The Race for the ARAS.....

[sheamy]

This was the page on which Gay Mitchel made a speech outlining his vision of the future. It included a dual monarchy idea in which the British queen/king would play a joint role in Ireland along with the president.

http://www.finegael.ie/fine-gael-%3Cbr%20/%3Enews.cfm/NewsID/28982/action/detail/year/2006/month/8/level/page/aid/186/

Not sure why it was taken down   

[Nally Stand]

Funny how lads are getting upset at McGuinness having the cheek to appear in the six counties where people can't vote. He will not win the election. Sinn Féin are building and that is the height of it. Martin McGuinness is not a 26 County man. The way I see it, the only people who would be upset at him appearing in Omagh are the type of people who would have no intention of voting for him anyway (whether they would be honest from the start and say so or not).

As a proud Irish Republican who sees partition as a curse, I am delighted that a politician not only believes I should have a vote in this election, but appears in my county even though we don't yet have that vote. I'd imagine Gay wouldn't get much of a reception in Tyrone. When voting rights are extended, as they will be I'm sure, people will remember who stood with them when FG etc are putting up their posters in the six counties.

[Hardy]

Who's getting upset?

And since you believe partition is a curse, to want a vote in an accursed jursidiction seems perverse.

[Tubberman]

Funny how lads are getting upset at McGuinness having the cheek to appear in the six counties where people can't vote. He will not win the election. Sinn Féin are building and that is the height of it. Martin McGuinness is not a 26 County man. The way I see it, the only people who would be upset at him appearing in Omagh are the type of people who would have no intention of voting for him anyway (whether they would be honest from the start and say so or not).

As a proud Irish Republican who sees partition as a curse, I am delighted that a politician not only believes I should have a vote in this election, but appears in my county even though we don't yet have that vote. I'd imagine Gay wouldn't get much of a reception in Tyrone. When voting rights are extended, as they will be I'm sure, people will remember who stood with them when FG etc are putting up their posters in the six counties.

Nobody is getting upset. It wasn't anyone from the 26-counties who brought it up.
To be honest, I doubt most people from the south are in the slightest bit aware (or interested) that he was giving a talk in Omagh....

[Hardy]

Don't worry. Nally is already working on the next three Stop Press bulletins: "Marty home at 6:15 and looking forward to Corrie"; "Marty turns in early"; "Weetabix and toast on Marty's breakfast menu".

[Billys Boots]

I had him as the most able and certainly the brightest of the 7. Mitchell and Higgins are both very experienced but Mitchell has blown his chance completely. McGuinness' 'West Brit' comment was not smart but he could have gotten over that if he stuck to a simple message.

I honestly don't believe he is trying to win. This is why he has gone down in my estimation. If he was trying to win he would be canvassing registered voters every hour of every day, not potential future voters or supporters that have no vote. Now matter how you view the world now he is fighting an election on defined terms, internationally accepted, with legal voters and he seems to be ignoring that. He is playing a game with the election and that is extremely disrespectful to the office. That will turn away votes that he could have won and could have got him into the serious running.

If he is against the position on ideological terms fine. But he shouldn't have run then.

In the long run I think Higgins will win, but this election will be pointed to as a landmark in Irish politics. I think SF was testing the water and filling the vacuum left by Martin. SF is trying offer a new home to FFers and will then  target Labour/DLA etc between now and the next general election. FG can weather Mitchell losing and won't be too upset if SF wipe out FF. The biggest two parties after the next GE (which is all that really matters to political parties) could be FG and SF. Ironically Labour could win this but lose in the long run.

Excellent post muppet.  I don't agree he is the most able of the 7 but otherwise the SF tactics seem exactly as you've put them. Looking at Marty's election brochure here and mention of the "South" and the fact that it mentions 26 counties and Six counties etc st will alienate the middle of the road undecided voter - not the natural constituency I know. Also speaking with someone who was out canvassing last night and the only candidates that didn't get a negative reaction on the doorsteps were Michael D and Gallagher

That's how I'd see it too.

Yup, in a nutshell.

