Dublin Bay South By-Election

Sam Russell

This picture is in the IT today.



https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/miriam-lord-happy-house-hunters-leo-and-matt-go-upwardly-mobile-1.4603851

Kate O’Connell with Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald, SF’s Dublin Bay South byelection candidate Lynn Boylan, O’Connell’s mother-in-law Nora O’Connell and sister-in-law Deirdre at O’Connell’s pharmacy in Rathgar

So Kate O'Connell is hosting MLM, Lyn Boylan in her pharmacy. I wonder why?

AndrewJRenko

Sam Russell wrote: »

This picture is in the IT today.


https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/miriam-lord-happy-house-hunters-leo-and-matt-go-upwardly-mobile-1.4603851


So Kate O'Connell is hosting MLM, Lyn Boylan in her pharmacy. I wonder why?

Probably because Boylan's team were walking past on their canvass, and someone said 'ah yeah, sure let's give it a shot, she'll hardly throw us out'.

Probably because Kate said 'ah yeah, this will get up Leo's nose'.

Wouldn't say there was any major conspiratorial planning involved.

Brussels Sprout

Sam Russell wrote: »

This picture is in the IT today.



https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/miriam-lord-happy-house-hunters-leo-and-matt-go-upwardly-mobile-1.4603851


So Kate O'Connell is hosting MLM, Lyn Boylan in her pharmacy. I wonder why?

It literally explains it in the piece. All of the non-FG candidates have been showing up at her pharmacy to "canvas" and she has happily gotten selfies taken with them and been putting them up on her instagram.

I'm sure it feels good right now, as a F.U. to Leo, for O'Connell but probably not the wisest move if she wants to have a long term future in FG.

Yurt2

Brussels Sprout wrote: »

It literally explains it in the piece. All of the non-FG candidates have been showing up at her pharmacy to "canvas" and she has happily gotten selfies taken with them and been putting them up on her instagram.

I'm sure it feels good right now, as a F.U. to Leo, for O'Connell but probably not the wisest move if she wants to have a long term future in FG.

Leo is not forever, and the sun is setting on him as leader, if Boylan takes the seat it will hasten his exit.

Once Coveney takes the reigns (likely in my view), Kate is back in and in a strong position in the party. She's been treated awfully by the Varadkar acolyte wing of the party.

KevRossi

Not even an attempt at social distancing in any of the photos. It's gone very lax over the past few weeks everywhere, politicians certainly not setting any kind of an example.

Sam Russell

KevRossi wrote: »

Not even an attempt at social distancing in any of the photos. It's gone very lax over the past few weeks everywhere, politicians certainly not setting any kind of an example.

Social distancing as in covid or as in politically?

I cannot see any FG politician setting up such a selfie - what was she thinking?

KevRossi

Sam Russell wrote: »

Social distancing as in covid or as in politically?

COVID social distancing.

Beechwoodspark

Yurt! wrote: »

Leo is not forever, and the sun is setting on him as leader, if Boylan takes the seat it will hasten his exit.

Once Coveney takes the reigns (likely in my view), Kate is back in and in a strong position in the party. She's been treated awfully by the Varadkar acolyte wing of the party.

There’ll be a challenge to LV next year I think. Coveney will get his day in the sun. LV is NOT popular among the rank and file of FG

iffandonlyif

Miriam Lord says O’Connell had uploaded the pictures to her Instagram feed. Has she since deleted them or am I looking in the wrong place?

Podge_irl

You think Coveney, who has taken his defeat in the leadership election with grace and worked efficiently and effectively for the government, will welcome back to a "strong position" in the party someone who has gone out of their way to be seen with politicians of opposition parties?

Augme

Podge_irl wrote: »

You think Coveney, who has taken his defeat in the leadership election with grace and worked efficiently and effectively for the government, will welcome back to a "strong position" in the party someone who has gone out of their way to be seen with politicians of opposition parties?

Of course. You don't think Kate has been harassing and undermining Leo all this time for the laugh? Hardly. Kate has been excellent at doing the necessary dirty work to help Simon.

I am not claiming he has been complicit in it, but he will be fully aware of the benefits of what she has been doing and he will reward it accordingly. It would a foolish move on his part not to, you can't be a party leader and not reward that kind of loyalty without it backfiring.

Yurt2

Podge_irl wrote: »

You think Coveney, who has taken his defeat in the leadership election with grace and worked efficiently and effectively for the government, will welcome back to a "strong position" in the party someone who has gone out of their way to be seen with politicians of opposition parties?

Absolutely. Everything I've heard about Coveney is that he is an even-tempered and pragmatic man. He represents the genuine common sense tradition of FG that is still rattling about somewhere in the party and the movement.

The current cabal that have a grip on the party has descended into a frenzied lunacy about SF over the past couple of years for instance, seriously damaging the party's standing. Coveney (not least because of his sensitive foreign affairs brief which he has excelled at) has kept his counsel about SF. While we won't see him jumping into coalition with them any time soon, I think he's wise enough to know they're part of the political landscape permanently now and deserve to be accorded a measure of respect.

Podge_irl

Augme wrote: »

Of course. You don't think Kate has been harassing and undermining Leo all this time for the laugh? Hardly. Kate has been excellent at doing the necessary dirty work to help Simon.

I am not claiming he has been complicit in it, but he will be fully aware of the benefits of what she has been doing and he will reward it accordingly. It would a foolish move on his part not to, you can't be a party leader and not reward that kind of loyalty without it backfiring.

You can't award that kind of "loyalty" without upsetting a lot of your own party who have seen someone actively engaging with other parties either.

