Martin McGuiness for President?

I like McGuiness. Think he would be a fairly decent candidate. Can't see him winning tho.
 
I wouldnt like McGuiness as president this time out. A couple of reasons but the main one is that this President will be in office for 2016, and if its McGuinness then Sinn Fein will hi-jack the centenary commerorations and "the troubles" will be lumped in with 1916 and we, in the Republic, will nearly end up having to either tacitly endorse the Provos, or just ignore the commemorations altogether (both of these would be unfortunate outcomes).

I dont think SF or a SF candidate represent what people in the Republic want to present to the world - of course we'll soon find out, thats democracy - but can you imagine the cringe factor of people refusing to meet him, protests against him etc.

As regards the argument that "if its good enough for the North why isnt it good enough for us" - basically the GF Agreement is a grand compromise to end terrorism (& also we cant ignore SF's electoral mandate with years) but basically there was a gain to be had by having SF inside the tent, much as many people found that hard to stomach. Whereas, in the South, there's no upside for us in having SF in politics at all, so why should we pretend we're happy about them?? If they get votes and elect TD's thats fair enough, again thats democracy, but I wouldnt criticse any other party for not wanting to touch them with a barge pole.

Overall I'm voting Michael D. He has wanted the job from the start, he has a good track record as a politician and on human rights internationally, he has a bit of personality (I cant warm to Mitchell) and he'll be a good statesman.

Not sure why Gallagher or Davis are there. Norris is damaged goods at this stage, why didnt he stay away?, Dana would be ok in a bland kind of way so Ml D is the best of whats going.
 

It's only become fashionable for 'you in the republic' to acknowledge the commemorations in the last few years anyway, you'll hardly be missed.
I dont think SF or a SF candidate represent what people in the Republic want to present to the world - of course we'll soon find out, thats democracy - but can you imagine the cringe factor of people refusing to meet him, protests against him etc.
Who do you imagine will refuse to meet him?

It's funny how for years Sinn Fein were told by 'you in the republic' to move on! Stop living in the past! Embrace politics! When they do embrace politics (and have been doing so for the best part of 20 years) Suddenly the past is where we want to be again.


Also, OIRA - Workers Party - Democratic Left - Labour? When did this continuum cease to matter? Or does it just not suit the agenda?

I'm no Sinn Fein supporter but the rank hypocrisy of sections of free state society and media is laughable at times.
 
Its quite simple, when you have a wildly dysfunctional state you sometimes do things you wouldnt otherwise do in order to improve things. So you have SF in power (yes I know people vote for them but the system is contrived to give power sharing and something for everyone - fair enough). So yes, its fair enough for us to ask Unionists to share power with them even if we dont want to, if Unionism hadnt made such a bags of it for the 65 years or so before their power got taken away, they would never have been put in that position - so suck it up.

In the South we have no reason to give Shinners a free ride, if they want to throw their toys out of the cot when they dont get a cuddle by the 'Free State' media and society, then too bad. Its only a pity that Hume isnt well enough or interested enough to run - Seamus Mallon is another who could have been given an unreserved endorsement.
 
"Its like in the GAA, if we were waiting on the Ulster Council to move with opinion we'd be 'holding out' as the amateur sports organisation with a harder line than SF."

I suspect that this is a baseless comment. Show me one concrete example where the Ulster Council has been at fault in failing to "move with opinion". Under Danny Murphy's stewardship as Secretary, the Ulster Council has been remarkably progressive. It is not their fault if individual counties within Ulster have occasionally opposed various policy positions.
 

Most of them refusing to come to Croke Park to meet the Queen??

I thought it was very telling that on his very first day of canvassing McGuinness started slagging off "west-brit" media, hardly reconstructed now and is that really the type of person we want representing a fully inclusive non-sectarian republic?

He tried to change his tack later in the day saying it was an off-the-cuff remark, I don't want my President to be making snide comments.
 

Agree with this, the man is too volatile, too agressive to be our President. But then again when I look at the list of candidates
 

I agree with you re: Hume and Mallon. Both would have made excellent candidates maybe the last time around. However, I don't understand what you mean by giving the shinners a free ride. Even McGuiness critics such as Fintan O'Toole have said they have argued for years to get SF on the politic route. Now they are here they are entitled to nominate someone for president. Maybe it is too soon for someone like McGuiness but it's up to the electorate to decide.
I suspect other parties (particularly FF and LAB) are more worried about conceding ground to SF in the future rather than the past.
 
refuse to be told by those from a foreign jurisdiction how I should commemorate national events..
When you're standing proudly at the 2016 commemoration you can take comfort in the fact that those men died so that you could refer to some of your fellow Irish as foreigners.


