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Martin McGuinness will be the Sinn Fein Presidential candidate

Northern Ireland's Deputy First Minister to enter race for Irish head of state

ANTOINETTE KELLY,

IrishCentral.com Staff Writer

Published Friday, September 16, 2011, 12:06 PM

Updated Friday, September 16, 2011, 1:39 PM

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Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams & Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness

Northern Ireland's Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness will be officially announced as the Sinn Fein candidate for the Irish presidency this weekend.

McGuinness has been approved by the party’s officer board and will now seek a formal approval from the Ard Comhairle, the party's national committee which is a formality.

Sinn Fein has said it will officially announce its candidate on Sunday. Former Stormont minister Michelle Gildernew and GAA legend Mickey Harte had also been rumored as contenders for the Sinn Fein nomination.

The McGuinness move means that he will take a leave of absence from his job as Northern Ireland Deputy First Minister. DUP leader Peter Robinson did the same last year when mounting personal problems of his wife preoccupied him.

McGuinness will transform a field that had been regarded as uninspiring up to this point. Paddy Power bookmakers immediately pegged him as a 6/1 shot with Micheal D.Higgins of the Labor Party at odds of 4/5 and Gay Mitchell of Fine Gael at 3/1.

His entry makes bad news for Fianna Fail leader Miceal Martin whose party has not nominated a candidate and who now has handed Sinn Fein the opportunity to become the effective main opposition party to the Irish government.
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Read More:

Ireland’s presidential race heats up as deadlines for nominations draw close

Fianna Fail meeting on Presidential race becomes ‘a complete bitch fest’

Sinn Fein decision to run a candidate for Irish president a body blow for Fianna Fail
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Senator David Norris has renewed his attempts to secure a nomination yesterday when he met with Independent TDs. He is scheduled to appear on the Late Late Show this evening to discuss his reentrance into the presidential race. He pulled out of the race in August over controversy concerning his former partner Ezra Nawi, who was convicted of the statutory rape of a minor in Israel.

Nster.com

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sirpeter | Sep 18, 2011, 07:39 PM EDT

TomSwinford.I know the general election you are talking about.93 seats to 128 on a vote for peace or war is not an overwhelming vote for peace.It shows how many people were willing to go back to war against overwhelming odds.Now that's where it's realistic to use the word overwhelming.The aspirations of the Irish people at the time was COMPLETE autonomy from the British.But the British made it quite clear a rejection of THEIR terms was war.This might sound anti-British to you.But that's where you are wrong. I'm Anti-British interference in Ireland and Pro-Irish when it comes to the historic relationship between our two countries.So Tom Swinford if you have an English title you are supposed to ignore the facts about English oppression in Ireland?You jump to the conclusion that I am Irish?What would you say if I told you I was a Protestant Englishman?Do you reckon every Englishman is loyal to England?I know every Irishman is not loyal to Ireland.See I found your post on on Sep 16, 2011, 08:28 very crude too.There's a big difference though.I know when I'm been crude.By the way if you are Irish I think you should change your moniker.After all it's an English name.

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Towngate | Sep 18, 2011, 02:21 PM EDT

Well done AK: spot on info. Thanks. ~ Martin will have to take more than a leave of absence to take the job ~ he will also need to take leave of his senses! This move will stick in many 'old' throats (on all sides) and may be just the very straw that breaks the camel's back! Matrin, of all people, should know what the hairs rising on the back of your neck mean!

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Towngate | Sep 16, 2011, 11:22 PM EDT

sirpeter, there were two votes in 1922, one (that you referred to) in the Dail and a far more important one in the June general election - in which pro-treaty candidates won 93 seats out of a total of 128. I would say that this was an overwhelming popular vote for peace. Therefore, I am not a liar but you are a dope. As for the rest of your insulting drivel, it is not worthy of comment. Indeed much of your crude, sub-par prose on this website is stridently anti-British - yet, you call yourself "sirpeter," an English title. Now that kind of redefines stupidity, doesn't it? Change your moniker, now there's a good lad.

