Presidential Election 2025

Sergeant Maurice McCabe and John Wilson? Garda phone recordings? Morris tribunal? Bugging? etc etc Ring a bell?. You can understand if some people don't trust the Gardai.

Who was a 'security threat'?

Mairia Cahill, who nobody knew what she had done in RNU was more of a security threat than this woman who had served her sentence and came recommended by a variety of TD's whose job it was to work with such people.

O'Cuiv who Connolly sought out for his opinion recommended her 'particularly' and he is completely written out of the story by the Journal.

Again no mention of you condemning O'Cuiv for his recommendation? Convenient.

The Taoiseach called it a "serious lack of judgement," yet stayed silent on the fact that the candidate was actually recommended by a FF TD, Éamon Ó Cuív

Obviously Martin isn't go to be laying into O'Cuiv straight out the gate but I don't think he'll be slow in fecking him under the bus if the heat comes on…

MM cannot wash his hands of what this committee were doing. It would be utterly hypocritical of him (well maybe he could!)

'Certain quarters' - 'hypocrites' - 'here they are' - 'they seem to think' , ' their earlier nonsense'…

Might I suggest, if you're going to adopt this posting methodology that you'd have the courage to identify the people you're discussing otherwise you're simply making sweeping statements or posting untruths.

When one candidate is consistently performing so much better than the other two, they have a responsibility to make it a story. Luckily for Catherine Connolly, she's very good at calmly and almost effortlessly defending herself.

The more they throw at her, the more impressive she becomes. 100% more worthy president than the other two - neither of whom can string a sentence together in English, let alone our native language.

I’d say you’re wrong.

So somebody who has never been convicted of something is less trustworthy than someone who has?

I didn't say less trustworthy, I said that because she hid her membership of a group associated with the New IRA we didn't know what she had done or sanctioned, we know the other woman served her time and sufficiently impressed a cross party committee tasked to work with prisoners to earn a recommendation or endorsement. As yet the Gardai have not said anything, so we don't know about that either.

I don't have an issue with Cahill getting work btw, (bar her hiding her membership) but it's hypocrisy of the highest order to select who to be outraged about in this way.

O'Cuiv enters the fray:

Former Fianna Fáil minister Éamon Ó Cuív has defended Independent presidential candidate Catherine Connolly and said he does not agree with criticism from the Taoiseach over her hiring of a woman convicted of firearms offences.

Mr Ó Cuív said he was “surprised” that Micheál Martin did not speak to him before publicly making comments on the matter, given his role over a number of years in visiting republican prisoners and in recommending the woman to Ms Connolly.

Ursula Shannon (also Ní Shionnáin) was hired as an administrative support worker for Ms Cononlly in the Oireachtas in 2018, shortly after she was released from prison after serving over four years for unlawful possession of firearms and possession of ammunition.

Ms Shannon had been linked to the Éirígí – a republican organisation which opposed the peace process. She was not granted a Dáil pass while a vetting process was being conducted, but was signed in and out by Ms Connolly.

Earlier, the Taoiseach said this indicates “a very serious lack of judgement” on Ms Connolly’s part.

“In terms of someone who has apparently served four and a half years in prison for possession of firearms, and is also a member of an organisation that did everything to undermine the Irish peace process, that would indicate a very serious lack of judgement,” he said.

But Mr Ó Cuív, a former Fianna Fáil TD in Ms Connolly's Galway constituency, said he disagreed with these comments, and asked “how can we talk seriously about reconciliation if we make a puff of smoke over this?”

“I am surprised somebody didn’t contact me before [Mr Martin] made those comments,” he said.

The former Galway West TD said Ms Shannon had a PhD in social linguistics, that he had visited her a number of times in prison and had conversations with her on socialism, the economy and political philosophy.

She was not someone who posed any security threat and is now an active member of society, he said. "People that I visited involved in republicanism have a right to be brought into the process. If you are going to lock them out of society forever, then we will never progress,” he said.

“Catherine is right. I was asked. I gave a strong recommendation. I see no problem with that and I’m surprised that anybody does,” Mr Ó Cuív told the Irish Independent.

“My view at the time was that if you want to bring about peace, you have to take these steps. And time has proved me 100pc right. What she has done since, she has been an Irish language officer in a number of organisations, she has small children and a job and is a regular member of society."

“I am surprised somebody didn’t contact me before [Mr Martin] made those comments, given that it’s well known that I have been working on these issues for a long time,” he added.

 Because she was flagged as a security threat at the time.

Where has this been confirmed?
Connolly said there was no contact with Gardai and she didn't appeal anything