What's Happened to Sinn Fein!!!

PH01

With Crowe about to lose his seat in Dublin South West, where has it all gone wrong for Sinn Fein?

Tar.Aldarion

Their policies.

John Mason

well, i am very much hoping dessie ellis loses his seat, fingers crossed, its looking good at the moment

chopperbyrne

There's a thread on this already.

Gumbyman

BMH wrote:

The War against Terrorism I'm guessing

At last people are starting to wise up.

BMH

PH01 wrote:

With Crowe about to lose his seat in Dublin South West, where has it all gone wrong for Sinn Fein?

The War on Terror I'm guessing

nikolaitr

When did it start going right for them.

Their whole campaign was based around appealing to Celtic Jersey wearing youths who write "up the Ra" on walls.

Smarmore

Who cares? Just be thankful it has happened!!

yomchi

irishbird wrote:

well, i am very much hoping dessie ellis loses his seat, fingers crossed, its looking good at the moment

He didn't have one to begin with:rolleyes:

BMH

Odd, editing my post moved it down the page.

John Mason

Jon wrote:

He didn't have one to begin with:rolleyes:

did he not, well the way he was going on at my door, i thought he was running the country single handedly - well, lets hope he doest get one

Gobán Saor

PH01 wrote:

where has it all gone wrong for Sinn Fein?

Yes, share of the vote up, total number of seats probably up. Still, it's a disappointment - they'll only be in Government in the Northern part of the country rather than both parts. Still, that's one more part than Enda can boast of, I suppose.:D

yomchi

The problem with SF this time around is simple IMO. They shed a fantastic layer of organisers and party activists in the run up to the policing debate. The guys running the ship especially in Dublin are all relatively new to it.
I was Crowes Director of Elections in DSW in 2002. How they failed to capitalise on that good will back then is beyond me.

In Cabra, if you're not Nicky you ain't getting a vote - simple!

Voipjunkie

Same as happened to the Greens Labour and the Socialist party they all got squeezed

I personally think that Endas performance in the Leaders debate frightened the ****e out of a lot of people as Bertie danced rings around him it seemed to start a bit of surge for FF

It shows the folly of the Labour party hitching themselves to FG they have managed to rescue FG and got nothing out of it for themselves

podge018

irishbird wrote:

did he not, well the way he was going on at my door, i thought he was running the country single handedly - well, lets hope he doest get one

well he's your local councillor where he topped the poll last time so that's probably where you got that impression from. It's tight with him and Shortall, I'd say she'll retain it. They're the two I gave my #1 & 2 to.

BMH

Jon wrote:

The problem with SF this time around is simple IMO. They shed a fantastic layer of organisers and party activists in the run up to the policing debate. The guys running the ship especially in Dublin are all relatively new to it.
I was Crowes Director of Elections in DSW in 2002. How they failed to capitalise on that good will back then is beyond me.

In Cabra, if you're not Nicky you ain't getting a vote - simple!

Can you honestly answer about candidates having ties with IRA then?

Voipjunkie

Jon wrote:

The problem with SF this time around is simple IMO. They shed a fantastic layer of organisers and party activists in the run up to the policing debate. The guys running the ship especially in Dublin are all relatively new to it.
I was Crowes Director of Elections in DSW in 2002. How they failed to capitalise on that good will back then is beyond me.

In Cabra, if you're not Nicky you ain't getting a vote - simple!

Did they concentrate on growing in Dub NC NW and NE rather than consolidate what they had ie did they believe the media who told them their seats were safe.

Did they lose much of the pre ceasefire membership over policing and decommissioning and have they replaced them with people like MLM who do not have the appeal in the traditional working class areas

chopperbyrne

I'd say the majority of people associated with Sinn Féin in the Republic have no ties with the IRA.

Voipjunkie

BMH wrote:

Can you honestly answer about candidates having ties with IRA then?

Who cares you can start a flame about that some other day

John Mason

podge018 wrote:

well he's your local councillor where he topped the poll last time so that's probably where you got that impression from. It's tight with him and Shortall, I'd say she'll retain it. They're the two I gave my #1 & 2 to.

i never heard of this shorthall person until she put a poster up outside my house - so didnt vote for her either

podge018

She's a TD since 1992, the only female TD on the northside.

yomchi

Voipjunkie wrote:

Did they concentrate on growing in Dub NC NW and NE rather than consolidate what they had ie did they believe the media who told them their seats were safe.

