was to randomly mention nepotsim surrounding her council seat. Whataboutery you say?

[Truthsayer]

Prediction

Something is going to come out about CC which will scuttle her candidacy and she'll have to abandon her bid

Plenty has come already about her. She'll brazen it all out.

Given the history of FFG, I'd wager that if something was to come out about one of the candidates, it wouldn't be Connolly.

I doubt anything could come out much worse for Connolly than her endorsement of Gemma O'Doherty for President. She's likely vanilla now. 

Soft on Putin and Assad, hiring an Éirigí criminal, refusing to applaud Zelensky, Gemma, Moscow Mick Wallace, Kremlin Clare Daly...

I see a list of things you don't agree with her about. I don't see anything corrupt.
P.s. She did clap Zelensky.

She's not above a bit of good old Irish nepotism though is she.

Gifting a council seat to her sister after she'd been recently rejected by the electorate. Tsk tsk.

So she's partial to a spot of nepotism, while Heather is someone who wanted to put disabled people through humiliating examinations to test thier suiability for work and who failed to seek planning permission on two buldings and told journalists who asked her about if to "f**k off and leave me alone". It's a toughie.

Once doesn't cancel the other out.

If HH had pulled the council seat stunt, you'd be shouting all about it. But if Saint Catherine does it, it's not really a big deal. Sure.

This type of thing is rife, in Ireland and in Northern Ireland

Indeed, one doesn't cancel the other out. I don't approve of nepotism from any quarter, but I'd still suggest co-opting a family member isn't as objectionable as humiliating the disabled, but that's just me.

Your natural reaction to CC's nepotism is 'whatabout ...'.

Total deflection.

Now it's nepotism 'from any quarter'. You can't even bring yourself to say 'Catherine Connolly's nepotism'.

You should start a cult. Buy some robes.

Am I missing something? Are you not entitled to co-opt who you wish?..

"She was elected to the Dáil for the Galway West constituency at the 2016 general election. Her sister, Colette Connolly, who had lost her seat as a Labour councillor in 2014, was co-opted as an independent to replace Catherine on Galway City Council."

Going to have to dig deeper than that to dish the dirt..

Whereas Gavin ripped off a tenant and obviously had no notion of paying him back.

[seafoid]

No dirt on either candidate so far. Nothing to turn into a media frenzy. I see the pack has moved on to the budget.

[Truthsayer]

No dirt on either candidate so far. Nothing to turn into a media frenzy. I see the pack has moved on to the budget.

Could be holding off to week before election with a big scandal to have most impact...

[seafoid]

https://www.irishtimes.com/politics/2025/10/07/what-does-jim-gavins-withdrawal-mean-for-this-presidential-race-and-future-ones/


This is good news for Catherine Connolly," said Eoin O'Malley, associate professor in political science at Dublin City University, of the Independent TD and left-wing candidate, one of only two now running for the Áras.It is likely to further suppress the vote on the Government side. More Fianna Fáil people are likely to stay at home, there will be fewer votes going around – and [that will] ultimately make it harder for Heather Humphreys to win."

Aidan Regan, professor of political economy at University College Dublin, agreed that Connolly has been boosted by Gavin's decision. He said the Fianna Fáil vote could easily splinter in a number of ways.

Looking at the core of the Fianna Fáil base, some may get out to vote for Heather Humphreys – but some might choose to go with who they see as the more republican candidate [Connolly], some will stay at home and some will spoil their vote. So yes, I think it does benefit Catherine Connolly.

"It now becomes the establishment against the anti-establishment," said Gary Murphy, professor of politics at DCU. "The focus will become even more intense on both of them".

[Baile Brigín 2]

Prediction

Something is going to come out about CC which will scuttle her candidacy and she'll have to abandon her bid

Plenty has come already about her. She'll brazen it all out.

Given the history of FFG, I'd wager that if something was to come out about one of the candidates, it wouldn't be Connolly.

I doubt anything could come out much worse for Connolly than her endorsement of Gemma O'Doherty for President. She's likely vanilla now. 

Soft on Putin and Assad, hiring an Éirigí criminal, refusing to applaud Zelensky, Gemma, Moscow Mick Wallace, Kremlin Clare Daly...

I see a list of things you don't agree with her about. I don't see anything corrupt.
P.s. She did clap Zelensky.

She's not above a bit of good old Irish nepotism though is she.

Gifting a council seat to her sister after she'd been recently rejected by the electorate. Tsk tsk.

So she's partial to a spot of nepotism, while Heather is someone who wanted to put disabled people through humiliating examinations to test thier suiability for work and who failed to seek planning permission on two buldings and told journalists who asked her about if to "f**k off and leave me alone". It's a toughie.

Once doesn't cancel the other out.

If HH had pulled the council seat stunt, you'd be shouting all about it. But if Saint Catherine does it, it's not really a big deal. Sure.

This type of thing is rife, in Ireland and in Northern Ireland

She was an independent. Nothing unusual about handing the seat to family member. Which is why this isn't a thing.

[Blowitupref]

To be honest I think Jim threw the towel in very easily. If he'd apologised, repaid the debt and gave the same amount again to a housing charity would anyone be talking about it in a weeks time? The news cycle moves fast and we aren't talking about a huge amount of money either.

I think he did also, let's say if Bertie was the FF candidate and all the dirt the media could drag up on him but unlike Gavin he could use his charisma to carry him on until election time.

[Snapchap]

So now it transpires that Fianna Fáil/Micheal Martin were lying when they took to the airwaves yesterday to say they weren't didn't know about the Jim Gavin rental issue before they selected him.

The Indo contacted them about it on September 8th. The party selected him the next day.

[Main Street]

To be honest I think Jim threw the towel in very easily. If he'd apologised, repaid the debt and gave the same amount again to a housing charity would anyone be talking about it in a weeks time? The news cycle moves fast and we aren't talking about a huge amount of money either.

I think he did also, let's say if Bertie was the FF candidate and all the dirt the media could drag up on him but unlike Gavin he could use his charisma to carry him on until election time.

Bertie is/was a seasoned politician who could speak outrageous lies with the gift of the gab and the innocent smile of Saint Anthony on his face.
That Jim Gavin is not in any shape or form such a politician should not be held against his character and in any event his nomination and subsequent campaign was very poorly orchestrated by FF, ending in a total shambles of FF's creation

[Baile Brigín 2]

So now it transpires that Fianna Fáil/Micheal Martin were lying when they took to the airwaves yesterday to say they weren't didn't know about the Jim Gavin rental issue before they selected him.

The Indo contacted them about it on September 8th. The party selected him the next day.

Interesting. The initial FF blurb was how they took him at face value when he said he was clean and there was an error in not vetting him properly. This raises more questions then it answers