Election 2011 - Mayo Style

finisklin

Hi folks,

just thought I'd open a new thread to refresh and look ahead to the election campaign that has started in earnest.

Candidates declared (as I know, please add if I have missed any one)

• Dara Calleary FF
• Gerry Cowley Lab
• Rose Conway Walsh SF
• Therese Ruane SF
• Michael Ring FG
• Enda Kenny FG
• John O'Mahony FG
• Michelle Mulhearn FG
• Michael Kilcoyne Ind (not sure if declared yet?)

What will be the key issues? Economy/Recession/IMF/Local Issues etc.

Will social media play apart?

I noticed Gerry Cowley on the canvas in Ballina today....looking dapper in his Red tie! I think the upheaval in FF may have delayed the launch of Dara's campaign though MM has been busy with funerals over the last few weeks......

Positive piece in the telegraph re DC

http://www.con-telegraph.ie/news/politics/2159-daras-gamble

Will Enda participate in the 3 way debate? Diminished his standing in the public view and he has been remarkeably quiet in his public appearances over the last while.

The game is on.......

Cosmo Kramer

The good news for Enda is that he doesn't have to produce anything too special to win this election and become Taoiseach, he just needs to hold it together for a month. However, as a party leader he will have to appear in the debates no matter how much he tries to put the focus on the FG 'team'- I'd expect him to do OK in that environment, FG have reams of policy he can refer to and while it might not be interesting stuff, i think the country would prefer substance to flashy bull**** this time around. Don't expect him to go striking a killer blow in any of them though.

I think the campaign in Mayo will reflect the national mood, FF will get a kicking like everywhere else. FG will of course poll extremely well here - although it would take an incredible performance to secure four seats.

FF under Martin already look a different party to the one Cowen was running as recently as two weeks ago. Martin's approach appears to be to accept the inevitable and try to minimise the damage. To this end he has spoken this week about only running one candidate in some of the biggest constituencies. Although, as the biggest constituency (geographically) and with the only returning TD located at one end of the county, I'm still not sure that this is the best approach in Mayo. However, facing a difficult task of winning two seats they may be deciding to sacrifice the central and west Mayo FF vote this time around to ensure Calleary gets home.

In historical terms the prospect of FF only running one candidate in a county where they once held four seats is quite incredible.

I want to have a go at predicting it now so I can come back in a month and see how things have transpired, but its impossible to predict where the last seat (or maybe two) will go. But I'll have a stab at it anyway!

So I'll go Kenny to top the poll followed by Ring, then Calleary, JOM and maybe Cowley to have a strong month and pick up votes here and there all over the county and scrape in well below the quota, maybe on Mulherrin transfers. I think that would be the best result for the county too.

I just hope we don't waste a seat by voting in an independent candidate, I think its a safe bet that FG/LAB will have a comfortable majority this time out and any independents voted in around the country (there will be quite a few) will spend the next few years kicking their heels on the opposition benches with no real power to achieve anything.

nuac

Amazed that FF only putting up one candkiate in Mayo. Ballina is a long way from significant parts of the constituency - they risk that many FF voters will not come out in those areas.

yop

Out of pure interest, whats the spread of "job experience" with all the candidates there in Mayo?

O'Mahony - Teacher
Kenny - Teacher
Ring - Breadman

What do the rest of them do?

I am just curious as to what the candidates have with regards their previous experience.

finisklin

yop wrote: »

Out of pure interest, whats the spread of "job experience" with all the candidates there in Mayo?

O'Mahony - Teacher
Kenny - Teacher
Ring - Breadman

What do the rest of them do?

I am just curious as to what the candidates have with regards their previous experience.

• Calleary worked for chambers Ireland as a development executive, graduate of Trinity college.

• Mulhearn is a solicitor & county councillor

• Cowley is a GP in Mulranny.

• O'Mahony is a retired teacher (I think) though with his involvement in GAA over the last 20 years I guess the teaching was part time?