It's a pity 'you in the south' haven't shown the same zest in pursuing the misdeeds of the British government in your noble quest for justice.

I dont remember Pat Rabbitte planting any bombs. Pronsias was the last one, as far as I recall, who was in any way involved, and that was donkeys years ago. ..

Ah, so it's ok if it was donkeys years ago. That clears that up.

In the South we have no reason to give Shinners a free ride, if they want to throw their toys out of the cot when they dont get a cuddle by the 'Free State' media and society, then too bad...

Free ride? No, some professional journalism without the agenda would do.
 

Fully agree with Ronan here

Why couldn't Micheál have said that although FF won't be putting forward a candidate, all FF TD's are free to support who they want.

It's a disgrace
 
Paddy Power

Michael D evens
Martin McGuinness 9/4
Gay Mitchell 4/1

This is real scary. If Martin McGuinness gets in Irish Bond yields will soar. As someone else pointed out this will greatly enhance SF's credibility with the electorate and with some pretty tough austerity ahead, one could see SF really advancing in the 2016 election.

Can't imagine Martin's 10 min chat with Queenie if she accepts Enda's return invite. "Sorry about the ol' uncle and all that..."

Also this is bad for the peace process. Northern unionists have come to acknowledge and appreciate the more broad minded approach of southern nationalists compared to their northern neighbours and the Queen's reception received rave reviews from no less than the Grand Master of the Orange Lodge. If the South put this guy as their head of state this will greatly undo the level of acceptance which the southern state has obtained with northen unionists.
 
Ah don't worry, she's got plenty to be apologising for as well.
 
Most of them refusing to come to Croke Park to meet the Queen??

The Ulster Council President Aogan Ó Fearghail represented the Ulster Council at the reception for the Queen in Croke Park. It wasn't his or the Council's fault that several of the individual counties weren't represented. Quite a number of counties in the other provinces weren't there either.
 
Why couldn't Micheál have said that although FF won't be putting forward a candidate, all FF TD's are free to support who they want.

Norris has 11 out of the required 20 votes. I think you are going to see FF come under huge pressure over the weekend to facilitate his nomination, particularly with Martin McGuiness's introduction in the race.
 
 
 
I don't understand what you mean by giving the shinners a free ride. Even McGuiness critics such as Fintan O'Toole have said they have argued for years to get SF on the politic route. Now they are here they are entitled to nominate someone for president. Maybe it is too soon for someone like McGuiness but it's up to the electorate to decide./QUOTE]

I agree totally with you, one of Jedward could run if they were old enough and had the 20 nominations, and then the voters vote as they see fit. It doesnt mean we cant express an opinion on whether we would like them as president or not. Re giving Shinners a free ride, they seem to be taking great umbrange at the notion that someone might consider a paramilitary past as an issue worthy of examination when considering a presidential candidate.
 

Well there was strong Ulster opposition to removing the security forces rule, and the opening of Croke Park (ok the opposition wasnt exclusively in Ulster).

Maybe I unfairly mentioned the Ulster Council as such, but put it this way, if Ulster counties were representative of the association as a whole, those changes wouldnt have been passed when they were passed. Maybe they'd be passed by now since SF supported the PSNI, but SF wanted to be the ones to make the step, and the GAA would be left looking like eejits scurrying in after SF - SF like to be seen as the agenda setters, whereas the GAA as a broad based organisation decided they wouldnt wait to be led by relative extremists with limited support in the Republic (especially at the time).
 

Funnily enough, the strongest opposition to the 'Opening up of Croke Park' emanated from Cork. Go figure It even cost Christy Cooney the GAA Presidency in 2005.

In relation to the 'admitting UK security forces members' debate, there was indeed strong opposition from within the Ulster counties to that proposal. However, that opposition was most certainly not universal within Ulster. There was also plenty of opposition within GAA county ranks in the 26 counties, enough to scupper moves in that direction on more than one occasion previously.

Characterising these debates as 'backward Ulster GAA v everyone else' is rewriting history.