[Nally Stand]

Don't worry. Nally is already working on the next three Stop Press bulletins: "Marty home at 6:15 and looking forward to Corrie"; "Marty turns in early"; "Weetabix and toast on Marty's breakfast menu".

5:04pm - Hardy makes another useful contbribution

[Hardy]

5:14 p.m. - Nally makes a post without mentioning Martin McGuinness.

[Bingo]

The campaign seems to be going off rails altogether, very little about what they would take to the role or why they should be elected. Majority of it seems to be spent throwing muck, defending themselves from muck thrown at them, talking about who they met, talking about how much or how little they'd get paid etc etc

Norris was on the radio today defending that he drinks too much, but he actually sounded half cut to me 

[Tubberman]

Norris was on the radio today defending that he drinks too much, but he actually sounded half cut to me 

I thought the very same thing! "Do IIIIIIIIIII sound drraaaaaaaaank!?"

[laoislad]

Norris was on the radio today defending that he drinks too much, but he actually sounded half cut to me 

I thought the very same thing! "Do IIIIIIIIIII sound drraaaaaaaaank!?"

Same here! it was very funny.

[glens abu]

When I heard politicians say they felt humbled, I used  want to kick them. Since last night, I'm scrapping that one. No more did-he-say-'humbled'?/swift boot in bum. Changed man.


My conversion came as I emceed a meeting in Omagh,  addressed by Martin McGuinness and a range of other people.  It was a splendid evening except for one thing: the place was crammed. Four hundred in the Strule Arts Centre, another couple of hundred in the foyer. People were pressed so tight afterwards, it was a near-occasion of sin to move towards the exit.


Reason for conversion?Among the speakers were Charlotte Caldwell, Caroline McKinney and Caroline's daughter Niamh ( on the extreme left in the photograph). Their stories would have moved a statue.


(i) Charlotte's son Billy lives with severe epilepsy: with his life at risk,  his mother refused to take No for an answer. All other doors slammed in her face, she appealed to McGuinness to help save the child's life.  The DFM responded, the boy made huge progress, and a grateful mother made McGuinness a gift presentation. (ii) Caroline and Niamh McKinney were caught in the Omagh bomb in 1998. Niamh was a baby in her buggy at the time and both suffered terrible wounds.  You try being a smart-ass MC after you've heard their stories - humbled doesn't begin to describe it. Tears were in definite need of push-back.


A couple of hours earlier as I drove down the MI towards my old home town  I had the radio on RTÉ  and Mary McAleese was speaking and other people were speaking about her.  It was a news programme but it wasn't today:  it was clips from 1997, when McAleese first ran for office. She was saying she'd make bridge-building the distinguishing feature of her time in office, and the media know-alls were predicting disaster – this woman is linked with Sinn Féin, this woman is a tribal timebomb, vote for Donald Duck before you vote for this woman. Leaks and lies and smears coming thicker and faster than fertilizer off the back of a lorry.  I nearly crashed the car, the resemblance to today was so uncanny.


Of course they can't call McGuinness close to Sinn Féin, because well um he IS Sinn Féin, so instead big eejits like Phil Hogan announce that McGuinness would be a terrorist in the Aras and bad for business. Knock-knock on the old cranium, Phil – anybody home? If you're going to deal in facts and not fantasy you'll know that (i) McGuinness was a central figure in turning the republican movement to peaceful politics and keeping it there; (ii) McGuinness is recently back from the US with an assurance of jobs for the north; and (iii) the IRA ceasefire was announced in 1994 – One, Nine Nine, Four. Jeez, Phil, that's near to TWENTY YEARS ago.  Those little blue pills can't be doing you good, stop taking them, Phil, OK?


The Strule Arts Centre where the event was held is a sight to see. A dinky little foot-bridge across the river, leading straight to the entrance, and on a late late summer evening like yesterday's, magic danced in the air and on the water.  If it hadn't been done already I'd have written a song and called it 'The Town I Love So Well'.


