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Replying To FullOfPorter:  "Definitely could. There was 18 to 20 indos including independent Ireland, regional indos and aontu she could have got from the Dail alone and another 6 similar types in the Seanad if she had put in the ground work early enough."
Independent Ireland and Aontu were among the 18 nominations she got. The regional independents who are supporting the government declared early on for Heather Humpheys. Non aligned regional independents such as Mattie McGrath signed her nomination papers. She scraped 18 with the support of Marian Harkin who was ideologically opposed to her but nominated her in the interests of democracy. Once Micheal McDowell and the ex-PD independents who are closely aligned with him decided not to nominate her there was absolutely no pathway for her to reach 20 without someone breaking party ranks from FF, FG or even SF which was never going to happen. Those are the facts.

PoolSturgeon (Galway) - Posts: 2085 - 22/10/2025 09:58:46    2641047

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Replying To Square_B:  "It's hard to miss it given it's pure and utter waffle."
I suggest, If you treating people as you would like to be treated yourself, you'll find - - - - - etc,etc, you should try it.

supersub15 (Carlow) - Posts: 3280 - 22/10/2025 10:45:20    2641057

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Replying To FullOfPorter:  "Very shallow and simplistic way to view the language. Does the Spanish head of state speak Spanish to King Charles or Trump, of course not. We are wrapped up in English being the be all and end of language and language usage. Firstly Irish is constitutionally the States first language and is the language of the Irish nation. Secondly while most people aren't fluent, it is the ancient language of all Gaels, with Gaelic culture being the cornerstone of Irish identity. It is symbolically important that the sovereign representative of the Irish nation speaks the language."
I cannot understand how any individual wouldn't get the cultural and historical importance of our language as a cornerstone of our identity.

Irish to me is a statement of triumph. They tried to crush it and failed. The preservation of our language is not perfect, but still our greatest victory.

Doylerwex (Wexford) - Posts: 3986 - 22/10/2025 10:55:43    2641060

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Replying To PoolSturgeon:  "Independent Ireland and Aontu were among the 18 nominations she got. The regional independents who are supporting the government declared early on for Heather Humpheys. Non aligned regional independents such as Mattie McGrath signed her nomination papers. She scraped 18 with the support of Marian Harkin who was ideologically opposed to her but nominated her in the interests of democracy. Once Micheal McDowell and the ex-PD independents who are closely aligned with him decided not to nominate her there was absolutely no pathway for her to reach 20 without someone breaking party ranks from FF, FG or even SF which was never going to happen. Those are the facts."
I know how it happended but if you only give yourself a couple of weeks to work on people you are not going to go far. For an indo candiadte and a relative unknown you need to build momentum and profile. She did neither leaving it to the last minute. She should have started that pres campaign straight after the referendums. Now I wouldn't have voted for her at all but you can't go whinging and crying when you don't put in the ground work and hope everything falls into your lap.

FullOfPorter (Roscommon) - Posts: 425 - 22/10/2025 11:09:34    2641063

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Replying To PoolSturgeon:  "Independent Ireland and Aontu were among the 18 nominations she got. The regional independents who are supporting the government declared early on for Heather Humpheys. Non aligned regional independents such as Mattie McGrath signed her nomination papers. She scraped 18 with the support of Marian Harkin who was ideologically opposed to her but nominated her in the interests of democracy. Once Micheal McDowell and the ex-PD independents who are closely aligned with him decided not to nominate her there was absolutely no pathway for her to reach 20 without someone breaking party ranks from FF, FG or even SF which was never going to happen. Those are the facts."
She went too late looking for nominations though. Would have been comfortably on the ballot paper if she declared her interest a month earlier.

GreenandRed (Mayo) - Posts: 8302 - 22/10/2025 11:18:03    2641067

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Replying To PoolSturgeon:  "Independent Ireland and Aontu were among the 18 nominations she got. The regional independents who are supporting the government declared early on for Heather Humpheys. Non aligned regional independents such as Mattie McGrath signed her nomination papers. She scraped 18 with the support of Marian Harkin who was ideologically opposed to her but nominated her in the interests of democracy. Once Micheal McDowell and the ex-PD independents who are closely aligned with him decided not to nominate her there was absolutely no pathway for her to reach 20 without someone breaking party ranks from FF, FG or even SF which was never going to happen. Those are the facts."
The facts are she waited until it was too late. Tired of listening to Ganley and her supporters saying she was blocked. They have admitted they were waiting to see what Michael McDowell was doing. Ganley stated as much. I do laugh at the notion that she would be a better candidate than the ones that went forward. She might be intelligent but she's also living in the past.