• Is Kilcoyne a auctioneer?
• Rose Conway Walsh is a county councillor
• Therese Ruane is also a county councillor

nuac

Re Dáil candidates vocations

Ml Ring left school afaik befroe Leaving Cert and started off as a breadsalesman. He builit up a very successful business and was running at least two vans ( with employees ) before he changed to auctioneering. Likewise he was very successful at that until full time politics took over.

Michelle Mulherin is a highly regarded solicitor

Jerry Cowley is a GP

Ml Kilcoyne is a SIPTU official and a funeral director.

finisklin

Not to take anything away from the vocations of the prospective TDs and for balance I would argue that they are all highly regarded in their fields.....;)

finisklin

DC launching his campaign on Friday night......more details here....

http://www.mayotoday.ie/index.php/browse-mayo-news-by-category/mayo-election-diary/item/2269-tv-dragon-to-launch-callearys-election-campaign.html

Neworder79

None inspire much excitement for me, no new ideas or signs of intelligence beyond the usual platitudes. More of the usual type of politico candidate you'd expect to run.

Calleary's blind self-serving loyalty to Cowen, and denial of reality recently has showed a side I don't like, lost a lot of respect for him.

Had hoped someone with a strong business background like FG Cllr Peter Flynn might run. Articulate, practical strategic thinker with multinational experience and an understanding of infrastructure needs of the county.

He'd be far better asset to the region than the ministher for funerals and handouts.

finisklin

John Carey from Kilmaine has announced his candidancy for the Green Party. Is this the Green's first foray into Mayo?

More info here on John.....

http://www.mayotoday.ie/index.php/browse-mayo-news-by-category/mayo-election-diary/item/2274-kilmaine-man-standing-for-green-party-in-mayo.html

He's gonna be up agin it......especially since he's not in a big urban area (Castlebar, Ballina etc.)

Cosmo Kramer

The Greens have run in Mayo before, I remember Ann Crowley(?) accosting me outside Hanley's on Station Road some years ago, it was probably the 97 elections, I wasn't quite old enough to vote at the time, but that didn't stop her telling me why i should have been voting for her as soon as I was old enough to !

Sugarfree

Any chance of putting a poll up. See who we're giving our number 1 to.

Kristopherus

My call is :Ring, Kenny, Calleary, O'Mahony/Mulherin and O'Mahony/Mulherin(loser) & Cowley & Kilcoyne for the last seat.

Ilovelucy

What is ichael Kilcoynes pedigree? On what basis will he be running? I have googled and cant find a lot of info. Thanks.

yop

I can't see Calleary coming in 2nd, his blind love for Cowan will prob pee a lot of people off but it will probably come down to local politics.

finisklin

Fresh off the Mid West News Desk........

Michael Kilcoyne Declares as An Independent Candidate

Tuesday, 01 February 2011 09:42

CASTLEBAR TOWN AND COUNTY COUNCILLOR MICHAEL KILCOYNE HAS DECLARED THAT HE WILL RUN IN THE UPCOMING GENERAL ELECTION AS AN INDEPENDENT CANDIDATE.

THE SIPTU OFFICIAL AND MEMBER OF THE NATIONAL CONSUMER AGENCY WAS A FORMER MEMBER OF THE LABOUR PARTY BUT HAS BEEN AN INDEPENDENT COUNCILLOR FOR SOME YEARS.

SPEAKING TO MIDWEST NEWS TODAY HE SAID HE HAS DECIDED TO CONTEST THE 2011 GENERAL ELECTION AFTER CONSIDERABLE REFLECTION AND IN RESPONSE TO THE PUBLIC’S REQUEST TO HAVE A VOICE IN THE DAIL.

HE SAID HE WILL DO HIS BEST TO ADDRESS THE ISSUES OF CONCERN TO THE PUBLIC PARTICULARLY REGARDING EMIGRATION AND THE NEED FOR JOB CREATION.

yop

Interesting that. I would give him a vote but been 100% greedy then we need to get FG into Government and Kenny as the leader if we are ever going to get any right jobs / infrastructure down here.

