Council elections 2019

muffler

Only a few weeks to go so time to make the predictions or discuss the runners and riders so to speak.

One of the shocks so far is the official confirmation of Frank McBrearty running on the FG ticket. A very clever move by the party HQ but a bit of a knife in the back for the 2 candidatures already selected at local level.

retalivity

Im not close to politics out that end of the county, but id have thought there was little crossover between FG supporters and McB supporters. And his move under FG would alienate both rather than merge them

ednwireland

havent seen anything relating to local elections, no candidates nothing, saw fidelma in donegal town yesterday anvassing for the european elections but thats it . seems very low key.

very difficult to make a choice as i dont think any of them have done much that ive heard of


What runners ?

water-man

What Frank McBrearty running for FG!!! I'm sorry but why?? After the last election did he not show his true colours with a tweet.

muffler

water-man wrote: »

What Frank McBrearty running for FG!!! I'm sorry but why??

I think that Frank would be the only man who could give the reason why

water-man wrote: »

After the last election did he not show his true colours with a tweet.

What did he tweet if you dont mind me asking?

muffler

muffler wrote: »

I think that Frank would be the only man who could give the reason why


What did he tweet if you dont mind me asking?

I seem to vaguely remember a bit of a rant about how many people promised him a vote which wasn't forthcoming, and something to the effect that he was finished with politics?

Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

I had the local FF candidates leaflet pushed through my letterbox today. I haven't heard from any other candidates so far.

Cherry Blossom

muffler wrote: »

What did he tweet if you dont mind me asking?

It was on Facebook, see here:

https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=98881075&postcount=111

donegal_man

Haven't heard a peep from any of the candidates so far.
Kevin Gallagher seems to have opened a campaign office Port Rd but that's as much as I've seen.
Frank McBrearty, the man with more positions than the Karma Sutra

cosanostra

muffler wrote: »

Only a few weeks to go so time to make the predictions or discuss the runners and riders so to speak.

One of the shocks so far is the official confirmation of Frank McBrearty running on the FG ticket. A very clever move by the party HQ but a bit of a knife in the back for the 2 candidatures already selected at local level.

Clever move? wonder how long til hes censored, if anything it shows up the state of irish politics. candidates should take a political compass test before deciding which party to join then the electorate should take one to figure out where they stand. I know people who choose who they vote for by who looks nice on the poster...... then vote FF/FG regardless

muffler

donegal_man wrote: »

Haven't heard a peep from any of the candidates so far.

Looks like I jumped the gun a wee bit but there are a few confirmed in any event. Official nominations must be made during the week from 27th April to 4th May. So in less than 2 weeks time we will have the full list of candidates across the County.

Heard Ian McGarvey on the radio a few weeks back and I think he said he was going to run again

muffler

cosanostra wrote: »

Clever move? wonder how long til hes censored, if anything it shows up the state of irish politics. candidates should take a political compass test before deciding which party to join then the electorate should take one to figure out where they stand. I know people who choose who they vote for by who looks nice on the poster...... then vote FF/FG regardless

First of all I'll have to declare that I am not involved in politics and generally couldnt care less about it or the participants but I do take a bit of an interest when it comes to election time.

The reason I think its a clever move by FG to have McBrearty on the ticket is that its likely he will be re-elected again and there's a good chance that Harley will also be elected thus giving the party 2 seats in the Stranorlar EA which is something they never had before. FG's tactics failed repeatedly in the past when running a more or less unknown candidate alongside the sitting councillor. If they can do something similar in other EA's then there's a good chance that they will increase the overall number of seats on the Council and obviously have one eye, like any major party, on having a majority.

I take your point though on McBrearty's temperament but I think he may have mellowed slightly in recent times....then again, maybe not

retalivity

muffler wrote: »

Heard Ian McGarvey on the radio a few weeks back and I think he said he was going to run again

Is that the guy from ramelton thats about 90???

muffler

retalivity wrote: »

Is that the guy from ramelton thats about 90???

Yup, thats him

Cherry Blossom

I saw a few young fellas with a van and a ladder out half an hour ago putting up election posters.

ednwireland

first canvassers were round on Tuesday. Sinn Fein do get the feet on the ground quick

buckfasterer

ednwireland wrote: »

first canvassers were round on Tuesday. Sinn Fein do get the feet on the ground quick

Canvassers for Manus Kelly were around here in Letterkenny on Tuesday also. Not just SF on the ball.

muffler

Just noticed the first batch of posters up in the twin towns area this morning

bells of shandon

I keep a nail on the wall of the outside toilet. I hang the leaflets from FF/FG/SF/Liebour there. They are used for wiping my ass, as the only way I can save money with those bunch of crooks.

