JoeRoberts
Registered User
- Messages
- 834
Riverdance did more for the positive promotion of this country than anyone in politics. Deserves more credit than he gets.
-
We are switching servers on Monday at 1 pm so Askaboutmoney will be unavailable for a few hours Click here for more information
Who's for President 2025? Any takers?
- Thread starter redstar
- Start date
Howth Head
Registered User
- Messages
- 58
They've clearly read the tea-leaves...
www.irishtimes.com
Sinn Féin remains nervous about presidential elections following a bruising run for its then MEP Liadh Ní Riada in the 2018 contest. Ms Ní Riada came fourth with a little more than 6 per cent of first-preference votes.
There are anxieties within the party that anything less than an overwhelming win for Ms McDonald could feed a media narrative about a dip in Sinn Féin’s electoral fortunes.
‘It would be a waste’: Little appetite in Sinn Féin for Mary Lou McDonald to run for president
Party figures move closer to idea of backing Catherine Connolly
Sinn Féin remains nervous about presidential elections following a bruising run for its then MEP Liadh Ní Riada in the 2018 contest. Ms Ní Riada came fourth with a little more than 6 per cent of first-preference votes.
There are anxieties within the party that anything less than an overwhelming win for Ms McDonald could feed a media narrative about a dip in Sinn Féin’s electoral fortunes.
While I don't like most politicians, I don't actively dislike them either.
Mary Lou is different, I genuinely actively dislike her to the point I turn off the radio when she comes on, her nasally whining just does my head it.
The only other politicians who had a similar effect is was Ivana bachic and Joan Burton.
Most people I know have a similar distain for Mary Lou, this is across the political spectrum. I don't see her as a conviction politician, never have and never will.
Mary Lou is different, I genuinely actively dislike her to the point I turn off the radio when she comes on, her nasally whining just does my head it.
The only other politicians who had a similar effect is was Ivana bachic and Joan Burton.
Most people I know have a similar distain for Mary Lou, this is across the political spectrum. I don't see her as a conviction politician, never have and never will.
It’s the didactic slow condensation in her tone that gets me. That and the fact that she’s the figurehead of a Uk based populist party run by people who are anti democratic and hero worship child killers.
I disagree with the politics of both women but I respect their ability and their commitment to public service.
I believe that she has conviction. I’m just not sure what for.
A lot of convictions in that party.
Dr Strangelove
Registered User
- Messages
- 2,476
I wonder what all these humans have in common bar their tone of voice
Please mansplain it to me?wonder what all these humans have in common bar their tone of voice
No argument from me. But why not one of Bill Whelan, John McColgan, or Moya Doherty, who it seems, collectively are the owners and creators? A revolving Uachtartán with the term set at six years to allow for two years each?
Last edited:
That's a bit sexist.
Very interesting. Have you a source for that.
I can't find a link but Thomas Davis, he of the Young Irelander's and founder of The Nation newspaper, was instrumental in the weaponisation of the Irish Language as a cultural tool to create a hostility towards all form of colonialism and so the Anglo-Irish were not really Irish. This despite that fact that his father was a British Army surgeon and his was an Anglican.
The "Dissenters"; free Presbyterians etc, were closer to the Catholics before the 1978 rebellion because they were also subject to the Penal Laws. That changed slowly after
We see Northern Ireland as the result of pollical acts and plantation for political ends but the primary driver up to 200 years ago was religion.
If you are interested this is a good read.
Last edited:
@Purple Thanks for that it is interesting.
The connection between Protestantism and the Irish language is very strong. Indeed the founder of Conradh na Gaeilge, Douglas Hyde was the son of an Anglican clergyman.
Political unionism and Irish is a little more nuanced. Scots Gaelic speakers with a political loyalty to Britain were certainly among the plantation. However the state's efforts to associate Irish with disloyalty go back at least as far as the Statutes of Kilkenny. This British view that Irish speakers are disloyal is widely accepted among Unionists. All of which makes Linda Ervine's work the more impressive.
The connection between Protestantism and the Irish language is very strong. Indeed the founder of Conradh na Gaeilge, Douglas Hyde was the son of an Anglican clergyman.
Political unionism and Irish is a little more nuanced. Scots Gaelic speakers with a political loyalty to Britain were certainly among the plantation. However the state's efforts to associate Irish with disloyalty go back at least as far as the Statutes of Kilkenny. This British view that Irish speakers are disloyal is widely accepted among Unionists. All of which makes Linda Ervine's work the more impressive.
The ones I'm talking about came later. because they were not English speakers they were associated, possibly incorrectly, with those disloyal to the Crown and fled to Northern Ireland to a planted population which was at that time too small to be sustainable without the support of their Scottish Brethren.
Yes, but that disloyalty applied to Dissenters as well so Presbyterians were in that basket. Again, it was about religion and the imposition of The Church by Law Established by Henry and them Elisabeth (though Lizzy the First was keen Linguist and took an interest in the Irish Language).
Yes, but my contention is that such a view is mainly due to the weaponization of the Irish language by Nationalists from the 1800's onwards and the appropriation of Nationalism by Catholics after that. In that context the opposition to the Irish Language Act in Northern Ireland is somewhat more understandable, although historically blind. They have in effect accepted the appropriation of their Irishness by a brand of Catholic Nationalism and the reinforcement of the historically incorrect view that they are somehow foreigners in their own land.
it's not just language, Sam Maguire was Protestant for example.
Dave Vanian
Registered User
- Messages
- 1,385
Has to be my favourite RTE clip of all time alongside the Larry Gogan Just a Minute Quiz contestant...
Larry: Complete the well-known phrase... As happy as...
Contestant: Errr... Ummm
Larry: Think of me. Think of me. As happy as...
Contestant: A pig in s****, Larry!
Another yarn related to Jim Fahey is an interview followed a local hunt in Galway.
Approaching a lady perched astride her steed he remarked that “ I cant help noticing that your horse is sweating quite badly “ . Looking down her elegant nose she declared without a blink. “ My good man if you had just spent two hours between my thighs I guarantee that you would be sweating “
Apology for going off topic.
Ceist Beag
Registered User
- Messages
- 1,485
Mairead McGuinness has withdrawn for health reasons
Obviously I hope she is ok.
At this rate it is almost getting to be a case of "Somebody, anybody except for .... please".
Obviously I hope she is ok.
At this rate it is almost getting to be a case of "Somebody, anybody except for .... please".
Last edited:
In fairness she looked dejected, but health is far more important than any position.
In saying that, I always thought Sean Kelly suited the presidency better with his GAA history in addition to European politics and no domestic political history to trip him up. And being a wily Kerry man, he'll have Michael Healy Rae championing him, so guaranteed 100% of the vote in Kerry
In terms of betting, the only odds that changed were Sean Kelly, Connolly & Bertie. The other 2 "interested" candidates actually saw their odds go out. Sheridan 50/1 and Holohan 100/1
That never happened on Larry Gogan’s programme. It was a Brendan Grace sketch. Gogan often remarked on the number of people who’d swear they heard it but it never happened.