Avns1s

finisklin wrote: »

Fresh off the Mid West News Desk........

Michael Kilcoyne Declares as An Independent Candidate

Tuesday, 01 February 2011 09:42

CASTLEBAR TOWN AND COUNTY COUNCILLOR MICHAEL KILCOYNE HAS DECLARED THAT HE WILL RUN IN THE UPCOMING GENERAL ELECTION AS AN INDEPENDENT CANDIDATE.

THE SIPTU OFFICIAL AND MEMBER OF THE NATIONAL CONSUMER AGENCY WAS A FORMER MEMBER OF THE LABOUR PARTY BUT HAS BEEN AN INDEPENDENT COUNCILLOR FOR SOME YEARS.

SPEAKING TO MIDWEST NEWS TODAY HE SAID HE HAS DECIDED TO CONTEST THE 2011 GENERAL ELECTION AFTER CONSIDERABLE REFLECTION AND IN RESPONSE TO THE PUBLIC’S REQUEST TO HAVE A VOICE IN THE DAIL.

HE SAID HE WILL DO HIS BEST TO ADDRESS THE ISSUES OF CONCERN TO THE PUBLIC PARTICULARLY REGARDING EMIGRATION AND THE NEED FOR JOB CREATION.

In fairness, Brian Cowen and Brian Lenihan "did their best" and see the mess we're in.

I don't think that independents will have any balance of power after this election so arguably, electing an independent is close on a waste of time.

Fogra

Avns1s wrote: »

In fairness, Brian Cowen and Brian Lenihan "did their best"

Yeah. They did their best to destroy the country you mean.:rolleyes:

Avns1s

Fogra wrote: »

Yeah. They did their best to destroy the country you mean.:rolleyes:

Well, outside of the Fianna Fail arogance and the fact that they without exception treated taxpayers money as their own personal slush fund that they could spend and squander as they wished, looking after their own friends and party followers in the process, I don't think there was a particular malice in Cowen or Lenihan. I do think that they believe they did their best "for the country".

finisklin

Avns1s wrote: »

Well, outside of the Fianna Fail arogance and the fact that they without exception treated taxpayers money as their own personal slush fund that they could spend and squander as they wished, looking after their own friends and party followers in the process, I don't think there was a particular malice in Cowen or Lenihan. I do think that they believe they did their best "for the country".

Is this thread getting a bit like Monty Python? Maybe the reverse/opposite of What did the Romans ever do for us?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ExWfh6sGyso

I am not trying to put FF in the same league as the Romans here....but this is a funny sketch. FF are in a calamitious league of their own making! Untouchable.

Coillte_Bhoy

yop wrote: »

Interesting that. I would give him a vote but been 100% greedy then we need to get FG into Government and Kenny as the leader if we are ever going to get any right jobs / infrastructure down here.

Oh ffs, talk about small minded parochialism. We need to move on from this parish pump syle politics. There is no hope for the country with that attitude still so prevalent.

Cosmo Kramer

Coillte_Bhoy wrote: »

Oh ffs, talk about small minded parochialism. We need to move on from this parish pump syle politics. There is no hope for the country with that attitude still so prevalent.

As long as our existing PR system remains in place its the reality I'm afraid, its dog eat dog between one constituency and the next so if we're not looking after ourselves in Mayo, you can be sure nobody else is going to. Even within the county individual politicians will look after their own patch ahead of the rest of the county. Calleary openly admits his priority is Ballina over the rest of Mayo and the contrasting fortunes of Castlebar and Ballina in the last 30 years show who Kenny and Flynn have looked after during their times in power. Yop is spot on in his comments, this time around a vote for FG or Labour is a better vote for improving Mayo in the next five years, that's the reality - and I say that as someone who has never voted for either party in my life.

