Presidential Election 2025

zell12

Padraig O Cedigh also wanted to put his name forward for FF nomination for Uachtaran, according to the FF review

pureza

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124074488#Comment_124074488

At least you didn’t say President of the State which is an awful partitionist word

From my point of view there’s a lot of ‘if’s and buts’ about this president

I think she’s going to be the Wiley politician here and cause no trouble for the country

PbP might be disappointed

FrancieBrady

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124076387#Comment_124076387

At least you didn’t say President of the State

Not fond of partitionists, but never heard anyone use that term.

Caquas

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124074488#Comment_124074488

I rejoice at the new civic spirit of FrancieBrady.

Almost 80,000 posts, most of them lambasting some politician for their opinions, but from now on our Francie is fine with any comments, so long as they are made "from a place of sincerity" which is a mansion in the Phoenix Park (or is a humble abode in the Claddagh?).

Caquas

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124076285#Comment_124076285

The Taoiseach is fighting for his survival as FF absorbs this report but you could get yourself blocked by Mods here on Boards because this discussion must be kept at a perfect pitch of irrelevance.

FrancieBrady

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124076582#Comment_124076582

I'll continue to do what I always done Caquas - debate and discuss honestly with sincere people whatever their views, including that of the current President.

You won't find me trying to censor or cowering under the bed with embarrassment for 'de country' because somebody gave an opinion.

Hotblack Desiato

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124076285#Comment_124076285

The reaction of 99% of the public to that would be "who?"

A one-term Taoiseach's nominee who failed when he tried to become one of the senators actually elected by (part of) the public.

A less disastrous choice than Jim Gavin? - probably, but that's not saying much.

expectationlost

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124060909#Comment_124060909

He was introduced to Councillors and promoted by a pro Trump Senator how dark do you need it go? https://www.irishtimes.com/politics/oireachtas/2025/03/08/maga-seanadoir-would-only-love-to-take-taoiseachs-place-at-shamrock-jamboree/

“Pro-Maga Irish Politicians – Request for invitation to the White House on St Patrick’s Day”.

She writes: “By way of introduction, my name is Sharon Keogan. I am a member of the Senate of Ireland and I have publicly endorsed US President Donald Trump during his 2024 campaign on my social media and celebrated his victory on the floor of the Irish senate.”

elperello

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124136980#Comment_124136980

That link is from last March.

Sharon Keogan's MAGA leanings were common knowledge over a year ago.

It provides no evidence that the independent local councillors who proposed Sheridan were involved in anything untoward.

expectationlost

Carlow County Council still havnt published their presidential hearing meeting minutes. Nearly 4 months on. Many others councils took multiple months, Its been so difficult to get a proper record of which way councillors voted.

expectationlost

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124138269#Comment_124138269

Finally a full list of who voted for what, backed up by the published minutes. https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Q7jnrQE-WwA1uwLrU5s1yK0XlBx0vakaBVXUkLFAoNw/edit?gid=0#gid=0

Caquas

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124076593#Comment_124076593

This election has fatally undermined the Taoiseach's authority and his days are numbered. Even John Lee, whose Mrs. owes everything to MM, is counting the days.

https://extra.ie/2026/01/18/weekend-reads/calamity-coalition

The Tánaiste thinks he has got away with his disastrous choice of HH but his fate is tied to MM. We won't have long to wait before two by-elections bring his leadership back into question.

Still, here at Boards, the pursuit of irrelevance is relentless - let the truth about Carlow CC be exposed!

expectationlost

https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/politics/jim-gavin-stands-down-as-chair-of-dublin-inner-city-taskforce-after-disastrous-presidential-run/a1225591123.html

Now that its no longer useful to promote him.

elperello

No surprise there.

It's been on the cards for a long time.

Caquas

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124188356#Comment_124188356

No, he was appointed long before anyone thought he would be FF candidate the Aras.

His car-crash campaign made it impossible for him to continue in this role but a decent interval was allowed before he formally stood down.

dulpit

Confirmation from Mairead McGuinness that she had severe post viral syndrome and that kept her out of the election.

Good to see it wasn't a long term or terminal illness from what she's saying, just really bad timing for her.

https://twitter.com/i/status/2020101441667408328

Larbre34

A lot of people on social media (no shock there) are putting the boot in saying its not a real illness and she was looking for an out because she could see the questions coming and a loss on the cards etc.

As someone who developed PVS following a flu in January 2017, I can only sympathise with her. For me, it came long before Covid so there was no real conversation around chronic and long-term viral syndromes at the time and it was written off as a 'yuppie flu' by employers and other people alike.

But its scary, its often painful in the body and its very depressing. So I Mairéad does fully recover and I hope she finds another avenue of public service before she retires.

As much as I would love to see her as president still, she will be 73 years of age come 2032 and I personally don't think anyone over age 70 should be going for high office in this State, not when the term takes them to 75 or 77. The lesson of age related decline has been writ large around the world Ireland should be no different.

Michael D's mind remains immaculate, but his physical decline in the last three or four years of his second term was hard for him, and no doubt affected his capacity for engagements.

Caquas

Very glad she’s making a good recovery. It sounds horrendous, physically and mentally.

Did it change history? Hard to say. She would have been a far better candidate than HH but she would have needed 500K additional votes to catch CC.

I don’t think the Irish people were ready to back any FG candidate last year (as always!)

