Irish Diaspora has spoken - vote Michael D Higgins as Ireland’s president

Well Georgie Boy.Antoman has a vote.It makes him important.He has a real say.He is a VIP when it comes to THIS country.Antoman can't vote in YOUR country and I can't either.I would love Irish America to be able to vote on certain issues in Ireland.But I'm not sure how many partial Irish American idiots are in the States.I know there is one.It's almost too much.

If McGuinness out polls Gallagher it may be an interesting election.

antoman: You're going to vote? So they no longer have a literacy test for voters over there? Good thing they put pictures on the ballot paper!

TomSwinford -- So how come YOU didn't run. If the others are so bad, maybe even you could have been elected?

less impressed when i saw the actual number. still might be a harbinger and perhaps explain the betting.

PUT HIM ON A BOX - he can't reach - needs elevating. let me say this about that, Norris, is one, nail on blackboard annoying brit-is chap. That says much for the anglo lovers who wants back in commonwealth prestige. Buried RCs sheepishly yawn - their rewards are in the suffering for their jesus who's left them impotent.

tomgallaher, fianna fail person by chance? maybe you haven't realised that leprachauns don't exist yet? where ever you are in the world i'm glad it ain't ireland cause i can promise you if thats your opinion we are glad to see that back of you! we might finally have a president that has some solid beliefs besides money money money all the time!!

This summary suggests that either Ireland hasn't a clue what it wants or, more likely, that the Presidential election is a superficial game dictated and managed by the bookies. Just remember - unless the electorate begins to do some serious longer-term thinking - the bookie always fixes the odds and always wins.

a leprechaun for the republic - what an end to the basket case entity that's quite happy with its poodle head missing.

Early in this election campaign I said in these pages that Higgins was the best of a sorry lot, and McGuinness the most unworthy of all. It was truly disheartening to see that this was, apparently, the best we could do.

Just because Higgins looks like a Leprauchan is no reason to vote for him. He would be a disaster for the Republic.

We are selling ourselves from the cradle to the grave. The new president looks like being Higgins after the Gallagher debacle. But is Higgins the right person ? We all know his reputation on issues like the Iraq and Afghanistan wars and of course his hostility to Israel. Worthy as these issues are when you throw in his human rights activities, his pompous personality, unimpressive physique, love at being known as an intellectual and cultured (open to question) but most of all an extreme left winger, can we afford to have such a person represent Ireland. Will those in Washington DC, London, Paris and many other capitals be receptive to such a person selling Ireland ? Obviously I do not think so and if it appears Higgins is my only problem the other six are not far behind him in my reservations.

There is a moratorium in Ireland at present which forbids the media from speaking of the election. Of course this does not extend to you lot in America. With that I will say here that I will vote and leave it at that. Slainte.