If I though they would hold the balance of power I'd suggest voting independent, but I can't see it transpiring that way, so I think it would be a wasted seat if we voted in someone like Kilcoyne.

yop

Coillte_Bhoy wrote: »

Oh ffs, talk about small minded parochialism. We need to move on from this parish pump syle politics. There is no hope for the country with that attitude still so prevalent.

Lol, well its the reality as you should know. If FF get back in, shoot me if they do, then we will once again be left in the sh*T. Why is it that so many are moving out of Mayo for their work, myself included, when in the area I work in they CAN'T fill all the jobs up in Dublin?

Look around at our roads, drive the N5, where do all the good roads start??? Leinister is it not.

Call it what you like, its the reality, I don't like it and I dont agree with it, but if we dont vote this way we are going to be even further behind.

finisklin

First blood to CALLEARY as he has his poster's going up on the sligo Road tonight. He's not holding back.....hsven't seen any other posters yet.

BTW what type of fund would a prospective candidate for a general election need to have in place to drive his campaign? €30K? I assume the guys that put up the posters and take them down get paid?

Any thoughts would be appreciated.....

finisklin

One more independent declared...... Loretta Clarke fighting for OAPs & healthcare system reform.

yop

finisklin wrote: »

One more independent declared...... Loretta Clarke fighting for OAPs & healthcare system reform.

Ok, where is that lady based? Any idea of her background?

finisklin

yop wrote: »

Ok, where is that lady based? Any idea of her background?

She was on MWR at lunch time.....sounded a bit dramatic to me. She's 75 years old, was on Frontline before. Her nephew is former SF local councillor for Ballina Peter Clarke.

BTW Ming Flanagan was on RTE 1 news and could cause a shock in Roscommon as an independent candidate.

Kilcoyne strong runner in Mayo. He should get 5th seat...my bet is on 3 FG, 1FF & Kilcoyne. 3rd FG seat between MM & JoM.

yop

She is 75!! Fair play to her!

finisklin

Ballina-based pensioner to contest election in Mayo

Wednesday, 02 February 2011 15:39


ANOTHER INDEPENDENT CANDIDATE HAS TODAY THROW HER HAT IN THE RING IN THE 5-SEATER MAYO CONSTITUENCY.


BALLINA-BASED LORETTA CLARKE, AN OLD-AGE PENSIONER, HAS DECIDED TO RUN AS A VOICE FOR THE ELDERLY IN THE COUNTY

HarryPotter41

finisklin wrote: »

First blood to CALLEARY as he has his poster's going up on the sligo Road tonight. He's not holding back.....hsven't seen any other posters yet.

BTW what type of fund would a prospective candidate for a general election need to have in place to drive his campaign? €30K? I assume the guys that put up the posters and take them down get paid?

Any thoughts would be appreciated.....

Nope, they don't get paid, certainly not within FF, still have a good on the ground organisation that is backing Dara full tilt.

nuac

Suggest that in these days of choices of multiple media that much postering is a waste of time and money.

Thankfully postering no longer permitted close to polling booths, and some towns have banned posters - e.g. Westport and Killarney in previous elections.

Some are traffic hazards due to bad location. In this windy weather they are a danger to pedestrians and vehicles if blown loose..

I know there is a long tradition associated with posters but should we move on to other forms of electioneering?

oscarBravo

Keep an eye on this - should be interesting - and don't forget to vote!

finisklin

oscarBravo wrote: »

Keep an eye on this - should be interesting - and don't forget to vote!

The list of candidates is incomplete......Rose Conway Walsh missing, M Kilcoyne and OAP candidate also missing. This will skew the result as the three mentioned are all strong credible candidates.......more so than the Green candidate (no disrespect intended, just that Green priorities are way down the list for Mayo voters, IMO).

oscarBravo

It will update - remember, the nominations haven't closed yet.