PS: You're probably thinking "Cheesh – that Collins - takes classy photographs that include himself, is there no end to the man's talents?"  Yes, yes, keep talking, I've stopped being humble now. Only the truth is,  I didn't take the picture above. This one was taken by Jude  Browne of the Ulster Herald, a local paper my father got every Thursday of his life, and my thanks to Jude and the Herald for letting me use it. And btw, a smart christening move there, Mrs Browne.


PPS. The man on my  right in the pic ( no, NOT McGuinness) is Danny Donnelly, who once a long long time ago got fed up with bed and board in HMP Crumlin  and lepped over the wall, never to return. As if that wasn't enough, he served a few years earlier in the same Omagh unit as myself:  altar boys In the Sacred Heart church. Ah, memories.






Posted by Jude Collins at 4:06:00 PM

[sans pessimism]

When I heard politicians say they felt humbled, I used  want to kick them. Since last night, I'm scrapping that one. No more did-he-say-'humbled'?/swift boot in bum. Changed man.


My conversion came as I emceed a meeting in Omagh,  addressed by Martin McGuinness and a range of other people.  It was a splendid evening except for one thing: the place was crammed. Four hundred in the Strule Arts Centre, another couple of hundred in the foyer. People were pressed so tight afterwards, it was a near-occasion of sin to move towards the exit.


Reason for conversion?Among the speakers were Charlotte Caldwell, Caroline McKinney and Caroline's daughter Niamh ( on the extreme left in the photograph). Their stories would have moved a statue.


(i) Charlotte's son Billy lives with severe epilepsy: with his life at risk,  his mother refused to take No for an answer. All other doors slammed in her face, she appealed to McGuinness to help save the child's life.  The DFM responded, the boy made huge progress, and a grateful mother made McGuinness a gift presentation. (ii) Caroline and Niamh McKinney were caught in the Omagh bomb in 1998. Niamh was a baby in her buggy at the time and both suffered terrible wounds.  You try being a smart-ass MC after you've heard their stories - humbled doesn't begin to describe it. Tears were in definite need of push-back.


A couple of hours earlier as I drove down the MI towards my old home town  I had the radio on RTÉ  and Mary McAleese was speaking and other people were speaking about her.  It was a news programme but it wasn't today:  it was clips from 1997, when McAleese first ran for office. She was saying she'd make bridge-building the distinguishing feature of her time in office, and the media know-alls were predicting disaster – this woman is linked with Sinn Féin, this woman is a tribal timebomb, vote for Donald Duck before you vote for this woman. Leaks and lies and smears coming thicker and faster than fertilizer off the back of a lorry.  I nearly crashed the car, the resemblance to today was so uncanny.


Of course they can't call McGuinness close to Sinn Féin, because well um he IS Sinn Féin, so instead big eejits like Phil Hogan announce that McGuinness would be a terrorist in the Aras and bad for business. Knock-knock on the old cranium, Phil – anybody home? If you're going to deal in facts and not fantasy you'll know that (i) McGuinness was a central figure in turning the republican movement to peaceful politics and keeping it there; (ii) McGuinness is recently back from the US with an assurance of jobs for the north; and (iii) the IRA ceasefire was announced in 1994 – One, Nine Nine, Four. Jeez, Phil, that's near to TWENTY YEARS ago.  Those little blue pills can't be doing you good, stop taking them, Phil, OK?


The Strule Arts Centre where the event was held is a sight to see. A dinky little foot-bridge across the river, leading straight to the entrance, and on a late late summer evening like yesterday's, magic danced in the air and on the water.  If it hadn't been done already I'd have written a song and called it 'The Town I Love So Well'.


PS: You're probably thinking "Cheesh – that Collins - takes classy photographs that include himself, is there no end to the man's talents?"  Yes, yes, keep talking, I've stopped being humble now. Only the truth is,  I didn't take the picture above. This one was taken by Jude  Browne of the Ulster Herald, a local paper my father got every Thursday of his life, and my thanks to Jude and the Herald for letting me use it. And btw, a smart christening move there, Mrs Browne.


PPS. The man on my  right in the pic ( no, NOT McGuinness) is Danny Donnelly, who once a long long time ago got fed up with bed and board in HMP Crumlin  and lepped over the wall, never to return. As if that wasn't enough, he served a few years earlier in the same Omagh unit as myself:  altar boys In the Sacred Heart church. Ah, memories.






