NEW YORK BOSTON |#Popular: Irish Celebrity Gossip Irish in US Politics Irish Festivals Irish Roots Irish Entertainment Offbeat Irish

Home Page > News > Magnificent Seven to go to the polls in Ireland’s Presidential election

Magnificent Seven to go to the polls in Ireland’s Presidential election

Councils send Norris and Dana forward to face the people

CATHAL DERVAN,

IrishCentral.com Staff Writer

Published Wednesday, September 28, 2011, 8:12 AM

Updated Wednesday, September 28, 2011, 10:15 AM

Larger Text

E-mail

10 Comments

The Aras an Uachtarain - Ireland's presidential palace

Photo by Google Images

And then there were seven – nominations closed for the election to choose the next President of Ireland at lunchtime on Wednesday with the largest field on record officially in the running.

After all the drama and excitement the election will be contested by seven candidates, but Fianna Fail won’t be represented for the first time in the party’s history.

David Norris, Martin McGuinness, Michael D Higgins, Gay Mitchell, Dana Rosemary Scallon, Sean Gallagher, and Mary Davis will all appear on the ballot paper on October 27th.

Norris was the last man in after finally securing the support of a fourth council with a nomination from Dublin City Council on Tuesday night.

The Trinity College academic secured 30 votes from the City Council with six against and 11 abstaining.

Earlier the former Eurovision song contest winner Dana was nominated by Offaly County Council as she booked her place on the ballot.

________________

Senator David Norris wins a place in the Irish presidential race

David Norris faces uphill battle to get on Ireland's presidential ballot

________________

Gallagher and Davis will also run as Independents having secured the support of County Councils.

The traditional parties will be represented by Fine Gael’s Gay Mitchell, Labor’s Michael D Higgins and Sinn Fein’s Martin McGuinness.

Still dogged by his appeals for clemency when his former partner was found guilty of statutory rape of a child in Israel, Norris has thanked those who helped him secure his nomination.

“I am delighted and honored and indeed humbled - a word I don’t often use - by the wonderful exercise in democracy that we’ve had here,” said Norris after Dublin City Council voted to ensure he will run.

Fingal, Laois and Waterford City Council also backed Senator Norris.

“I’m in love with this country and thank God for it. Thank God for democracy, democracy was vindicated here,” added Norris.

“The quest for a nomination was a bit bruising at times. I have made many friends on my travels around the State. I hope I’ve made no enemies.”

Dana Rosemary Scallon won nominations from Donegal and Offaly on Tuesday to ensure her candidature but was rejected by Westmeath.

“I want to be the people’s president and to uphold the Constitution if elected,” said Dana.

“My thanks to the support of the county councils without which I could never have done it on time. If I am honored to be elected president, I would be a president for all the people. I’ve represented Ireland now for 41 years on an international stage.”

1 2 Next page >

Nster.com

E-mail

10 Comments

See all comments

sirpeter | Sep 28, 2011, 08:25 PM EDT

Georgy Boy.I can tell you were criticized all your life by your parents.No need to criticize Dervan for his headline.It's not that bad.I just want to say even though you are the most hated person on IC.We all still love you because you are part of the IC family. :))

Report abuse

DanOLoingsigh | Sep 28, 2011, 04:29 PM EDT

Hats off to the legislators for vesting the choice of the next Prez in the people. As to the eventual winner, I think from Michael D, Martin M, David N, but one more damaging revelation could sink a candidate very quickly. Like, for example, ‘who the eff cuts Michael D’s hair? not a barber anyway; so come on Michael, time for an ‘ould ones’ shorty. (Georgie, don’t get too upset, it’s not those Poles in the headline)

Report abuse

GeorgeDillon | Sep 28, 2011, 03:39 PM EDT

"Magnificent Seven"? What an unoriginal and lazy label. Doesn't Dervan have an original or creative bone in his body?

Report abuse

stanJames | Sep 28, 2011, 03:25 PM EDT

This is a largely ceremonial post. I'd vote for Norris all the way. What better answer to the church of the endless hidden molestation all over the world. Just google "" (country) - catholic church molestation"". Try this one - http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2003/aug/17/religion.childprotection (about letter from Vatican telling bishops to hide the molestation). http://www.richardsipe.com/Comments/2008-06-06-Concealed.html ( a long list of the crimes and ccver up of these crimes by the church of RATZInger and his absolutist predecessors. Protect your children and drive this corrupt church from the nation. How many of us have ever considered that a top down church, my way or the highway, Pope like Pius XII, is so similar to virtually every dictatorship on the face of the earth. And find me one of those kinds of countries that respect human rights. Nazi Germany, Stalins Sov U, Chinas Mao, Saddams Iraq etc etc = all top down monstrosities Exactly like what Ratzinger is trying to take the church back to - the middle ages, known as the dark ages of zero social and economic progress.

Report abuse

solyeant | Sep 28, 2011, 12:00 PM EDT

Now it seems Ireland has Narnia or Valhalla in mind when electing a titular figure Just scrap the lot replace it by televoting like a big phone-in . If everyone in the country is to apply the democratic rule then we are all candidates and should not have to spend other people's money for a job Imagine if we could rob banks and use the excuse afterwards we were using the money to buy stamps to send of CVs and the like. Norris and the six fiddlers could run for a few weeks but in the end some one of those guys is going to get a salary with a live-in staff totalling around 350.000 coconuts per year for scratching their boodles hence the reason why we should all consider ourselves for the job and the cash and just phone in to one of my organised phone-ins on the day of the election Watch this space for more phone-in details you can even do it by Skype excretia

Report abuse

sirpeter | Sep 28, 2011, 10:58 AM EDT

No more queens for Erin!! HA HA.I love it!!Now that's a great headline for a newspaper.

Report abuse

cillowen | Sep 28, 2011, 10:44 AM EDT

no more queens for erin - its comical enough without her. They fear NI martin but went gaga over foreign born Dev Valera, England's Greatest Spy . The in cahoots trigger for Ireland's Civil War with blood flowing freely as brother fought brother - the same valera fellow who also in cahoots with FDR and Churchill kept ould Erin in a so called neutral state during WWII. A brilliant move to ensure resource and manpower were readily available for mother England's cause. Who knew? Dev's prize was a homeland for his tribe. Not at all suprized by the hostility of Ireland's media given their ravings over Queenie's visit. Such mavens who yearn to be on mother's BBC, like much loved Eamon Andrews was.

Report abuse

TheOldPerfessor | Sep 28, 2011, 09:48 AM EDT

If this were America, they'd be referred to as the seven dwarves.

Report abuse

Suivness10 | Sep 28, 2011, 09:46 AM EDT

@Bernadett, I'm with you. More power to him.

Report abuse

Bernadett | Sep 28, 2011, 09:35 AM EDT

Norris all the way

Report abuse