The result will probably be somewhat skewed by the boards.ie demographic anyway, but it's still a very, very interesting experiment.

mayo.mick

Fair play to boards for putting this poll up, it even got a mention on p.ie

castrolracing

Kristopherus wrote: »

My call is :Ring, Kenny, Calleary, O'Mahony/Mulherin and O'Mahony/Mulherin(loser) & Cowley & Kilcoyne for the last seat.

cant agree
Kenny, ring o mahoney are dead certs. Callery should be sound. last seat between mulhern and kilcoyne. Kilcoyne should pick up a lot of number 2s from Kenny in castlebar which will boost his vote he willalso get a lot fianna fail protest votes. I cant see Cowley getting too far.

castrolracing

Ilovelucy wrote: »

What is ichael Kilcoynes pedigree? On what basis will he be running? I have googled and cant find a lot of info. Thanks.

He is an undertaker and is heavily involved in consumer rights. Got a great vote in the council election. topped the poll in castlebar

castrolracing

I agree, Callery wont com in second, I think this will be it
1. Kenny
2. Ring
3. O`Mahoney
4. Callery
5. Mullhern/Cowley

O`Mahoney has a huge area to himself in southeast Mayo, Claremorris, Ballyhaunis, Knock, Kiltimagh, Kilmaine and into Ballinrobe. I would be very surprised if he doesnt get a massive vote. If the voters in Ballina get it right and vote for 2 locals, dont be surprised to see Mullhern sneak in. It is hard to see Kilcoyne repeating his big council election vote with Kenny in the same town although if as I expect Kenny to get 2 quotas Kilcoyne could benefit greatly from them.
I cant understand Sinn Fein putting up 2 candidates, surely they are splitting their vote are they not?

Kristopherus

castrolracing wrote: »

cant agree
Kenny, ring o mahoney are dead certs. Callery should be sound. last seat between mulhern and kilcoyne. Kilcoyne should pick up a lot of number 2s from Kenny in castlebar which will boost his vote he willalso get a lot fianna fail protest votes. I cant see Cowley getting too far.

Feel free to disagree!!! Your scenario is very believable as well. Fascinating for the last 2 seats in particular. The Kilcoyne factor is interesting. He will probably finish ahead of the local Shinner & a lot of her votes will go back to him.Plus he will pick up some 2s & 3s from Kenny and also from Cowley. He is a former member of Labour. Kenny & Ring will be heading the poll. As you have said O'Mahony has a huge area and if antipathy is rife towards FF he will pick up a lot of personal FF votes if only because of the "nice fellow" factor.It will be interesting to see how Cowley gets on in Achill, where there's only 1 Co. Councillor and he is FF. He got a lot of votes in the Barony(Erris/Belmullet) and he was a Shell to Sea supporter in 2002. There will be a Shinner up against him there as well. You would expect there's at least a quota for FF, so that might just do Calleary. I won't be betting on who the Chosen Five will be:)

Ugool

The new wind strategy being adapted by Mayo CC will zone enough land, if developed, to produce 28GW of power. That translated into income would equate to €7 billion per annnum. What percentage of that can we achieve? Well, that all depends on the new government and how serious they are in tackling the issues that hinder it's development. Lack of suitable grid and 20 year delays in getting to market all presided over by ESB, Eirgrid and the Dept. of Energy, all well paid members of this little State. How many of our Candidates are discussing this issue. Outside of Michelle Mulherin I haven't heard any.

finisklin

Ugool wrote: »

The new wind strategy being adapted by Mayo CC will zone enough land, if developed, to produce 28GW of power. That translated into income would equate to €7 billion per annnum. What percentage of that can we achieve? Well, that all depends on the new government and how serious they are in tackling the issues that hinder it's development. Lack of suitable grid and 20 year delays in getting to market all presided over by ESB, Eirgrid and the Dept. of Energy, all well paid members of this little State. How many of our Candidates are discussing this issue. Outside of Michelle Mulherin I haven't heard any.

