Race for the ARAS 2025

[Armagh18]

I seen Fintan O'Toole - and i read no further. And I'd say I'm all the better for it.

Me too- glad I saw the name at the start.

Probably a bit long for you to read as well in fairness.

.

Didn't even have pictures or anything!

[PadraicHenryPearse]

Merz invited a wanted war criminal to Germany. There is a growing far right AFD, they support the Israeli genocide of Palestinians, second only to the US is weapons support for Israeli. After a temp pause, they restarted arming the genocide, don't support the European governments calling for action against Irsael.   

they have cracked down on protests and freedoms, violating attacking protesters only allowing german/english at protests, banned kneecap concerts and recently assault an Irish women protesting.

Von der genocide and barebock (bombing hospitals is ok) are leading Germans in the EU and UN..

no echos of 1930s, they came for someone first

[Banks of the Bann]

Germany's record on Gaza is appalling.

Their increase in defence spending is due to the threat from Russia.

The AfD is pro-Russian, no surprise there.

Connolly's comparison to 1930s Germany is still ridiculous.

[PadraicHenryPearse]

Ok, so let's ignore the comparsions with 1930s, growing far right and curtailing freedoms etc. throw in potential economic conditions changing due to taeiff, let's ignore Gaza as usual as it doesn't suit you, maybe if the Russians were arming Israel you'd and dogshite would give a shit.

never again! and the germans are arming a genocide... they need a big mirror held up to them!!! maybe remind them of what they did in Namibia too...

[Armagh18]

Ok, so let's ignore the comparsions with 1930s, growing far right and curtailing freedoms etc. throw in potential economic conditions changing due to taeiff, let's ignore Gaza as usual as it doesn't suit you, maybe if the Russians were arming Israel you'd and dogshite would give a shit.

never again! and the germans are arming a genocide... they need a big mirror held up to them!!! maybe remind them of what they did in Namibia too...

The video of the German cop punching an innocent protestor in the face looked fairly 1930's style to me

[Banks of the Bann]

Who is ignoring Gaza?

We were discussing Connolly's remarks about Germany's increased defence spending. The reason for that is the increased threat from Russia.

Perhaps you think the Germans imagined the invasion of Ukraine, electronic jamming of aircraft over the Baltics, ripping up of sea cables, drones landing in Poland, Russian jets in Estonian airspace?

[seafoid]

Who is ignoring Gaza?

We were discussing Connolly's remarks about Germany's increased defence spending. The reason for that is the increased threat from Russia.

Perhaps you think the Germans imagined the invasion of Ukraine, electronic jamming of aircraft over the Baltics, ripping up of sea cables, drones landing in Poland, Russian jets in Estonian airspace?

Russia is flying drones into Denmark as well.

[Dag Dog]

Who is ignoring Gaza?

We were discussing Connolly's remarks about Germany's increased defence spending. The reason for that is the increased threat from Russia.

Perhaps you think the Germans imagined the invasion of Ukraine, electronic jamming of aircraft over the Baltics, ripping up of sea cables, drones landing in Poland, Russian jets in Estonian airspace?

Russia is flying drones into Denmark as well.

Nato is the threat and not Russia according to Kremlin Catherine.

[PadraicHenryPearse]

Who is ignoring Gaza?

We were discussing Connolly's remarks about Germany's increased defence spending. The reason for that is the increased threat from Russia.

Perhaps you think the Germans imagined the invasion of Ukraine, electronic jamming of aircraft over the Baltics, ripping up of sea cables, drones landing in Poland, Russian jets in Estonian airspace?

Russia is flying drones into Denmark as well.

Nato is the threat and not Russia according to Kremlin Catherine.

source please..   you can be critical of both, I would have thought.

[Pub Bore]

Kremlin Catherine, Orange Heather and Bore You Rigid Jim.  What a field!

[Rossfan]

Sinn Féin deputy leader Pearse Doherty has said he was "not aware" that counter-terrorism gardaí had intervened to stop Catherine Connolly from hiring a woman convicted of a gun crime to work in Leinster House.

The Journal reports that Ms Connolly sought to hire a woman as an administrative support in 2018 who had been sentenced to six years in jail in 2014 after being found guilty by the Special Criminal Court of unlawful possession of firearms and possession of ammunition.

Mr Doherty, whose party is among those backing Ms Connolly in her presidential bid, said he read the story this morning but that he is not concerned by it.

Speaking to RTÉ's Morning Ireland, Mr Doherty said he is "delighted" that his party is supporting Ms Connolly, who he described as a "fantastic candidate".

"You see the warmth, the genuineness and the authenticity that oozes from Catherine Connolly. In relation to that story, I read about that this morning, I'm not aware of it."

He said he assumes Ms Connolly will answer questions on the issue when she appears on RTÉ radio later this morning.

