Presidential Election 2025

I've been listening to the 'Russians are coming' for most of my life. I have watched the US UK etc talk powerful stuff about peace and democracy and do the exact opposite in reality.
The one shining beacon has been our neutrality and our peacekeeping that our neutrality helped us do better.

Now for a pat on the head from a country enabling a genocide we'll sell that off and still be no securer or no more under threat.
Now more than ever we need Catherine Connolly's.

In your last part there, Connolly is a critic of the EU as regarding their stance on Gaza which I would agree with. As the EU is supposed to promote peace. Believe it or not not long ago the EU won a nobel peace prize…

But I get the impression that Connolly is generally lukewarm on the EU at best. And personally I would be very pro EU as it has served Ireland's practical and political interests very well over the years, as far as I can see. It is not Connolly's Russian that would make me switch, but going even more anti-EU for other reasons besides peace.

The problem is various Irish political strains on this island have shoehorned their own cause onto Gaza. In NI it has become shorthand for Palestine flag.Keffiyeh scarf = "look how Republican I am".

I was at an Armagh match v Dublin this year in CP. And there seemed to be a competition between some Armagh supporters in particular as to who had the biggest Palestine flag. I joked that Palestine must be playing in the next match.

So Connolly is only playing to the Gallery basically highlighting her Republican credentials, plays well in the border counties.

But even Simon Harris has jumped on the Palestine train recognising the state way early on, however I got the impression it was not to show how "Republican" he is. But to steal some of SF's thunder while looking like the caring statesman.

So Palestine/Gaza becomes shorthand for something in Irish history or by whatever political narrative any party wishes to push.

Even the aid agency Concern has tied in the Gaza situation with Irish history in their adverts.

So all in all it is a wise choice of the Presidential candiates to at least pay lip service to Gaza. The young vote in particular seem exercised about it, moreso than Ukraine for example. That is the impression I get.

Ireland are way too small a country though to defend itself properly. And would you be willing to have cuts in Health Care. housing. social welfare etc. When the RAF already defacto defend Irish skies and the British navy would be quick to engage Russians if they did pose a threat to Ireland. As a real threat to Ireland already means a threat to the UK - Ireland being a soft underbelly of Europe etc. Sure Ireland can't even keep drugs out nevermind hypothetical invasion forces. Too much coastine to cover, and vast waters to cover.

Is it worth all the aggro/cost for Ireland to spend lots on defence and have to result in others doing the leg work anyway?

Then there are of course the issue on neutrality etc etc. Pardon the pun but it is a minefield.

Connolly's approach on being anti war is grand for the time being for all those reasons. Why unnecessarily get yourself in a fight with a big dog, that you are going to lose?

None of that should mean we become sycophants.
If the US or UK or anyone else deserves criticism then we should not be afraid to do that.

That is what all the 'pro Putin' finger pointing is about, fear of incurring the wrath of the US, UK etc etc.

We need to be ourselves.

What you want is subservience to the US UK NATO etc.

The Irish people have said up to now they don't want that.

Part of the rumour isn't new, so he has dealt with it before as sports manager. (not that Im suggesting its in anyway true).

Hilarious considering the orange order not only bans catholics but kicks out members who marry a catholic. Hilarious.

Who's ending Neutrality?

Such a prospect isn't even remotely on the horizon.

Another one gone

Dealt as having had rumours not that he ever acknowledge them at the time.