TheFlaker (Mayo) - Posts: 8564 - 22/10/2025 11:50:06    2641073

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Replying To tireoghainabu:  "You do realise that the six counties are still in the single market, or mabey you don't."
You'd have to laugh at the unionists flying back into the north from the continent, they can't buy any duty free ,
if they were flying to Britain though they could buy duty free and bring it there, the tax man knows where the border is.

Tirchonaill1 (Donegal) - Posts: 3503 - 22/10/2025 12:43:32    2641082

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Replying To supersub15:  "I suggest, If you treating people as you would like to be treated yourself, you'll find - - - - - etc,etc, you should try it."
Case in point. Christ on a bike.

Square_B (Leitrim) - Posts: 1554 - 22/10/2025 12:43:42    2641083

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Replying To TheFlaker:  "The facts are she waited until it was too late. Tired of listening to Ganley and her supporters saying she was blocked. They have admitted they were waiting to see what Michael McDowell was doing. Ganley stated as much. I do laugh at the notion that she would be a better candidate than the ones that went forward. She might be intelligent but she's also living in the past."
I think most people would agree that the calibre of both remaining candidates is the poorest in living memory.

tireoghainabu (Tyrone) - Posts: 425 - 22/10/2025 12:47:52    2641084

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Replying To tireoghainabu:  "I think most people would agree that the calibre of both remaining candidates is the poorest in living memory."
Both better than Jim Gavin and the three of them have a lot more class than the bould Peter Casey who'd go on TV interviews and debates like he was hearing relevant questions for the first time. Neither Humphreys or Connolly have much charisma but they're decent people. It's easy for us here to criticise politicians. Different story to go out and get involved and get elected.

GreenandRed (Mayo) - Posts: 8302 - 22/10/2025 13:14:12    2641088

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Replying To Square_B:  "Case in point. Christ on a bike."
I never implied you were full of your own importance, you did that yourself. - - -
Christ on a different bike.

supersub15 (Carlow) - Posts: 3280 - 22/10/2025 13:22:31    2641090

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Replying To tireoghainabu:  "You do realise that the six counties are still in the single market, or mabey you don't."
Very true. My amnesia strikes again lol. So the answer is nothing happens to prices. Interesting. But the National football team would get better. Can't see it happening in my lifetime but you never know.

SouthGalway (Galway) - Posts: 75 - 22/10/2025 13:31:56    2641093

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Replying To tireoghainabu:  "I think most people would agree that the calibre of both remaining candidates is the poorest in living memory."
Connolly is fine. The attempt to paint her as dangerous is absolutely hilarious.

TheFlaker (Mayo) - Posts: 8564 - 22/10/2025 14:10:08    2641097

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Replying To supersub15:  "Michael D, McAleese and Robinson have had their day successfully as president of Ireland, C,C if elected will be the start of a new beginning, she may very well start by making sure that the selection of presidential candidates for the next President of Ireland bears no resemblance to that of the current method of selection. She may very well make sure that the interviewing techniques used to grill the candidate would be carried out to the required extreme but with gloves on.

The change that CC may look for may not be welcomed by party politicians or party leaders, if the roll of our president is supposedly non-political then so too should the selection of presidential candidates, I sometimes wondered why Michael D, McAleese and Robinson did not seek to legislate for change in candidate selection that in itself suggests in its self like all other mere mortals they too are not perfect.

I hope this goes some way towards answering your question."
How exciting…meanwhile Citywest is in riot mode, the cost of living is through the roof, immigration concerns, health system etc can all wait. The Irish media are gripped by probably the most uninspiring presidential election in history. The media and indeed national focus should be on the real issues here.

yew_tree (Mayo) - Posts: 11801 - 22/10/2025 14:26:55    2641102

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Exactly.

The government dips their hands in our pockets in every single way that they can think of when it comes to tax.
But when it comes to the HSE, immigration, housing, the children's hospital, you'd just have to winder how wisely all these taxes are being spent.

It will never happen, but it would be fantastic if the whole thing was examined by a team of neutral forensic accountants.