Did they lose much of the pre ceasefire membership over policing and decommissioning and have they replaced them with people like MLM who do not have the appeal in the traditional working class areas

Well for NE Larry's results from the last locals and the results from Killian Ford put him in with a good shout of getting a LH seat. Larry in fairness is a trojan worker and has a superb team around him.

IMO yes a good amount of people have left who were members pre ceasefire, especially over policing. Basically the people who ran the election in 2002 are gone, including the organiser. For DSW a team was put in from outside as the local team were all over the place. This time round they did it themselves and lost over 2000 votes - questions have to be asked imo.

horseflesh

Is it just me, or do all SF (male) candidates look "dodgy"??

Pugwash

What went wrong?

Polls put them at 10 and they'll probably pan out at 6.5-ish
People polled who voted Sinn fein or "sinn fein voters" didnt turn out to vote.
The FFvFG contest being "close" also took focus off the 10% and less parties so that could be a factor too.

Villain

I don't think SF have had a really bad election in particular, all the small parties have been pushed out somewhat, SF could still be the 4th largest party in the Dail that coupled with the 2nd largest party in the Northern Assembly along with the 2 MEP makes them a very strong Party on this Island. I wouldn't be dancing on their grave just yet.

Voipjunkie

Pugwash wrote:

What went wrong?

Polls put them at 10 and they'll probably pan out at 6.5-ish
People polled who voted Sinn fein or "sinn fein voters" didnt turn out to vote.
The FFvFG contest being "close" also took focus off the 10% and less parties so that could be a factor too.

I honestly think that some people who were voting for SF/Greens/Independents looked at Enda vs Bertie and decided that there was no contest and they did not want to take a chance that they could end up with Enda by voting for SF/Grn/Independent so switched to FF. That debate seems to have led to a surge to FF.

Ste.phen

irishbird wrote:

i never heard of this shorthall person until she put a poster up outside my house - so didnt vote for her either

Aye, I hadn't heard much about her until just before the election either, but that's because apparently my road moved constituencies since the last election.
(from Dub North Central to Dub North West)

Steyr

horseflesh wrote:

Is it just me, or do all SF (male) candidates look "dodgy"??

Yes, yes they do, and rightly so because thats what they are.

LordSutch

I just hope that Mary Lou doesnt get a seat, not because of her Parties IRA connections (she seems clean enough) but because everytime I see her interviewed she gives out the same old vacuous sound-bite crapp, and I just dont think she is up to the job!

Question & Answers last Monday was a prime example of how enept & lacking she is.

mike65

Its not an Sinn Fein problem, all the parties except FF and FG have had crap elections as they have got squeezed by the big-boys. It became a simple battle in the minds of most voters.

Mike.

jos28

nikolaitr wrote:

When did it start going right for them.

Their whole campaign was based around appealing to Celtic Jersey wearing youths who write "up the Ra" on walls.

LOL. Couldn't agree more.

TwistsAndTurns

nikolaitr wrote:

When did it start going right for them.

Their whole campaign was based around appealing to Celtic Jersey wearing youths who write "up the Ra" on walls.

:eek: Very interesting political observation are you sure your old enough to vote

Money Shot

Anyone know how Dessie Ellis is getting on at the moment - last I heard he was struggling - thanks ?????

Villain

mike65 wrote:

Its not an Sinn Fein problem, all the parties except FF and FG have had crap elections as they have got squeezed by the big-boys. It became a simple battle in the minds of most voters.

Mike.

Your 100% correct Mike I was making the same point thing is we have a lot of SF bashere on here who can't see that.

Your Man

nikolaitr wrote:

When did it start going right for them.

Their whole campaign was based around appealing to Celtic Jersey wearing youths who write "up the Ra" on walls.

couldnt agree more..thatll teach gerry a few lessons in politics

radioman

PH01 wrote:

where has it all gone wrong for Sinn Fein?

Probably around the time their friends were murdering all those good innocent people...

highlight100

Gob&#225 wrote: »

Yes, share of the vote up, total number of seats probably up. Still, it's a disappointment - they'll only be in Government in the Northern part of the country rather than both parts. Still, that's one more part than Enda can boast of, I suppose.:D

Boast of what?
Enda has almost 30% of the people behind him in the Republic of Ireland to the Shinners 6%.
Probaly more when you take into account that
Bertie's team would rather transfer to the blueshirts than Sinn Fein!
Keep the North i say.....

eoghan.geraghty

Jon wrote:

Well for NE Larry's results from the last locals and the results from Killian Ford put him in with a good shout of getting a LH seat. Larry in fairness is a trojan worker and has a superb team around him.