Posted by Jude Collins at 4:06:00 PM

this election is for the SOUTH

[Ulick]

Sorry in case you missed it, the election is for President of Ireland, not President of "the SOUTH", President of the Republic, President of the Free State, President of the 22 counties, President of Ireland.

[glens abu]

When I heard politicians say they felt humbled, I used  want to kick them. Since last night, I'm scrapping that one. No more did-he-say-'humbled'?/swift boot in bum. Changed man.


My conversion came as I emceed a meeting in Omagh,  addressed by Martin McGuinness and a range of other people.  It was a splendid evening except for one thing: the place was crammed. Four hundred in the Strule Arts Centre, another couple of hundred in the foyer. People were pressed so tight afterwards, it was a near-occasion of sin to move towards the exit.


Reason for conversion?Among the speakers were Charlotte Caldwell, Caroline McKinney and Caroline's daughter Niamh ( on the extreme left in the photograph). Their stories would have moved a statue.


(i) Charlotte's son Billy lives with severe epilepsy: with his life at risk,  his mother refused to take No for an answer. All other doors slammed in her face, she appealed to McGuinness to help save the child's life.  The DFM responded, the boy made huge progress, and a grateful mother made McGuinness a gift presentation. (ii) Caroline and Niamh McKinney were caught in the Omagh bomb in 1998. Niamh was a baby in her buggy at the time and both suffered terrible wounds.  You try being a smart-ass MC after you've heard their stories - humbled doesn't begin to describe it. Tears were in definite need of push-back.


A couple of hours earlier as I drove down the MI towards my old home town  I had the radio on RTÉ  and Mary McAleese was speaking and other people were speaking about her.  It was a news programme but it wasn't today:  it was clips from 1997, when McAleese first ran for office. She was saying she'd make bridge-building the distinguishing feature of her time in office, and the media know-alls were predicting disaster – this woman is linked with Sinn Féin, this woman is a tribal timebomb, vote for Donald Duck before you vote for this woman. Leaks and lies and smears coming thicker and faster than fertilizer off the back of a lorry.  I nearly crashed the car, the resemblance to today was so uncanny.


Of course they can't call McGuinness close to Sinn Féin, because well um he IS Sinn Féin, so instead big eejits like Phil Hogan announce that McGuinness would be a terrorist in the Aras and bad for business. Knock-knock on the old cranium, Phil – anybody home? If you're going to deal in facts and not fantasy you'll know that (i) McGuinness was a central figure in turning the republican movement to peaceful politics and keeping it there; (ii) McGuinness is recently back from the US with an assurance of jobs for the north; and (iii) the IRA ceasefire was announced in 1994 – One, Nine Nine, Four. Jeez, Phil, that's near to TWENTY YEARS ago.  Those little blue pills can't be doing you good, stop taking them, Phil, OK?


The Strule Arts Centre where the event was held is a sight to see. A dinky little foot-bridge across the river, leading straight to the entrance, and on a late late summer evening like yesterday's, magic danced in the air and on the water.  If it hadn't been done already I'd have written a song and called it 'The Town I Love So Well'.


PS: You're probably thinking "Cheesh – that Collins - takes classy photographs that include himself, is there no end to the man's talents?"  Yes, yes, keep talking, I've stopped being humble now. Only the truth is,  I didn't take the picture above. This one was taken by Jude  Browne of the Ulster Herald, a local paper my father got every Thursday of his life, and my thanks to Jude and the Herald for letting me use it. And btw, a smart christening move there, Mrs Browne.


PPS. The man on my  right in the pic ( no, NOT McGuinness) is Danny Donnelly, who once a long long time ago got fed up with bed and board in HMP Crumlin  and lepped over the wall, never to return. As if that wasn't enough, he served a few years earlier in the same Omagh unit as myself:  altar boys In the Sacred Heart church. Ah, memories.






Posted by Jude Collins at 4:06:00 PM

this election is for the SOUTH

Read his posters "the peoples President"ie a President for all the people of Ireland just like President McAleese.