Lockjaw (Donegal) - Posts: 10087 - 22/10/2025 15:28:47    2641111

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Replying To yew_tree:  "How exciting…meanwhile Citywest is in riot mode, the cost of living is through the roof, immigration concerns, health system etc can all wait. The Irish media are gripped by probably the most uninspiring presidential election in history. The media and indeed national focus should be on the real issues here."
Apologies if you thought it was exciting as it wasn't meant to be, all head lines however small are worth a mention are they not.

supersub15 (Carlow) - Posts: 3280 - 22/10/2025 15:37:51    2641115

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Replying To Bon:  "Ah United Ireland, a nice romantic idea, but how exactly in reality do you think it will happen. Will Unionists just accept it on the chin do you think?"
If the current demographic shift trend continues as per the 2011 and 2021 Census, there could be vindicated calls for Border Poll following the 2031 or almost certainly after the 2041 census. It would be impossible for any government to ignore the stats if Nationalist/Republicans have a larger political mandate than now and the Census is also showing a clear majority.

The GFA states that a border poll should be called if there is a clear majority in the North in favour of leaving the UK, however based on the 2021 census there is no clear political majority in the North. The 2021 Census showed 45.7% Nationalist/Republican/Catholic, and 43.5% Unionist/Loyalist/Protestant, although there could be some variation within those percentages.

The biggest obstacle to a United Ireland down the road is actually the growing middle ground in the North (e.g. Alliance Party, Green Party etc) who don't identify as Nationalist/Republican or Unionist/Loyalist, because unless a 51% or higher Census figure is showing for Nationalist/Republicans, the UK government likely won't rock the boat.

Even if a Border Poll was to call for a United Ireland, then ROI have to hold a referendum to have their say, and if that is successful, we would be looking at an extensive transition planning and implementation, which realistically could take 10-20 years and it would likely require guarantees and agreements for people of British heritage etc.

If the above mentioned conditions are all met, Unionist voters will have no option but to accept it, however I think by that point, like 10-20 years from now, it won't involve the same amount of hardliners and the transition would likely be smoother than if it occurred next week, as mindsets are changing. I can't see a Border poll being called before 2031, probably after that even.

Commodore (Donegal) - Posts: 1504 - 22/10/2025 15:58:27    2641123

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Replying To Commodore:  "If the current demographic shift trend continues as per the 2011 and 2021 Census, there could be vindicated calls for Border Poll following the 2031 or almost certainly after the 2041 census. It would be impossible for any government to ignore the stats if Nationalist/Republicans have a larger political mandate than now and the Census is also showing a clear majority.

The GFA states that a border poll should be called if there is a clear majority in the North in favour of leaving the UK, however based on the 2021 census there is no clear political majority in the North. The 2021 Census showed 45.7% Nationalist/Republican/Catholic, and 43.5% Unionist/Loyalist/Protestant, although there could be some variation within those percentages.

The biggest obstacle to a United Ireland down the road is actually the growing middle ground in the North (e.g. Alliance Party, Green Party etc) who don't identify as Nationalist/Republican or Unionist/Loyalist, because unless a 51% or higher Census figure is showing for Nationalist/Republicans, the UK government likely won't rock the boat.

Even if a Border Poll was to call for a United Ireland, then ROI have to hold a referendum to have their say, and if that is successful, we would be looking at an extensive transition planning and implementation, which realistically could take 10-20 years and it would likely require guarantees and agreements for people of British heritage etc.

If the above mentioned conditions are all met, Unionist voters will have no option but to accept it, however I think by that point, like 10-20 years from now, it won't involve the same amount of hardliners and the transition would likely be smoother than if it occurred next week, as mindsets are changing. I can't see a Border poll being called before 2031, probably after that even."
Politics can move very quick at times, I can see a border poll being held in the next 5 to 10 years max.

Tirchonaill1 (Donegal) - Posts: 3503 - 22/10/2025 16:25:51    2641129

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Replying To Tirchonaill1:  "Politics can move very quick at times, I can see a border poll being held in the next 5 to 10 years max."
Why? There is no electoral evidence to suggest that it would get more than 40% and that's including a sizeable proportion of SDLP and SF voters who in polls say they are not in favour, bizarre as that seems.

I am completely for a united Ireland but it will not come about by participating (nice word) in British rule in Ireland.

The only valid poll would be a 32 county poll on same day with same question and decided on majority in 32 counties.

NOT in six.

BarneyGrant (Dublin) - Posts: 3742 - 22/10/2025 17:03:24    2641136

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