Perhaps you can point to MM's reference on this matter so we can make an informed decision for ourselves? A link would be great.....(I don't buy the Western anymore!).

HarryPotter41

finisklin wrote: »

Perhaps you can point to MM's reference on this matter so we can make an informed decision for ourselves? A link would be great.....(I don't buy the Western anymore!).

Have heard references in relation to MM and lots of wind, but dunno if it was this :-)

Ugool

http://www.mayonews.ie/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=11101:poor-power-grid-preventing-renewable-energy-investment&catid=23:news&Itemid=46

Dermot McDonnell is a well informed opinion in the Energy field and is running as an Independant Candidate.

HarryPotter41

Ugool wrote: »

http://www.mayonews.ie/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=11101:poor-power-grid-preventing-renewable-energy-investment&catid=23:news&Itemid=46

Dermot McDonnell is a well informed opinion in the Energy field and is running as an Independant Candidate.

One line at a council meeting reported in the paper is discussing an issue?????

finisklin

The ket thing in this is to determine what the co co strategy is in relation to renewable energy though harnessing wave technology/energy will be only one component of this. MM's comments are in her role as chair of planning, economic development committee.

MM raises a fair point but until I see a concrete FG policy for this in Mayo I remain to be convinced......

Ugool

I agree it wouldn't constitute a discussion, but I have heard her on numerous occasions on Radio, at the Council meetings and read her contributions elsewhere. The fact that I cannot give you the recordings doesn't mean I didn't hear her.

finisklin

An admirable aim but can't see it working.......will be interesting to see if O'Mahony comes to North Mayo and Foxford this time around. I don't believe Ring for a minute when he says its a team game.....Bullsh*t!

Ring and Mulherin opt for transfer pact


Anton McNulty

FINE Gael took a major step towards winning an unprecedented fourth seat in Mayo when traditional sure vote winner Michael Ring asked his supporters to give councillor Michelle Mulherin their number two vote in order to get the Ballina based solicitor elected to the Dáil.

The voting strategy was outlined at Michael Ring’s election campaign launch in the Castlecourt Hotel in Westport on Friday night.

Cllr Mulherin was present at the launch where Deputy Ring’s Director of Elections, Patrick Durcan told supporters of the voting strategy which they hope will get four Fine Gael candidates elected for Mayo.

“We believe that if four seats are to be won, Fine Gael supporters in this area should cast their number one vote for Michael Ring and their number two for Michelle Mulherin.
“That is the directive of the constituency executive and that is the directive we are encouraging you to follow. At the end of the day the object is to achieve four seats, we won’t do that by voting wildly, we will do that by voting in a scientific and planned way,” he said.

Vote management has been seen as an Achilles heal in Fine Gael’s quest for the fourth seat with the four candidates eager to hold onto as much territory as possible. Over the last week there was intense negotiation between the various candidates and their Director of Elections and an agreement was reached by both Michael Ring and Enda Kenny to cede some ground to Michelle Mulherin and John O’Mahony.

While Michael Ring’s supporters have been asked to back Mulherin, Michael Sloyan, the Fine Gael Director of Elections in Mayo confirmed to The Mayo News that no such agreement has been reached to ask Kenny’s supporters to give John O’Mahony their number two vote but a decision on it is expected to be made during the week.

Speaking to The Mayo News at his election launch, Deputy Ring said that he believes that if the four candidates win their area they have a chance of winning the four seats.

However he stressed that he faced the most challenges in terms of candidates in his area and would not take too kindly to other candidates canvassing in his area.

“I believe we will win the four seats if we all win our four areas. We have a strategy in place and I have given a lot of ground to Michelle Mulherin and John O’Mahoney, and I am hoping they will stick to it. Already the signals are not very good but if that’s the way they’ll play it, we will end up with three seats instead of four.

