The Battle for Fermanagh and South Tyrone

[Gaoth Dobhair Abu]

Disillusioned were you 10 at the start of the "troubles" or at the end?

[David McKeown]

Good thing there was 4 votes in it, seems this is the current method of choice for selecting the winner in a tie.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/election_2010/england/8668624.stm

Queue jokes about winning by drawing a queen

[oakleafgael]

Just a question for those who think the SDLP are finished. They received 40% of the nationalist/republican vote, do you think this will hold up at the assembly and translate to seats? I would doubt it myself. I have very little time for politicians in general but I have yet to come across one as irritating and condescending as Richie.

[longrunsthefox]

Disillusioned were you 10 at the start of the "troubles" or at the end?

must have been tough during the Troubles in Gaoth Dobhair 

[Gaoth Dobhair Abu]

Disillusioned were you 10 at the start of the "troubles" or at the end?

must have been tough during the Troubles in Gaoth Dobhair 

Ah well there was alot to do!

[gerry]

Just a question for those who think the SDLP are finished. They received 40% of the nationalist/republican vote, do you think this will hold up at the assembly and translate to seats? I would doubt it myself. I have very little time for politicians in general but I have yet to come across one as irritating and condescending as Richie.

even my mothers who is a life long sdlp voter can't have her

[trileacman]

A lot of being in denial in this thread: whilst Britain maintains a presence in Ireland there will always be a sectarian edge to any election: it's the unavoidable consequence of a (continued) presence that was established and predicated on a sectarian headcount. It's that simple, get over it.

True, there will be a certain edge to the election but do you want to move back towards a more religiously-orientated voting or move away from it.
If SDLP had pulled out of FST then the population there could have just by stating their religion on the ballot paper or as hardstation says "are you a green, an orange or a yellow?"

No question, we need to move away from the tribal headcounts.

My point is that in a statelet that was founded on that basis (primitive sectarian headcount) it's highly unlikely that we'll ever reach a point where the sectarian aspect will be totally eradicated, so when it does surface it's no surprise (that's not to say that I think SF should engage in same).

That said, however, one of the most gratifying aspects of this most recent election was to hear Adams thank those loyalists/unionists in his constituency who had voted for him (small but hugely significant). That is truly progressive and hopeful (and amazing).

Fair enough. I agree with all of that. Think Gildernew could have taken the same leaf as Adams. Maybe she did, I didn't hear every word she said post election.

She did.
She thanked the sensible stoops who voted for her along with everyone else.

i wasn't refering to that.

[armaghniac]

Ritchie is uncommonly uncharismatic for a politician, but she doesn't take people for fools as Adams does when he expects us to believe that he was never in the IRA.

[Zapatista]

Ritchie is uncommonly uncharismatic for a politician, but she doesn't take people for fools as Adams does when he expects us to believe that he was never in the IRA.

Even after 30 years of bringing this up some people will never realise it doesn't harm Adams or SF.

[Myles Na G.]

Ritchie is uncommonly uncharismatic for a politician, but she doesn't take people for fools as Adams does when he expects us to believe that he was never in the IRA.

Even after 30 years of bringing this up some people will never realise it doesn't harm Adams or SF.

That's because republicans would give their vote to a ham sandwich, providing it came wrapped in a tricolour and kept a unionist from taking the seat.

[Fiodoir Ard Mhacha]

Ritchie is uncommonly uncharismatic for a politician, but she doesn't take people for fools as Adams does when he expects us to believe that he was never in the IRA.

Even after 30 years of bringing this up some people will never realise it doesn't harm Adams or SF.

That's because republicans would give their vote to a ham sandwich, providing it came wrapped in a tricolour and kept a unionist from taking the seat.

Very condescending comment, Myles. Are you saying 26% of the north's voting population are idiots? What is wrong with keeping a unionist out? The whole point of being a republican is to strive for a united Ireland.

[gallsman]

Ritchie is uncommonly uncharismatic for a politician, but she doesn't take people for fools as Adams does when he expects us to believe that he was never in the IRA.

Even after 30 years of bringing this up some people will never realise it doesn't harm Adams or SF.

That's because republicans would give their vote to a ham sandwich, providing it came wrapped in a tricolour and kept a unionist from taking the seat.

Reminds me of the girl in Sinn Fein's Party Political Broadcast in either 2001 or 2005.

"I'm gonna vote Sinn Fein 'cos, well, all me mates are votin for them like"

[pintsofguinness]

Ritchie is uncommonly uncharismatic for a politician, but she doesn't take people for fools as Adams does when he expects us to believe that he was never in the IRA.

Even after 30 years of bringing this up some people will never realise it doesn't harm Adams or SF.

That's because republicans would give their vote to a ham sandwich, providing it came wrapped in a tricolour and kept a unionist from taking the seat.

the shinners may have a lot of sheep but if you think about it it would be because a lot of shinner voters don't/didn't see anything wrong with being part of the IRA. The rest probably accept he was a member but has moved on.

[Fiodoir Ard Mhacha]

The thing is where did all these extra SF votes come from? Nowhere else but disaffected SDLP voters who release it's better in the long-term to back a winner, a stronger party and people who have some credence at the negotiation table. All this about the IRA links and troubled past is in the past, and dragging it up and wearing it like a badge is just playing out a very long and boring mantra.

[ziggysego]

Ritchie is uncommonly uncharismatic for a politician, but she doesn't take people for fools as Adams does when he expects us to believe that he was never in the IRA.

Even after 30 years of bringing this up some people will never realise it doesn't harm Adams or SF.

That's because republicans would give their vote to a ham sandwich, providing it came wrapped in a tricolour and kept a unionist from taking the seat.

How dare you! I vote for who the party I trust and believe in. I also vote in relation to their performances at Council level and Stormont level. For you to say I'm following what others do and because of only the constitutional issue is highly insulting.