Presidential Election 2025

[Brabantje]

I hear several of the Greens are having more than second thoughts now. Looks like substantial parts of the 'centre left' ain't so happy about Comrade Connolly. Expect some splintering in the SDs too and the Shinners will have their reservations. Bacik has gone quietish..

Not convinced that those performatively complaining about their parties' choosing to back Connolly can be described as centre left in any way.

The green party didn't learn from getting their fingers burnt in 2011 and had to learn again in 2020. Ditto labour in 2016. Those people complaining are those who actively worked against the left and centre left during their stints in power.

Worth noting the the Green Party of England and Wales have swung further left in recent times. The scottish greens have been a left party for a long time. As are most European green parties. The Irish left are the outliers here.

[midlander12]

She's remind you of some of the regulars on Boards!! Ask her a fair but tricky question and she will put on a wounded voice and waffle about others attacking her, then change tack to Gaza, the evils of the West or peace keeping. That's her modus operandi and she's doing well on it so far.

Her supporters on boards are starry-eyed cultists, ready at all times to spread their cyber-cloaks to defend their queen from all comers. The word
'rehabilitation' is repeated ad nauseam, along with her (extremely mealy-mouthed and qualified) condemnations of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, (which of course was caused by NATO expansionism and Western militarisation anyway). One of them (who's apparently a Shinner in real life) seems to be posting there virtually 24/7.

[Irish History]

This again
None cares what the TDs did 80-100 years ago. People do care about criminals today and what they do
When it comes to CC she abused her power by signing a woman into government buildings everyday, because she knew that she wouldn't pass the vetting process

It is not a matter of when - it's a matter of hypocrisy.

[Irish History]

I get that about the historic gun thing

BUT....

We are not talking about ancient history

The Good Friday Agreement drew a line under the gun thing, and the GFA was quite a while ago

Those sitting in our National Parliament now have no truck with the gun (even if one or two of them did, in the past) and are fully on board with the Good Friday Agreement

That's why I, for one, would have no trouble voting for Sinn Fein now. I accept their bone fides on this. Mary Lou McDonald herself often reiterates her own commitment and her party's commitment to the GFA

Whatever people did back in the day, our National Parliament must now, in the 21st century, put clear blue water between itself and any hint of violence.

I am not saying that this Eirigi woman brought guns into parliament, I am merely trying to answer your point

On the substantive issue :

Eirigi do not accept the Good Friday Agreement and regard Sinn Fein as traitors and sell outs

Being a member of Eirigi in itself would not be enough to condemn this woman, although giving her unfettered access to our national parliament--under the radar as it were---would not be wise

However, this member of Eirigi was caught with guns, cable ties, black hoods, petrol, ammunition...(think for a moment about what those objects could be used for)

And she was sentenced---not in the ancient past, but recently, in 2014-----in the Special Criminal Court, to 6 years in jail

She was employed by Connolly shortly after her release---again, the very recent past., and she was still attending Eirigi meetings while employed by Connolly.

It beggars belief that anyone---least of all a future President---would think it ok to bring such a woman into the Dail without security clearance.

And worse, to say that she had great "admiration" for such a person


The optics alone are dreadful.

Look , anyone can make a mistake.

But Connolly's ego will never allow her to say that she made a mistake---or at least to reflect on her action and see it as unwise, at the very least, and as unbecoming of someone who wants to be Head of State

What is extraordinary is the way she digs in. And then deflects .....

I can see you are trying to be balanced and fair.

As for the the Good Friday Agreement drawing a line under the gun thing - the enemy British occupier thought that when they artificially partitioned our country Ireland in 1920/21 - some Irish people thought the same thing about the Treaty when it was registered at the League of Nations in 1923.

How did that turn out? The point is, and as Pearse said - Ireland unfree will be at peace.

What Irish person in their right mind would vilify another Irish person for taking up arms to free Ireland from foreign British occupation.

[Bubblypop]

It is not a matter of when - it's a matter of hypocrisy.

No, it's really not. History is just that, History. People move on, times change, what once was acceptable, now isn't.
Nothing hypocritical about it.

[Irish History]

No, it's really not. History is just that, History. People move on, times change, what once was acceptable, now isn't.
Nothing hypocritical about it.