It has to be a team game and everyone will have to play their part and I will play mine. I gave up ground and so did Kenny and we are taking a big risk but we did it for the sake of the party,” he said.
A large number of supporters attended Deputy Ring’s launch including many of the local town and county councillors. In his address, Deputy Ring attacked the new Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin and said Fine Gael would put the country first.

“I have a word for Micheál Martin. He likes to think he is cleaner than thou but at the end of the day he was a senior minister in the cabinet of the worst government since the foundation of the state.
They have hurt everyone in this country and I never thought the day would come that the IMF would be brought in by the great Republican party of Fianna Fáil. People are looking for hope and a new beginning. They are frightened about their family, their jobs and the country and we have to give them confidence and hope.”

No complacency

Complacency was the buzz word at Ring’s election campaign launch with supporters reminded that the election had not yet been won and nothing could be taken for granted. Each councillor who spoke at the launch warned not to let complacency set into the campaign and to ‘put the shoulder to the wheel’ until election day.

“This is a battle we cannot be complacent about,” warned Westport councillor John O’Malley. “We are not in government and we need to get every vote out. We are on a roll here but we have to keep our feet on the ground and canvass like we never canvassed before.” Cllr Austin Francis O’Malley said it was great to see Fine Gael on the verge of being the biggest party in Ireland and urged canvassers to get to every door in the county. Cllr Michelle Mulherin said that the Fine Gael party would give people hope and despite the economic problems it was an ‘exciting time for the country’. She said the people should not give up hope and to build on the momentum generated by Fine Gael.

Patrick Durcan delighted the supporters when he took a swipe at the state of the Fianna Fáil party in Mayo when commenting that the campaign so far was lonely because ‘we haven’t found the Fianna Fáil party anywhere’. Erris based councillor Gerry Coyle hit out at the ‘whiter than white’ Micheál Martin and claimed that both Fianna Fáil and Sinn Féin had brought hardship on the country in the past and told supporters to be proud members of the Fine Gael party.

“They have brought the IMF here but it has not been Fianna Fáil’s first time. And it’s not Sinn Féin’s first time if you can remember back. I’m not calling for us to be looking back but it is nice to remember a Civil War that has cost thousands of lives and a so called fight for freedom which for 35 years killed thousands. And the border never moved a millimetre either way since Collins signed the Treaty in 1921.

“Don’t be afraid to stand up to Sinn Féin and the whiter than whites when they come knocking on your door saying all will be different. Stick your chest out and be proud of being a supporter of Fine Gael and Michael Ring,” he concluded.

HarryPotter41

finisklin wrote: »

“They have brought the IMF here but it has not been Fianna Fáil’s first time. And it’s not Sinn Féin’s first time if you can remember back. I’m not calling for us to be looking back but it is nice to remember a Civil War that has cost thousands of lives and a so called fight for freedom which for 35 years killed thousands. And the border never moved a millimetre either way since Collins signed the Treaty in 1921.

“Don’t be afraid to stand up to Sinn Féin and the whiter than whites when they come knocking on your door saying all will be different. Stick your chest out and be proud of being a supporter of Fine Gael and Michael Ring,” he concluded.

Good lord, what wind.

Ugool

finisklin wrote: »

The ket thing in this is to determine what the co co strategy is in relation to renewable energy though harnessing wave technology/energy will be only one component of this. MM's comments are in her role as chair of planning, economic development committee.

MM raises a fair point but until I see a concrete FG policy for this in Mayo I remain to be convinced......

I agree with that. Until we see a comprehensive policy from the new Government on Eirgrid, ESB, CER, Bord na Mona etc we in Mayo will still be left behind without a grid or export market.

Cosmo Kramer

HarryPotter41 wrote: »

Good lord, what wind.

That sums up the entire article to be honest.

I have seen a side of Michael Ring first hand that he'd much prefer the electorate not to see and I can tell you that he is a man with no interest other than self interest. The way I have seen him impose himself on the funerals of people who neither knew him or supported him is appalling.

Won't stop him sailing past the quota though.