The Race for the ARAS.....

[GalwayBayBoy]

Gay Mitchell must the dullest man ever shat into Christendom. He has anti-charisma.

[Maguire01]

Gay Mitchell must the dullest man ever shat into Christendom. He has anti-charisma.

Grey Mitchell

[Hardy]

Wow! It's amazing how people can watch the same thing at the same time and take wildly differing conclusions from it. For what it's worth,here are my ratings:

1. Higgins (surprisingly - can't stand the man)
2. Gallagher (again surprisingly - had him at 8th out of 7 before the debate)
3. Mitchell (safe pair of hands)
4. Davis (there's a brain there and good instincts)
5. McGuinness (didn't wipe any floors with anybody but wasn't a floor wipe either)
6. Dana (she'd be a good candidate for nanny to the president's kids)
7. Norris (what an embarrassing performance - David Brent meets Kenneth Williams)

[Maguire01]

feck - dana the most impressive tonight!!!

tubridy a fecking disaster!

I have to say I agree!

But she was bluffing. What in the Constitution would prevent a law on breaking the seal of the confessional? If Tubridy had properly challenged her, she could have been caught out easily enough.

[ONeill]

Wow! It's amazing how people can watch the same thing at the same time and take wildly differing conclusions from it. For what it's worth,here are my ratings:

1. Higgins (surprisingly - can't stand the man)
2. Gallagher (again surprisingly - had him at 8th out of 7 before the debate)
3. Mitchell (safe pair of hands)
4. Davis (there's a brain there and good instincts)
5. McGuinness (didn't wipe any floors with anybody but wasn't a floor wipe either)
6. Dana (she'd be a good candidate for nanny to the president's kids)
7. Norris (what an embarrassing performance - David Brent meets Kenneth Williams)

Name your top 3 rides.

[laoislad]

What counties are left out in Mitchell's 22 county Ireland?

Longford,Carlow,Leitrim and Meath...?

[johnpower]

Wow! It's amazing how people can watch the same thing at the same time and take wildly differing conclusions from it. For what it's worth,here are my ratings:

1. Higgins (surprisingly - can't stand the man)
2. Gallagher (again surprisingly - had him at 8th out of 7 before the debate)
3. Mitchell (safe pair of hands)
4. Davis (there's a brain there and good instincts)
5. McGuinness (didn't wipe any floors with anybody but wasn't a floor wipe either)
6. Dana (she'd be a good candidate for nanny to the president's kids)
7. Norris (what an embarrassing performance - David Brent meets Kenneth Williams)

Have to agree with your scoring Hardy

[Hardy]

Wow! It's amazing how people can watch the same thing at the same time and take wildly differing conclusions from it. For what it's worth,here are my ratings:

1. Higgins (surprisingly - can't stand the man)
2. Gallagher (again surprisingly - had him at 8th out of 7 before the debate)
3. Mitchell (safe pair of hands)
4. Davis (there's a brain there and good instincts)
5. McGuinness (didn't wipe any floors with anybody but wasn't a floor wipe either)
6. Dana (she'd be a good candidate for nanny to the president's kids)
7. Norris (what an embarrassing performance - David Brent meets Kenneth Williams)

Name your top 3 rides.

Arkle
The swingin boats in Butlins
Jamie Lee Curtis

[ross matt]

Mitchell was the most impressive I thought followed by Michael D. Norris was a pantomine act. Dana completely floundered on the confessional issue and overall was a waffling granny. Gallagher was better than I expected but why is he running? the office of president cant allow him to effect the changes he's talking about. Mary Davis was strong but one dimensional. Despite getting an easy ride McGuinness was weak. His constant harping about his low wages was pathetic. If Mitchell steps up his campaign now he will walk it.

[mylestheslasher]

I thought they all came across well with the exception of davis, who is just clueless and Mitchell who reminds me of father stone. Agree gallagher did well but so did Norris. Dana was ok till the question on the secret in the confessional.  Mcguinness is solid but maybe a little dull too perhaps, although in terms of experience relevant for president I think he is the best. Will make for an interesting 4 weeks. Michael d is like-able and no one will throw dirt at him do he has to be favourite imo.

[Maguire01]

Difficult to rank them in order, but here's my opinions on them after tonight:

Higgins - steady, if unspectacular, but comes across as presidential - doesn't appear to be any 'dirt' on him either, so uncontroversial - the Irish is a nice touch too
Davis - good in the first section, but faltered in the 'debate' (not helped by Tubridy at the end)
Mitchell - bland, but no real clangers, would be uninspiring as a head of state, but probably uncontroversial too
Gallagher - still not sure he actually understands the role of the president and none of his ideas seem very tangible
McGuinness - terrible start with his comments on embarrassing people (i.e. not presidential), no real clangers thereafter, although Tubridy had an opportunity to really probe him on why he didn't attend the banquet for the Queen, but moved on
Norris - to loud and brash - not presidential material
Dana - seems totally unprepared to assume the role of president - hesitant even when directly asked if she wanted to be President

I thought that 7 people was a lot to try and manage in that set-up - candidates seemed to disappear for 10-15 minutes at times. I would also like to have seen a bit more debate between the candidates (such as Dana being tested on her Constitution claims).

