Gallagher now looks certain to be Irish president after weekend polls - POLL

@Towney, Thanks for your answer. The document "Laudbiliter" which an English pope, Adrian 1V supposedly drew up to give the "green light" to an English monarch, Henry 11 to take over Ireland and bring it to heel for the Vatican, has been contested by historians. A number of experts of Medieval history believe that the document is a fake or was deliberately distorted by Henry. You use the word "negotiated" to describe the treaty discussions which ended in the unnatural partition of Ireland. But the more realistic term would be coercion with the explicit threat of Britain turning Ireland into an armed camp if it was not excepted. The make-up of the Border Commission was loaded against the single Irish diplomat on it, Eoin McNeil. Also the inhabitants of Ireland effected by it were not allowed to vote on a decision made over their heads. You are right insofar as the land border is still with us and we cannot just simply wish it away. But this does not mean that practical steps cannot be taken to make it such an anachronism or irrelevancy, that it will fade over the expanse of time. Even if the candidacy of Martin McGuinness does not win out in the battle for the presidency, the raising of the profile of the Irish citizens of the northern part of Ireland separated from the rest, will only erode further the complacency and distorted propaganda of the doctrinaire free staters.

The headline on this article might seem a little presumptuous this morning (tuesday). Sean didn't have such a good night after damaging revelations regarding his association with the 'toxic' fianna fail.

Gearoid4: Thanks for that. You forgot the original 'English interference' was at the behest of the Vatican, and also at the specific request of an Irish king! ~ ~ ~ Your: "The British done this in 1922" - is curious as that must refer to the negotiated Treaty agreed by BOTH sides to the division of the country. ~ It takes a big bite and a hard swallow, I know, but that division of Ireland took place because the population of that northern region wanted it - as they still do today! I agree about the unnatural border and all that, but your assertion that the term Northern Ireland was invented to give credence to some territorial foothold, is ridiculous (I prefer 'North-east Ulster', myself.) Anyway, Geroid4, we are where we are - mired in blood and rancour and are likely to stay this way for some time to come. It amused me that those who bleat on about a 'United Ireland' are usually the ones from the Region who Dis-united it in the first place! - Peace!

@Towney, If it took English(later British) interference in Irish affairs from 1169 to bring about the realization to her native inhabitants of the Island that they constituted a nation, so be it. Manifestations of an Irish identity exhibited itself at various stages in Ireland's history from the resistance of local tribal chieftains to invading Normans through the resistance of the Ulster Chieftains to English Tudor domination right down to the insurgencies of the 19th and 20th centuries. Charles Parnell, the renowned leader of the Irish Parliamentary Party stated that one should not put a boundary on the march of a nation. The British done this in 1922 with a unnatural border that no-one in the effected part of Ireland was allowed to vote for/against in a plebescite. No-one prior to this era called themselves "Northern Irish" so in reality it was an invented identity to give some sort of dubious credence to the last territorial foothold that the British held in Ireland. N. Ireland at best can be described as a region of an amorphous creation called the UK or a part of somebody else's country under the jurisdiction of another.

Gallagher is just Fianna Fail minus Haughey's many mistresses and without hair.

johnymac60: You are seriously and gravely mistaken if you think I consider the murder or death of ANYONE is meaningless! Call me any name you like, but it will never alter the fact that Ireland only became "one nation" under British rule; and only ceased to be so when part of it broke away and wanted to form it's own Government. After many years of civil war and wide-ranging social and religious horrors, it finally relinquished it's claim to the remaining part of the Island, which still remains united with Great Britain. Having it's own Jurisdiction, it can fairly be described as a seperate country. Therefore; Martin and Dana are returning home to their own countries! (Well,OK: Dana is English by birth,then Northern Irish and now American - I think!). Slán abhaile! - May the road rise to meet them ... We all have dreams and fantasies of what we would like our beloved country to be, but typically, being Irish, our dreams and sad forlorn fantasies seem to have more meaning for us, than hard facts and cold reality... So dream on Hibernia ...('The Sleeping Land')...! Good Luck to all on Thursday.

I ve been trying to post this for a while now and it doesnt seem to appear on here for me.. I'll try again. The campaign to elect Martin McGuinness as President of Ireland are launching an online initiative to encourage Irish people living all over the world to voice their support for Martin McGuinness - the one candidate who wants to represent all Irish people not just those living in the 26 counties. The campaign are encouraging Irish people, especially those who have been recently forced to emigrate, to video themselves and/or their friends in various locations across the globe on their smart phones, offering their support to Martin McGuinness. The videos will then be posted on a wall on the Martin McGuinness campaign website - www.thepeoplespresident.ie Videos ideally should be between 15 and 20 seconds in length and emailed to yourvoice@thepeoplespresident.ie. The more weird and wonderful the location the better! This initiative is not just confined to Irish people living overseas. Videos are welcome from across Ireland as well. Home | Martin McGuinness www.thepeoplespresident.ie Join the campaign to elect Martin McGuinness President of Ireland

Polls show Martin a distant 3rd, I don't understand it, it appears that he doesn't have the popular vote. This poll, and others I've seen has him neck and neck.

Even so, perhaps Gallagher might surprise you all, Independent well we all have been one stripe of a political party. Michael D is old style Labour, McGuinness, well given things seem to have changed, is still not really known. Perhaps change is good?

Over my dead body.

johnnymac60 - as PIRA was responsible for killing more catholics in NI than the BA, loyalists & RUC, I'm at a loss why you are voting for SF. You are very free & easy in comdemning other irishmen who don't agree with your view, but can you get your facts straight, maybe a £30 investment on McKitterick's book Lost Lives would be a start.

As an Irish Citizen and a Dubliner, will someone please tell me what is an "West Brit". Is it an insult or someone who does not agree with SinnFein/IRA. And I believe the term "Free State" went out after it became the Irish Republic. MMcG "a man of principal"? You don't say! What are his principals? Blowing up, shooting, knee-capping and disappearing us into submission. I don't think so.!

@Towngate. The term 'WestBrit' is often bandied about here. You are a perfect example of the type of low-life this term refers to. 'His own country'?? You're a typical free-stater to the core. The murder of Catholics throughout the North of this ONE island nation is meaningless to you as long as "I'm all right, Jack." There certainly IS a message in the running here. An SF candidate, a man of principal - unlike the nest of thieves you have voted in for decades - has come close to winning the office of President of Ireland. It won't be another 100 years before we see an SF Taoiseach. For now, you'll have to make do with Business as Usual, enjoy.

I think it is more likely that when the people have their say on Thursday, it will be Michael D who will be the next President of Ireland.

Fianna Fail's party member whose cunning and well scripted responses has charmed somebody. This unknown Baldy who is being pushed will reduce the prestige of the Mary's whom he follows to being a joke, beyond imagining.