Undermining Varadkar is one thing, undermining the party in a byelection is something else entirely.

Podge_irl

Yurt! wrote: »

Absolutely. Everything I've heard about Coveney is that he is an even-tempered and pragmatic man. He represents the genuine common sense tradition of FG that is still rattling about somewhere in the party and the movement.

The current cabal that have a grip on the party has descended into a frenzied lunacy about SF over the past couple of years for instance, seriously damaging the party's standing. Coveney (not least because of his sensitive foreign affairs brief which he has excelled at) has kept his counsel about SF. While we won't see him jumping into coalition with them any time soon, I think he's wise enough to know they're part of the political landscape permanently now and deserve to be accorded a measure of respect.

Focusing on the main opposition party is hardly unusual?

As you say, Coveney does indeed seem even-tempered and pragmatic. And these shenanigans with the photos are the exact opposite of that.

Yurt2

Podge_irl wrote: »

Focusing on the main opposition party is hardly unusual?

As you say, Coveney does indeed seem even-tempered and pragmatic. And these shenanigans with the photos are the exact opposite of that.

There's focusing on the opposition, and then there's committing political seppuku by namechecking Sinn Fein every time there's a microphone in front of a party rep and appearing ever more unhinged while doing so. There's surely some Malcolm Tucker type that's told them they're essentially giving SF free shots on goal with this carry on, but they've obviously been roundly ignored as the Leo acolytes descend into some sort of Shakespearean-like madness over Eoin O'Broin's spectacles.

I'm sure there will be a little smirk on Simon Coveney's face when he sees that photo with Kate. He knows Leo's time is nearly up just as everyone else does.

Annasopra

Kate got photos with Ivana Bacik today as well

:pac::pac::pac:

Yurt2

Annasopra wrote: »

Kate got photos with Ivana Bacik today as well

:pac::pac::pac:

She's trolling the choir boys now. I admire her chutzpah, easy on the eye too!

Jizique

Yurt! wrote: »

She's trolling the choir boys now. I admire her chutzpah, easy on the eye too!

Some reports from canvassers that her treatment by the party is coming up on the canvass - I definitely highlighted it as a reason not to vote for them this time

Annasopra

Jizique wrote: »

Some reports from canvassers that her treatment by the party is coming up on the canvass - I definitely highlighted it as a reason not to vote for them this time

I think some FG voters are going to FF, Greens and Labour over Kates treatment and James Geogheghan being a bit of a spoofer over renua and where he lives

Augme

Podge_irl wrote: »

You can't award that kind of "loyalty" without upsetting a lot of your own party who have seen someone actively engaging with other parties either.

Undermining Varadkar is one thing, undermining the party in a byelection is something else entirely.

I'd say a lot of FG voters have no interest in some Renua reject either though. And might be happy to see him consigned to the history books.

Podge_irl

Augme wrote: »

I'd say a lot of FG voters have no interest in some Renua reject either though. And might be happy to see him consigned to the history books.

I'm not remotely au fait with internal FG politics but I would have thought stabbing your party in the back, regardless of who the candidate is, is not a great look.

Augme

Podge_irl wrote: »

I'm not remotely au fait with internal FG politics but I would have thought stabbing your party in the back, regardless of who the candidate is, is not a great look.

Might not be s great look but it won't hamper Kate coming back in from the cold under Simon.

zell12

FG must be worried!
'It is a coalition pact, or sinn fein victory'

Jizique

Podge_irl wrote: »

I'm not remotely au fait with internal FG politics but I would have thought stabbing your party in the back, regardless of who the candidate is, is not a great look.

It wasn’t Kate who left to join the constitutional wing of Aontú before sliding back

golfball37

zell12 wrote: »

FG must be worried!
'It is a coalition pact, or sinn fein victory'

Makes sense that current govt parties should want to return a govt seat. Not much of a story really

zell12

golfball37 wrote: »

Makes sense that current govt parties should want to return a govt seat. Not much of a story really

It makes sense in a by-election with only one seat.
However, Greens won seats in last election on a 'transfer left' basis. If they agree to this, it will come back to haunt them next election. If FF say same, it will haunt them too ie. that a vote for FF = FG

KevRossi

It's not like the government will fall based on them losing a seat, so I've no idea why they would support Simon Harris' idea.

If anything the proposal alone will damage the GP.

touts

Newstalk seem to have firmly thrown their support behind Ivana this morning. Their panel have explained why people will vote for her at least 4 times and she has been mentioned repeatedly without any mention of other candidates.

touts

touts wrote: »

Newstalk seem to have firmly thrown their support behind Ivana this morning. Their panel have explained why people will vote for her at least 4 times and she has been mentioned repeatedly without any mention of other candidates.

Update: they just read out the list of candidates before going to an ad break and then explained why candidates at the top of the paper alphabetically have an advantage and guess what Ivana is that very candidate. So even in the formal requirement to be neutral they explained why lazy voters should just pick Ivana as she is the first name they see.

El Tarangu

Yurt! wrote: »

Kate is back in and in a strong position in the party. She's been treated awfully by the Varadkar acolyte wing of the party.

Jizique wrote: »

Some reports from canvassers that her treatment by the party is coming up on the canvass - I definitely highlighted it as a reason not to vote for them this time

I find this line of reasoning very strange - surely its not unusual that someone who has very publicly had a go at the party leader on several occasions finds themselves out in the cold for a bit.

Aside from the Green Party (where apparently its a bit of a free-for-all, policy position-wise), I can't imagine any other political party where someone could publicly have a go at the leader and not have to spend a bit of time in the sin bin.