I voted FF the last time (indeed all the time) and come from a traditional FF family. Were I still living where I was born and bred, I probably would still give my No1 to the local FF TD but that is as much because I have a lot of time for him as an individual, he's been helpful to my family in the past. I wouldn't touch his running mate with a bargepole
Having moved and now living in a different county, I voted FF last time out as much out of habit as anything else. having lived there for a few years, I have to say that on a personal basis, none of the sitting TDs in the constituency inspire me in any way. Also there is a large part of me, as someone who would historically class himself as a FF supporter, that believes there is a need for a major clear out and for the likes of Bertie, Cowan, Noel Demspey, Ned O'Keefe and all that ilk to be put out to pasture and to start again (similer to what Enda Kenny did) with the likes of Brian Lenihan and Mary Hannifan
My problem is, who else is there? FG clearly couldn't organise a session in a brewery, Kenny will say anything that's fashionable to get elected, what's Bruton ever done and Varadker at the minute is too flakey to have anywhere near a ministers seat. Labour are trying to be too clever by far by not commiting to anything (Gilmore on the news last week when asked about the Croke Park agreement was frankly, embarrasing). I'm not a socialist which rules out the fringe left wing parties (SF, Joe Higgins crowd etc) so that basically leaves me with the Greens, which as a farmers son and given that they seem to think the countryside exists for townies to admire, not for people to earn a living in, doesn't leave me with much options.
I do think a lot of people will not give their No 1 to FF in a general election. The big question however, who will get the transfers? I do think FF could hoover up seats in later counts, simply because people will make their protest and then potentially revert to habit down the ballot paper