SBourgaize

bells of shandon wrote: »

I keep a nail on the wall of the outside toilet. I hang the leaflets from FF/FG/SF/Liebour there. They are used for wiping my ass, as the only way I can save money with those bunch of crooks.

Jesus, calm yourself, they aren't elected just to save you money

L1011

bells of shandon wrote: »

I keep a nail on the wall of the outside toilet. I hang the leaflets from FF/FG/SF/Liebour there. They are used for wiping my ass, as the only way I can save money with those bunch of crooks.

You wipe your arse with hard, shiny paper? Each to their own...

Firblog

Think I'll vote for this maguire guy, who has steamhosed his message onto footpaths around Donegal Town; seems to think 'out of the box' in relation to canvassing/promoting himself, hopefully he'd be able to bring the same ability to issues facing the county.

muffler

Nominations are now closed and a full list of the candidates in their respective Electoral Areas may be viewed here

water-man

Just looked at the Stranorlar/Lifford area candidates:

11 candidates
3 Fine Gael
2 Fianna Fail
2 Sinn Fein
2 independent
No female candidates
1 candidate not resident in Republic of Ireland

How many get elected from each area?

alchemist33

water-man wrote: »

Just looked at the Stranorlar/Lifford area candidates:

11 candidates
3 Fine Gael
2 Fianna Fail
2 Sinn Fein
2 independent
No female candidates
1 candidate not resident in Republic of Ireland

How many get elected from each area?

Who or what is the non-resident?

At least we have some women in Letterkenny. Manus Kelly's insistence on having "Mandy" on his posters, and now the official papers, and likely the ballot paper, annoys me no end.

rootlesstree

water-man wrote: »

Just looked at the Stranorlar/Lifford area candidates:

11 candidates
3 Fine Gael
2 Fianna Fail
2 Sinn Fein
2 independent
No female candidates
1 candidate not resident in Republic of Ireland

How many get elected from each area?

Buncrana 5
Carndonagh 4
Donegal 6
Glenties 6
Letterkenny 7
Lifford-Stranorlar 6
Milford 3

muffler

alchemist33 wrote: »

Who or what is the non-resident?

If its the guy Im thinking of then he was born, lived and worked in the Ballybofey area.

muffler

water-man wrote: »

Just looked at the Stranorlar/Lifford area candidates:

11 candidates
3 Fine Gael
2 Fianna Fail
2 Sinn Fein
2 independent
No female candidates
1 candidate not resident in Republic of Ireland

How many get elected from each area?

Couple of interesting points in this area.

No women this time whereas there were 2 running in 2014. Pity, as I think there should be more female representation. Also in 2014 there were 13 candidates for the 6 seats but this time around there 2 less.

donegal_man

alchemist33 wrote: »

...Manus Kelly's insistence on having "Mandy" on his posters, and now the official papers, and likely the ballot paper, annoys me no end.

I asked one of his canvassers about that. She said it's a local way of shortening the name Manus, I hadn't the heart to point out they're exactly the same length.

donegal_man

donegal_man wrote: »

I asked one of his canvassers about that. She said it's a local way of shortening the name Manus, I hadn't the heart to point out they're exactly the same length.

I've heard of Mandy being used to shorten the paternal name in nicknames - eg. Joe Mandy, where Joe's father was called Manus - but I've never heard it used for a forename. Where is this Manus guy from?

buckfasterer

Deleted User wrote: »

I've heard of Mandy being used to shorten the paternal name in nicknames - eg. Joe Mandy, where Joe's father was called Manus - but I've never heard it used for a forename. Where is this Manus guy from?

Glenswilly. Local celebrity don't ya know with the rallying

muffler

So, does anyone want to put their predictions forward before the counting over the weekend?

For my own EA which is Stranorlar (has been renamed Lifford & Stranorlar) I think we will see the same 6 ugly mugs again

alchemist33

Saw this up today. Surely there must be some rules about what you can do on council-owned property? It's pretty outrageous


Sorry it's sideways

muffler

alchemist33 wrote: »

Saw this up today. Surely there must be some rules about what you can do on council-owned property? It's pretty outrageous


Sorry it's sideways

Thats a ridiculous place to put up a poster / banner. But then again this is the famous Fianna Fail we're dealing with.

retalivity

muffler wrote: »

Thats a ridiculous place to put up a poster / banner. But then again this is the famous Fianna Fail we're dealing with.

As well as a tax defaulting drink driver. Ara but shurr hes a good ff town man who will get voted in. Again.

donegal_man

According to lad at work tally men are predicting John O'Donnell will top the poll in Milford.

The Assistinator

donegal_man wrote: »

According to lad at work tally men are predicting John O'Donnell will top the poll in Milford.

All I can say is shame on anyone who voted that self serving money grabbing scammer I know most of them are but he has proven that he should be getting out of prison now rather than running for election.

donegal_man

The Assistinator wrote: »

All I can say is shame on anyone who voted that self serving money grabbing scammer I know most of them are but he has proven that he should be getting out of prison now rather than running for election.