Once CC got a united Left behind her, only a first-rate centrist independent could have beaten CC, like Micheál wanted but Simon wouldn’t play ball, thinking Mairead was a winner and then Aimon disastrously forced HH on the party. Amazing that Simon has escaped serious repercussions (so far)

elperello

It was good to hear her sounding so strong and back in the game.

She obviously had a hard time of it.

I noticed she said "never say never..." at the end.

road_high

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124216329#Comment_124216329

yes I don’t think anyone like mairead mcguinness would she beaten a united left. She’s not too dissimilar in background to H Humphreys but would have been a far better dogged debater and would have shown up Connolly for the total fraud that she is

Caquas

Micheál thinks he has put the Gavin fiasco behind him and recent polls suggest FF voters want to move on. But CC is always there to remind him

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c5yvy6wg595o

Of course Micheál knows that the moment he gives a timeframe for stepping down, he becomes a lame duck but does he really believe he will lead FF into the next election?

The By-elections in May will be a real test for both Government leaders. Both parties are so debilitated that it is really a matter of how badly they do. CC's united Left will be evident in the transfers i.e. none for FF/FG. What if FF trail in behind even FG - how much humiliation can that once dominant party endure?

It's been 60 years since a Taoiseach stepped down while still on the top of his game (not counting this "revolving" nonsense, which has diminished the office, or Leo's leap before he was pushed)

https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/ill-lead-fianna-fail-into-the-next-general-election-says-micheal-martin/a1793377463.html

FrancieBrady

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124219873#Comment_124219873

Sounds like bravado designed for party faithful rather than the public. The kind of thing you'd hear from a football manager just before they are 'let go' or sacked

deirdremf

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124076285#Comment_124076285

I've just seen this - wasn't Ó Céidigh meant to be close to FG rather than FF?

elperello

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124221290#Comment_124221290

He was nominated to the Senate by Enda Kenny.

AFAIK he was always an independent.

Caquas

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124219873#Comment_124219873

Mary Hanafin won't forgive Micheál for blocking her Presidential ambitions so she was quick to contradict him now.

https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/politics/mary-hanafin-insists-taoiseach-wont-lead-ff-into-next-election-as-she-backs-rival-jim-ocallaghan/a2072684393.html

She is stating the obvious, but no one else in FF is willing to go public. Micheál has been leader for 15 years, longer than anyone other than Dev (33 years!). He restored FF to its "rightful place" i.e. in government but he seems to have lost direction and his choice of Jim Gavin showed his political instincts are diminished.

If the by-elections go even more badly for FF than expected, any leadership hopeful will have to make their move over the summer. Mary will have little influence on the succession race but Bertie agrees with her and I wouldn't underestimate his influence behind the scenes.

Loafing Oaf

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124231098#Comment_124231098

any leadership hopeful will have to make their move over the summer.

Would they want to do that during or in the intermediate run-up to Ireland's EU presidency though? May be why MM wants to push the by-eletions out to the latest possible date…

Caquas

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124231612#Comment_124231612

I was referring to a situation where the by-elections go even more badly for FF than expected. If e.g. they trail behind FG in both contests, there will be a renewed crisis of leadership within FF.

If challengers don't emerge in that situation, they would have missed the boat and Micheál could sail on to the end of his term as Taoiseach, giving his Dauphin time to prepare a smooth succession and leave Jimbo on the sidelines.

Micheál is highly astute and immensely experienced but his decades of maneuverings have diluted any vision he had for Ireland's future. His backing of Jim Gavin was an acute failure of political judgement (even without a skeleton in Gavin's rental closet). More importantly, both government parties are in a fog of confusion on key issues (Housing, Health and Migration). Neither has a leader with a clear vision. Simon lacks Micheál's virtues and is even less convincing on the big picture but somehow he has escaped censure for his disastrous handling of the Presidential election.

No doubt Micheál hopes the EU Presidency will lift him above FF's internal wrangling but elections are the life-blood of politics and no amount of European lustre could shield Micheál from the consequences of disaster in the May by-elections. The other Cork Taoiseach, the most effective vote-winner in Irish history, discovered that truth during our 1979 Presidency.

If there were a new FF leader/Taoiseach over the summer, Micheál's absence would be a loss to our EU Presidency but nothing fundamental would change and there could be a minimal Cabinet reshuffle in August while other EU leaders are on Mediterranean beaches.

Loafing Oaf

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124232277#Comment_124232277

If e.g. they trail behind FG in both contests, there will be a renewed crisis of leadership within FF.

I think it would take more than that. If as seems likely FG run Ray McAdam and Sean Kyne they will at least have locally high-profile candidates whereas it's god knows for FF as of now in both constituencies. And I don't think MM will be held primarily responsible for that.

Caquas

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124232867#Comment_124232867

Yes, FG will be ahead of FF in both by-elections but if FF are trailing badly in both, there would be consequences for the leadership. So Micheál's main aim will be to keep expectations low for these by-elections. And naturally he is distancing himself from candidate selection

Micheál Martin said his party would be taking soundings from the local organisations in both constituencies before grassroots members selected the candidates they would field.

https://www.rte.ie/news/politics/2026/0205/1556971-galway-and-dublin-by-elections-in-may-taoiseach/

Bertie's fiefdom has become a wasteland for FF (poor Mary Fitzpatrick!) Galway West is where another high-profile pick by Micheál's came to grief - and she hasn't gone away.

https://www.thejournal.ie/grainne-seoige-general-election-6883431-Nov2025/