Asked whether he is "concerned" about the issue, he said: "That somebody applied to recruit an individual that went through the formal process and they dealt with everything appropriately? No."

Asked if he has any questions for Ms Connolly in the aftermath, Mr Doherty said: "She attempted to employ somebody who's highly qualified, went through the process and complied with the process. I don't think this is an issue, but I'm sure that Catherine Connolly will address any concerns that anybody may have.

[Baile Brigín 2]

It's probably an old age thing for Connolly. My dad still says Peking and Bombay.

My father used the term "Free State" for his entire life, that's what it was called when he was growing up.

I've heard  the older  generation many a time say    "he worked like a black" and  "darkies". It was just  part of  the times  they grew up in. They didn't   use it  with  any intentional harm.

Sure, how many  times did we use the 'eeny meeny miney moe'  riddle without really knowing what we  were saying.

Not many used these terms while running for President.

Is it that big a deal that it needs pages of discussion?

No, it doesn't need discussion, but some people seem to think that Connolly can say what she likes and still be a suitable President.

There is nitpicking and then there is this

[Snapchap]

Sinn Féin deputy leader Pearse Doherty has said he was "not aware" that counter-terrorism gardaí had intervened to stop Catherine Connolly from hiring a woman convicted of a gun crime to work in Leinster House.

The Journal reports that Ms Connolly sought to hire a woman as an administrative support in 2018 who had been sentenced to six years in jail in 2014 after being found guilty by the Special Criminal Court of unlawful possession of firearms and possession of ammunition.

Mr Doherty, whose party is among those backing Ms Connolly in her presidential bid, said he read the story this morning but that he is not concerned by it.

Speaking to RTÉ's Morning Ireland, Mr Doherty said he is "delighted" that his party is supporting Ms Connolly, who he described as a "fantastic candidate".

"You see the warmth, the genuineness and the authenticity that oozes from Catherine Connolly. In relation to that story, I read about that this morning, I'm not aware of it."

He said he assumes Ms Connolly will answer questions on the issue when she appears on RTÉ radio later this morning.

Asked whether he is "concerned" about the issue, he said: "That somebody applied to recruit an individual that went through the formal process and they dealt with everything appropriately? No."

Asked if he has any questions for Ms Connolly in the aftermath, Mr Doherty said: "She attempted to employ somebody who's highly qualified, went through the process and complied with the process. I don't think this is an issue, but I'm sure that Catherine Connolly will address any concerns that anybody may have.

Why doesn't Catherine just follow Heather Humphrey's example and tell the journalist asking questions to "f**k off and leave me alone?"

[gallsman]

There is nitpicking and then there is this

Nonsense. If one of them was to say "Northern Ireland" rather than "the north of Ireland" or "the six counties" half the lads on this board would be freaking out. Language matters.

[seafoid]

Who is ignoring Gaza?

We were discussing Connolly's remarks about Germany's increased defence spending. The reason for that is the increased threat from Russia.

Perhaps you think the Germans imagined the invasion of Ukraine, electronic jamming of aircraft over the Baltics, ripping up of sea cables, drones landing in Poland, Russian jets in Estonian airspace?

Russia is flying drones into Denmark as well.

Nato is the threat and not Russia according to Kremlin Catherine.

   https://www.ft.com/content/0b351091-3f82-4f2f-bef2-a52a35f009f2

   Last November, a distinctive blue and white vessel set sail from a secluded inlet of Russia's Kola Peninsula on a three-month voyage. The ship, seemingly a civilian craft, sailed around Norway, down the English Channel and up into the Irish Sea, before looping southwards to the Mediterranean and east towards Suez.

But this was no pleasure cruise of Europe's Atlantic coastline: Moscow's military spy ship Yantar, kitted with a full armoury of surveillance equipment, was on a mission to map and potentially intercept the undersea cables on which Nato allies rely for internet access, energy, military communications and financial transactions.

Even as Moscow tests Nato's responses with recent violations of airspace on Europe's eastern borders, Russia's less visible but similarly brazen undersea spying operations are causing increasing concern among European security and defence officials.

"[Yantar] is the tool Russia is using to somehow . . . keep us awake," one senior Nato commander said earlier this year. "She's following cable lines and pipelines, making stops. We are monitoring her very closely."

https://www.irishtimes.com/ireland/2025/07/21/number-of-russian-shadow-ships-in-irish-controlled-waters-rises-dramatically/
There has been a dramatic increase in the number of sanctioned Russian ships, known as shadow fleet vessels, sailing through Irish-controlled waters, an Irish Times investigation has found.

Nineteen of these vessels have been tracked passing through, or just outside, the Irish Economic Zone (EEZ) since May. Many of the ships have exhibited unusual behaviour such as taking economically inefficient routes or sailing well outside recognised shipping lanes.

The trend has caused the Defence Forces and Department of Transport to step up monitoring of these vessels as they pass Ireland on foot of environmental and national security concerns.