Quite agree. The problem is he's also an effective vote grubber. "They can say what they like about John but he's the only man if you want something done" seems to be a popular stance with his supporters which translates as planning permission and potholes fixed. The sort of low level parish pump scamming Irish politics thrives on. See also Lowry, Healy Rae dynasty etc.

donegal_man

Text from my former wife's brother in law at the count. "Aw sweet Jesus O'Donnell topping the poll Blaney in second either McGarvey Friel or Doherty for last seat"
My tentative bet there is Doherty. Hard to see Blaney or O'Donnell voters going anywhere other than SF unless Friel does well in Fanad.

Donegal Storm

No doubt the same people who've voted him in will be all over Facebook moaning about corrupt politicians again next week.

Ridiculous that people like that can even run when they've been so blatantly caught taking back handers.

malinheader

Donegal Storm wrote: »

No doubt the same people who've voted him in will be all over Facebook moaning about corrupt politicians again next week.

Ridiculous that people like that can even run when they've been so blatantly caught taking back handers.

In my opinion this is the true face of Irish politics in general.
No one really cares what you have done if you can promise them something in return.

malinheader

malinheader wrote: »

In my opinion this is the true face of Irish politics in general.
No one really cares what you have done if you can promise them something in return.

Maybe. The politician in the news recently for road repairs polled very badly in his home town. So, at least some people do seem to care....

Meanwhile, however, as long as those who have been proved to engage in wrongdoing get re-elected, then accountability will be sorely lacking in politics.

Donegal Storm

malinheader wrote: »

In my opinion this is the true face of Irish politics in general.
No one really cares what you have done if you can promise them something in return.

Yeah its one of the few remaining hangovers from the bad old days, there's been massive social change in the country these past 30 years but politics still seems to boil down to "he fixed the roads" / "great man for the parish" type nonsense.

Depressing to see FF poll so highly across the county as well considering how little they've changed since the crash and the stance they're taken on all recent social issues

malinheader

Donegal Storm wrote: »

Yeah its one of the few remaining hangovers from the bad old days, there's been massive social change in the country these past 30 years but politics still seems to boil down to "he fixed the roads" / "great man for the parish" type nonsense.

Depressing to see FF poll so highly across the county as well considering how little they've changed since the crash and the stance they're taken on all recent social issues

I don't think it's a case of everything's forgotten and ff will do ok next time, I think it's a case of there not being a party who are really different and you could really believe that they would make changes for the better for people and the country. Health care being just one, both of the biggest parties have tried to repair this and failed.

donegal_man

"All politics is local" may be a cliche but it's one for a reason. People will spend their time roundly condemning party A, B or C but still vote for their candidate so long as he is perceived to be "a good constituency man".

retalivity

Michael Colm elected over the quota on the first count in Glenties. Another FF bastion of decency O'Domhnaill currently 6th, with 6 seats to be filled. Would be hilarious to seem him miss out.
Mcbrearty seems to be safe in finn valley

muffler

retalivity wrote: »

Mcbrearty seems to be safe in finn valley

Looking like that now. But his first preferences dropped by 600 votes from 1595 in 2014 down to 965 this time out. Thats a big, big drop in support. Serves him right for jumping on ANOTHER bandwagon, namely Fine Gael

retalivity

retalivity wrote: »

Michael Colm elected over the quota on the first count in Glenties. Another FF bastion of decency O'Domhnaill currently 6th, with 6 seats to be filled. Would be hilarious to seem him miss out.
Mcbrearty seems to be safe in finn valley

It looks like either O Domhnaill or Noreen McGarvey will take a seat. Loss of support in Falcarragh/Gortahork hurt O Domhnaill badly. I personally won't be shedding any tears.

Fair play to Michéal Cholm.
He worked hard over the past few years, and was rewarded for it.

retalivity

[Deleted User] wrote: »

It looks like either O Domhnaill or Noreen McGarvey will take a seat. Loss of support in Falcarragh/Gortahork hurt O Domhnaill badly. I personally won't be shedding any tears.

Fair play to Michéal Cholm.
He worked hard over the past few years, and was rewarded for it.

O'domhnaill gone now on the 7th count. Guess his road wont be getting fixed anytime soon...

retalivity

retalivity wrote: »

O'domhnaill gone now on the 7th count. Guess his road wont be getting fixed anytime soon...

No loss. It's just a pity the same didn't happen the other O'Donnell, too.

muffler

Heard Enda Bonner on the radio earlier and was a not a happy camper having been eliminated. Very critical of the local FF crew especially someone he has worked with for the last 40 years. Wonder who that is?

Tigerpants

Anyone know O'Domhnaill's actual job is or was?