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sirpeter | Sep 16, 2011, 09:48 PM EDT

Ah!! Come on Tom.In all fairness that was a very close vote in 1922.For you to say it was an overwhelming popular vote for peace makes you a bit of a liar.The treaty was ratified by Dáil Éireann after long debate on 7 January 1922 by vote of 64 to 57.That's 7 votes Tom.With the name Swinford I'm not really sure do we have an Irish name for that surname.Oh!! we do!! It means "mouth of the swine" The old Brits put in that oath of Allegiance when an oath meant something.That played a big part.They insisted on that meaningless oath.Now Tom if I didn't know the Brits better. I'd say they were happy to cause trouble.Having a civil war after they pull out of a country is their parting gift in many countries.You can't come on posting your bulls*it when I'm around.See Tom I'm going to make you look stupid now because you can't use the democratic process when it comes to the history of Ireland.For most of that history Catholics didn't have the right to vote and we didn't get a vote either on partition.Feeling a bit stupid yet? To be honest it all to easy to tear these comments apart.These are Toms key words..I'm not sure if he means the Brit because they fit them better.Violent history,brutal and ruthless,contempt for the democratic process,rejecting the clear will of the people,bitter legacy of that tragedy is still with us.That's the British in Ireland. Tomas Mouth of the Swine.I'm a hard hitter Tomas.If you go below the belt,so will I my friend.

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Rebelforce | Sep 16, 2011, 09:01 PM EDT

Since Tom Swineford is obviously such an "expert" on Ireland and Irish history, maybe he should run for President of Ireland. Ofcourse he'd never come close to beating Sinn Fein's Martin McGuiness in the election, but he'd certainly give the West-brits somebody to vote for.

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Rebelforce | Sep 16, 2011, 08:28 PM EDT

It is a ballsy move by Sinn Fein to put forward such a high profile candidate from the North when the party has so little popular support in the South. It reflects the sad and sorry state of Irish politics. For most of its violent history Sinn Fein/IRA has been a brutal and ruthless terrorist organization, most of its victims its own countrymen and women. For most of its history it repeatedly demonstrated an absolute contempt for the democratic process, i.e. the aspirations of the Irish people. Twice rejecting the clear will of the people, first in the Dail in January 1922 and then by reputiating an overwhelming popular vote for peace in June of that year, Sinn Fein/IRA, led by its leader, de Valera, took the country into civil war. The bitter legacy of that tragedy is still with us. And until recent times Sinn Fein/IRA pursued its own murderous agenda until it was, effectively, defeated. In fairness to McGuinness, I am impressed by his efforts at working within the political system and doing the hard work of democracy.

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stmungo | Sep 16, 2011, 08:12 PM EDT

Ya gotta vote for Martin. He's the one who has the connections in the States. The yanks, & that includes me would be jumping for joy if he won. A lot of the boys would be itching to help Ireland with Martin as Pres.

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sirpeter | Sep 16, 2011, 05:55 PM EDT

I couldn't vote for Dorris now after he pulled a fast one by pulling out when the heat was on and now wants back in.As for Mary Davis she might pull a few strings where we get an extra 200 million wheelchair parking spaces.Micheal D.Higgins is only fit for a part in a movie as a hob-goblin.Gay Mitchell MEP – Putting "Dublin" at the Heart of Europe.The Lisbon Treaty-Vote Yes to Europe Vote Yes for Jobs.That says it all.I'll give Martin my vote.We know what side Martin is on.

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Rebelforce | Sep 16, 2011, 03:19 PM EDT

How long has it been since the people of independent Ireland had the opportunity to vote for a man who actually fought and struggled for Irish Freedom against British rule? What a terrific opportunity for those voters of Ireland who consider themselves 'Irish Nationalists' to finally have somebody to vote for.

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Bailey2000 | Sep 16, 2011, 02:39 PM EDT

I hope the fools in Fianna Fail nominate Norris to at least give us a choice. I hate the shinners more than most but would have to accept that McGuinness is a better candidate than Mary Davis...Mary who?

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Ernesider | Sep 16, 2011, 12:31 PM EDT

Martin should present himself but I certainly hope David Norris returns to the race as he is by far the most promising candidate we have ever seen run for president. The state our country is in deserves someone of his caliber to make it competitive and capable of providing her children with bright and comfortable futures in the place they were born.

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