People haven't moved on - that's the point.

Capitulators may have moved on, but patriotic Irish people have not, and will not move on until England moves out.

[Bubblypop]

People haven't moved on - that's the point.

Capitulators may have moved on but patriotic Irish have not, and will not move on until England moves out.

Yes, yes we have. And this;

'What Irish person in their right mind would vilify another Irish person for taking up arms to free Ireland from foreign British occupation.'
We all do, except for a tiny minority of criminals.

[Irish History]

Yes, yes we have. And this;

'What Irish person in their right mind would vilify another Irish person for taking up arms to free Ireland from foreign British occupation.'
We all do, except for a tiny minority of criminals.

You are wrong - the vast majority of the Irish people have not moved on, and why should we??? The vast majority want the end of foreign British rule in Ireland - have you ever seen a serious poll that implied otherwise???

And Irish people do not vilify other Irish people for taking up arms to free Ireland from foreign British occupation. We hold the ideals of a free Ireland in the highest regard and celebrate and commemorate those who took up arms for those ideals every year.

You are deluded if you think otherwise.

[Bubblypop]

You are wrong - the vast majority of the Irish people have not moved on, and why should we??? The vast majority want the end of foreign British rule in Ireland - have you ever seen a serious poll that implied otherwise???

And Irish people do not vilify other Irish people for taking up arms to free Ireland from foreign British occupation. We hold the ideals of a free Ireland in the highest regard and celebrate and commemorate those who took up arms for those ideals every year.

You are deluded if you think otherwise.

Clearly we do, we have spent years convicting such criminals in our courts. The majority of Irish people are happy with the peace process and the resulting years after it.
Deluded? There is only one deluded poster here I'm afraid, you remind me of a teenager just learning history in school.

[midlander12]

I know someone like this in real life. One of the most annoying people I’ve ever known, can’t answer a straight question and has an amazing skill of just answering another one that she wants to answer. Even when the interviewer knows what she’s at and presses her she pretends to be a victim of aggression. This is the interview if anyone wants to watch.

She dissembles to conquer. 'We need to reflect as a society on why this has become an issue'. Er, no, Catherine, we need to reflect 'as a society' on how we've ended up with a likely president who can't answer a simple question relating to the security and vetting arrangements for staff in our national parliament.

It was interesting to see that some of her cultists on boards described this interviewer as 'pig rude' and 'horrible'. In fact, she was extremely polite, did not interrupt except when Connolly was clearly refusing to answer the question (which was most of the time) and knew when to eventually give up. Her frustration was clear but that was inevitable. Maybe Catherine should go back to hold hands with Claire Byrne before she finishes on Friday.

[Socthesecond]

Polling, Friday week, so it ll be all over by Saturday.

[Statsman]

Polling, Friday week, so it ll be all over by Saturday.

Thank goodness.

[Irish History]

Clearly we do, we have spent years convicting such criminals in our courts. The majority of Irish people are happy with the peace process and the resulting years after it.
Deluded? There is only one deluded poster here I'm afraid, you remind me of a teenager just learning history in school.

Your heroes the enemy British occupier also spent years convicting what they also called criminals which were Irish Patriots in their Crown courts in Ireland.

The majority of Irish people were happy with the peace under foreign British rule throughout all or Ireland until they weren't. It was always a minority of the most patriotic Irish people who stood up for Ireland - not the likes of you.

You are deluded and behave like an apologist for foreign British rule in Ireland.

[Gatsbygirl]

There is a video of Catherine Connolly on the late night Vincent Browne show, back sometime after the Brexit vote---thr clip I guess from 2016 or 2017

In the video she says of the Brexit vote :
"I am full of admiration for the English people" who "see the EU for what it is"

She goes on to criticise the EU and the Lisbon Treaty, chapter and verse

Her opponents seem to think that this video could damage her

I'm not sure

Since Brexit, there is a growing, but often silent, Euro-scepticism---or at least a questioning of the EU--- creeping into Ireland. Or at least I hear it anecdotally on the ground from many quarters.

I forget where I saw the video---Boards maybe---but cannot post

[p.ie man]

The past couple of weeks have been great for Connolly.

