Presidential Election 2025

A decent assessment of CC-while I know I’ve been “roasted” for criticising her appearance - it was never motivated by some sexist or agist agenda - it was precisely the reasons you’ve outlined above - not only is she not straying from her narrow set of subjects that have meaning to her and her dedicated followers, she’s not for moving on anything that might make voters towards the centre to right of centre to consider her as a candidate worth voting for.

With all of the work and effort participating in a president election takes, I would have thought the purpose of these few weeks was to expand her appeal across the political spectrum - it seems to me a complete waste of time to expend all this effort whilst risking coming a very close second - does she want the presidency or not?

I see her as a “my way or the highway” sort of candidate- that’s not a quality I want in the next President of Ireland

It's more than that. I think your reasoning is faulty.

You are arguing that because Ní Shionnáin apparently rehabilitated herself working for the Meath Gaeltacht etc., then CC and EOC were correct in judging she was a suitable person to work in the Dáil.

Nobody here has argued that Ní Shionnáin wasn't capable of rehabilitation (it would be impertinent since we don't know her). They are arguing that being placed in the Dáil while on early release for serious criminal offences inspired by political beliefs was a risk and showed poor judgement by CC and EOC.

It was security risk because of her recent criminal and subversive associations and also possibly a risk to her rehabilitation because a febrile political arena might not have been the place for someone of her susceptibilities.

We don't know how CC and EOC's risk would have played out because it wasn't tested since Ní Shionnáin was only in the Dáil a short while.

As I posted before: a bank is not the best first employment for a recently released embezzler or bank robber.

You either believe in rehabilitation or you don't.
People have to make judgements and assessments in rehabilitation processes all the time. Nothing unusual about that.

Second guessing them at 7 years remove and not having met or monitored the person, is valueless tbh.

Its all rather baffling.

I would wonder what justification can be given for remaining 'On Brand' within the Connolly Campaign? Does she think that pivoting to less contentious topics, will lose support in the base? That would be absurd, as her base are squarly in the bag, and are going to vote for CC no matter what. The trouble for CC, is that they may be the only ones who do vote for her on election day.

I think the Connolly candidacy, and the support she received from the Left Wing groups, just feeds into the idea of this Presidential election lacking importance and being mismanaged. And the election not being seen as crucial to the mainstream political parties in Ireland. This could also go a fair distance in highlighting Fianna Fails bizarre decision to back Jim Gavin.

When Fine Gael had Mairead McGuinness as their preumptive nominee, it may have seemed like a lost cause to FF, SF, and all of the rest combined. Then all of a sudden, mid August, McGuinness backs out completely - And the priorities shift for all concerned. But just in the way Steen didnt give herself enough time to get nominated as an independent, the big parties were also on the clock.

Fianna Fail decided to go down the celebrity pathway, but clearly backed the wrong horse. If McGuinness had stayed in, I honestly believe that FF wouldnt have bothered nominating a candidate. But with little time remaining, they decided to 'think outside the box', resulting in this obvious fumble.

Again, considering the lack of time, Sinn Fein decided the safest course was to 'fall in' with the rest of the left wing groups, and back Catherine Connolly. Without fully analyzing how bad it could be, to back a radical activist as their nomination.

Her Statement on The US being an 'Imperial Power' was factually inaccurate.

Her statements on Germany, required no twisting by the media, or by other political factions. They are factually inaccurate, bordering on embarassing.

I have posted several times, debunking the above - i have invited anyone who wishes to do so, to debate the hows and the whys on these issues. Thus far, all that has happened, is that points I have made were ignored by CC supporters.

Said supporters then continually post about how Catherine Connolly is being smeared by the establishment, and her words are being taken out of context. Its ludicrous.

@MFPM I am once again, inviting you to engage me on the above topics. Both of them, as you have raised these issues multiple times.

As it stands, the below parody, is literally correct and hits the nail on the head.

I think the FFG attacking CC with this will do her no harm at all, if anything it's got more traditional Republicans from both FF and SF on side.

The fact is there's 2 government candidates, running sweepers is the most effective way to win a single seat and a strategy used in every general election particularly in large, diverse constituencies.

Unless Gavin or Humphreys show they're willing to be critical of each other like actual election opponents do then there's no reason to believe it isn't a combined strategy.

Outside of a slight ego bruise I doubt Harris or Martin especially care which government candidate wins. It's a victory either way for FF/FG.

Apologies. I didn’t know its prper title