[ross matt]

Difficult to rank them in order, but here's my opinions on them after tonight:

Higgins - steady, if unspectacular, but comes across as presidential - doesn't appear to be any 'dirt' on him either, so uncontroversial - the Irish is a nice touch too
Davis - good in the first section, but faltered in the 'debate' (not helped by Tubridy at the end)
Mitchell - bland, but no real clangers, would be uninspiring as a head of state, but probably uncontroversial too
Gallagher - still not sure he actually understands the role of the president and none of his ideas seem very tangible
McGuinness - terrible start with his comments on embarrassing people (i.e. not presidential), no real clangers thereafter, although Tubridy had an opportunity to really probe him on why he didn't attend the banquet for the Queen, but moved on
Norris - to loud and brash - not presidential material
Dana - seems totally unprepared to assume the role of president - hesitant even when directly asked if she wanted to be President

I thought that 7 people was a lot to try and manage in that set-up - candidates seemed to disappear for 10-15 minutes at times. I would also like to have seen a bit more debate between the candidates (such as Dana being tested on her Constitution claims).

Agreed Maguire. It wasnt really a debate at all. The format was too restrictive and stilted. Tubridy was schoolmasterish also. The entire event was a bit of a damp squib.

[ONeill]

People will rate their performance with criteria applicable to their interests or prejudices.

Personally, they were all average, with Davis substandardly embarrassing.

[Ulick]

I thought Norris was a disaster in that he avoided every question and tried to make up for it with empty rhetorical oratory (Irish people aren't that stupid to fall for it). Gallagher might have hit a few buzz words for the Celtic Tiger generation but when pushed for detail he hadn't a notion of what to do or say - that boys going nowhere thank God, FF bluffer anyhow. Davis for me bombed out completely. Tubs could have given her the coup de grâce by either asking her how many quangos she was on or how much she was paid for the 4 Council of State meetings in 7 years she attended, but she was already gone at that stage. Michael D started off very strongly - almost sounded like Gerry Adams from his Louth campaign - talk of new Republic, citizens rights etc... but went a little downhill in the later part of the show when he started rambling about his 'cultural' achievements. Nice lad, definitely in the race for the right reasons, old school Irishman, feck, he even speaks like my favourite uncle, but... just a little bit too twee...
McGuinness handled everything with competency, experienced, didn't mention Mandela or say "in the round". Looked  the part, though was lucky he didn't get the religious questions directed to Dana. Which brings me to the star performer of the night - Dana. Love her or hate her, she was the one who would have gotten most from this evening. She wasn't the best performer, coming behind Michael D and McGuinness, but her honesty and integrity shown through by the end. OK, she came across as very naive, but personally I've rather have someone with honesty and belief in their convictions, even if I disagree, rather than some gimp who tries to be everything to everyone. I think there was someone else on the panel, but not sure, so my run-down would be:

Michael Higgins, Martin McGuinness (Joint 1st)
Dana (3rd)
Norris (4th)
Gallagher (5th)
Davis (6th)

[mayogodhelpus@gmail.com]

I thought Norris was a disaster in that he avoided every question and tried to make up for it with empty rhetorical oratory (Irish people aren't that stupid to fall for it). Gallagher might have hit a few buzz words for the Celtic Tiger generation but when pushed for detail he hadn't a notion of what to do or say - that boys going nowhere thank God, FF bluffer anyhow. Davis for me bombed out completely. Tubs could have given her the coup de grâce by either asking her how many quangos she was on or how much she was paid for the 4 Council of State meetings in 7 years she attended, but she was already gone at that stage. Michael D started off very strongly - almost sounded like Gerry Adams from his Louth campaign - talk of new Republic, citizens rights etc... but went a little downhill in the later part of the show when he started rambling about his 'cultural' achievements. Nice lad, definitely in the race for the right reasons, old school Irishman, feck, he even speaks like my favourite uncle, but... just a little bit too twee...
McGuinness handled everything with competency, experienced, didn't mention Mandela or say "in the round". Looked  the part, though was lucky he didn't get the religious questions directed to Dana. Which brings me to the star performer of the night - Dana. Love her or hate her, she was the one who would have gotten most from this evening. She wasn't the best performer, coming behind Michael D and McGuinness, but her honesty and integrity shown through by the end. OK, she came across as very naive, but personally I've rather have someone with honesty and belief in their convictions, even if I disagree, rather than some gimp who tries to be everything to everyone. I think there was someone else on the panel, but not sure, so my run-down would be:

Michael Higgins, Martin McGuinness (Joint 1st)
Dana (3rd)
Norris (4th)
Gallagher (5th)
Davis (6th)

No Mitchell!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Move on!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You lot are still stuck in the Civil War, build bridges  , my Mayo Hole.

Full of Shite Shinners.