But I don't think she's home and dry. Humphries cannot be written off - she has very powerful backing from the establishment.

[Statsman]

There is a video of Catherine Connolly on the late night Vincent Browne show, back sometime after the Brexit vote---thr clip I guess from 2016 or 2017

In the video she says of the Brexit vote :
"I am full of admiration for the English people" who "see the EU for what it is"

She goes on to criticise the EU and the Lisbon Treaty, chapter and verse

Her opponents seem to think that this video could damage her

I'm not sure

Since Brexit, there is a growing, but often silent, Euro-scepticism---or at least a questioning of the EU--- creeping into Ireland. Or at least I hear it anecdotally on the ground from many quarters.

I forget where I saw the video---Boards maybe---but cannot post

This one?



Game-changer, Mary Lou?

[Bubblypop]

Your heroes the enemy British occupier also spent years convicting what they also called criminals which were Irish Patriots in their Crown courts in Ireland.

The majority of Irish people were happy with the peace under foreign British rule throughout all or Ireland until they weren't. It was always a minority of the most patriotic Irish people who stood up for Ireland - not the likes of you.

You are deluded and behave like an apologist for foreign British rule in Ireland.

Is there no school this afternoon? Seriously, you are acting like a teenager that just found out about the history of Ireland.
Apart from anything else, it's completely off topic for the thread.

[Statsman]

Not convinced that those performatively complaining about their parties' choosing to back Connolly can be described as centre left in any way.

The green party didn't learn from getting their fingers burnt in 2011 and had to learn again in 2020. Ditto labour in 2016. Those people complaining are those who actively worked against the left and centre left during their stints in power.

Worth noting the the Green Party of England and Wales have swung further left in recent times. The scottish greens have been a left party for a long time. As are most European green parties. The Irish left are the outliers here.

It could be argued that the Irish Greens have had more success in getting Green Agenda legislation on the books than most of their European counterparts.

[Socthesecond]

This one?



Game-changer, Mary Lou?

Makes one feel nostalgic for the Brexit days.

[Statsman]

Makes one feeling nostalgic for the Brexit days.

Wonderful times.

[Brabantje]

It could be argued that the Irish Greens have had more success in getting Green Agenda legislation on the books than most of their European counterparts.

It could also be argued that green policy is not in and of itself left wing. The just transition Greens are those on the left.

[midlander12]

This one?



Game-changer, Mary Lou?

Fascinating on so many levels.

1. Connolly actually answering questions, in great and damning detail it must be said.
2. In her haste to 'admire the English people who stood up to bullies', not a dicky about the people of Scotland and Northern Ireland being 'bullied' out the EU. And the effects of Brexit on Ireland glided over effortlessly amid the pile-on of the EU's multiple awfulnesses. Even Vincent Browne seemed genuinely taken aback by her vehemence.
3, Mary Lou sitting like a mouse through all the above (I'd love to hear what she'd said said just before, but I caught some mention of 'bugger off').

Game-changer? For any FF/FG or even SF candidate, probably instant political death. But ultimately this is what CC is and it's not revelatory in any way. If people exercise their agency to vote for it, that's on them.

[Statsman]

Fascinating on so many levels.

1. Connolly actually answering questions, in great and damning detail it must be said.
2. In her haste to 'admire the English people who stood up to bullies', not a dicky about the people of Scotland and Northern Ireland being 'bullied' out the EU. And the effects of Brexit on Ireland glided over effortlessly amid the pile-on of the EU's multiple awfulnesses. Even Vincent Browne seemed genuinely taken aback by her vehemence.
3, Mary Lou sitting like a mouse through all the above (I'd love to hear what she'd said said just before, but I caught some mention of 'bugger off').

Game-changer? For any FF/FG or even SF candidate, probably instant political death. But ultimately this is what CC is and it's not revelatory in any way. If people exercise their agency to vote for it, that's on them.

'Game changer' was a Mary Lou reference.

[midlander12]

'Game changer' was a Mary Lou reference.

Oh I know. It's particularly ironic that she was on the panel for that programme.

[Statsman]

Oh I know. It's particularly ironic that she was on the panel for that programme.

I found myself wondering if CC was a regular on p.ie.