IMO yes a good amount of people have left who were members pre ceasefire, especially over policing. Basically the people who ran the election in 2002 are gone, including the organiser. For DSW a team was put in from outside as the local team were all over the place. This time round they did it themselves and lost over 2000 votes - questions have to be asked imo.

Jon, do you think there is a movement in SF to move away from their traditional grass roots support to gain a more mainstream audience?

qwertplaywert

cant believe mary-lou didnt win a seat........*crys*

mike65

Larry O'Toole eliminated.

Mike.

is_that_so

Aside from the S word, SF probably overtalked their chances a touch. Looking at how their support base and seats have grown this is not surprising. Considering that how many seats have been won by a handful of votes in elections, their confidence was a bit misplaced. They may also have face up to the fact that the voting public like looking at manifestos and real policies.

Villain

SF have come very close in a lot of seats with young candidates, John Bowman quite rightly pointed this out, Sinn Fein may not have made big increases but they have grown their support and look to be building a young team of candidates that will only grow in the coming years.

McSpud

Disappointing to see FF back in but demise of SF brings can at least make me smile.

I think the fight has literally gone out of SF. To appeal to mainstream they have hidden their core policies which is what made them appeal to the loonie left. They were anti-Brits but gone into bed with them. U-turn on Corporation tax & perception they would increase taxes put off even working class people. Dick Roche removed the vote early vote often crowd from the register.

philstar

god help this country if those bunch of bank robbers, thugs, murderers, extreme nationalist fascists ever get into power....if they do then...i'm out of here.

Villain

I tell you one thing Dick Roche is a good local Politican but he will be in big trouble over the register a lot and I mean a lot of people were denied votes and as I said above SF have a young team of members and are growing their vote, anyone who thinks SF have lost ground here need to look at the stats.

The major Parties have been gaining ground in this election and the very fact that Sinn Fein have increased their vote shows they are growing, they may not have increased as much as they wanted but neither did the Greens or Labour and they certainly haven't gone the same way as the PD's. Its just we have a load of people here trying to make out that Sinn Fein are failing.

The fact is anyone with any Political intelligence can see what has happened at this election and they can see Sinn Fein have done well in these conditions, although I think many people can't grasp that concept.

lucernarian

Beyond the explicit aim of a 32-county Ireland, what good policy does SF offer which one of the other parties don't? That's if I ignore my own misgivings with some other of their policies.

Villain

To_be_confirmed wrote:

Beyond the explicit aim of a 32-county Ireland, what good policy does SF offer which one of the other parties don't? That's if I ignore my own misgivings with some other of their policies.

I'm not a member of Sinn Fein I didn't even vote for them in this election or the last eclection so I don't think I am best placed to answer that.

lucernarian

irish1 wrote:

I'm not a member of Sinn Fein I didn't even vote for them in this election or the last eclection so I don't think I am best placed to answer that.

That was not directed at you?? I just wanted a Sinn Féin member to reply, yet the first reply is someone telling me they're not a member.

eoghan.geraghty

To_be_confirmed wrote:

Beyond the explicit aim of a 32-county Ireland, what good policy does SF offer which one of the other parties don't? That's if I ignore my own misgivings with some other of their policies.

1. No bin tax
2. Bow to populist and union pressure always
3. Increase social welfare payments to the point that lazy sods won't bother working.
4. Free housing to said social welfare recipients eliminating the need for ambition.
5. An end to "fat cats" taking all the loot.

Villain

I think the Political Intelligence I spoke about above is lacking in certain posts, people can't grasp the overall picture and see how this election is actually a good result for Sinn Fein. Perhaps in time posters will see what I mean.

Gobán Saor

philstar wrote:

god help this country if those bunch of bank robbers, thugs, murderers, extreme nationalist fascists ever get into power....if they do then...i'm out of here.

Hmmmm, I see.......But........in the North of this country, the secret of getting the economy up and running, and lots of nice inward investment was to, ahem, get that "bunch of bank robbers, thugs, murderers, extreme nationalist fascists........into power" with the DUP. Funny, that:rolleyes: