Irish voters go to the ballot box in a little over a week to decide who the next president of Ireland will be.
There are seven contenders, but bookmakers and opinion polls show it is close to a two-man race between businessman Sean Gallagher, who was also a reality TV star, and former Labor Party minister Michael D. Higgins.
But the race is so volatile that it is impossible to predict with great accuracy who will ultimately win.
Gallagher is a case in point. A few months ago bookmakers had him on offer at around odds of 30-1. But he has run a clean campaign, devoid of smears or innuendo, focusing on job creation and helping Ireland get out of the economic mess it is in.
Higgins has battled questions about his age – he is 70 -- and his physical fitness for the office, but has a lifelong resume of principled political commitment to issues many others ran away from.
Most notably, Higgins was responsible for removing the odious Section 31 that banned Sinn Fein from the airwaves. This was a huge move towards normalization.
But this Irish presidential campaign will be remembered for its negative and pejorative tone. It has been a nasty campaign full of smear and despicable press coverage.
That coverage reached its zenith or nadir on Sunday when the Irish Daily Mail reported that a third hand allegation against a contender about a sexual battery case had been reported 25 years after it allegedly occurred. Irish police quite rightly refused to prosecute, but the story still made the front page.
___________
The Irish Presidential Campaign: Last Two Men Standing?
Irish Republic needs Martin McGuinness says Guardian writer
Michael D Higgins launches surprise attack on Martin McGuinness
___________
We have also had a complete airing of the view of David Norris on pedophilia, and a dramatic family dispute over the same issue involving the singer Dana, who must be regretting her late decision to enter the race.
Then there has been the ultimate smear campaign against Sinn Fein candidate Martin McGuinness, who has received a full frontal attack in the Irish Independent and to some extent The Irish Times, both of which seem to consider his decision to contest the race as no less than an invasion of their privately held Republic.
McGuinness would be a superb president of Ireland, as he has been a superb deputy first minister in the Northern Ireland government and a brilliant peace negotiator.
Simply put, without him there would be no peace process, no delivery of the IRA to a ceasefire, no government or long term peace dividend on the island of Ireland.
All that appears to have been conveniently forgotten in the rush to demonize McGuinness in large sections of the Irish media.
The Vichy version of history being peddled in parts has the IRA, and by extension McGuinness, as the sole instigator and purveyor of violence in Northern Ireland.
If he does not make president, which appears likely, he will continue to play that critical role in Northern Ireland, and for that we can be thankful.
But he is worth voting for to make the point that the role of president of Ireland does not stop at the Irish border or her shores.
It is wider, embracing a worldwide diaspora as Mary Robinson and Mary McAleese have shown so well.
Let us hope whoever wins the prize is able to reflect that.
28 Comments
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.seanomelbourne | Oct 24, 2011, 06:01 PM EDT
Dublincitizen only Irish citizens who live abroad should vote.
Brolaur | Oct 24, 2011, 02:33 PM EDT
Dana should be ashamed of herself. She gets a FLAT TYRE, keeps on driving and then has the NERVE to claim that this was an attack on her life when the tyre is destroyed???. Deo gratias! She is running last. She has lost all respect and credibility
DublinCitizen | Oct 24, 2011, 12:55 PM EDT
Stmungo, why should people who don't live in the Irish Repiblic be allowed to decide for us who do should be President of 5 million people.?
DanOLoingsigh | Oct 24, 2011, 03:46 AM EDT
Seano - no need to get so sore, cobber - you have to read the post in the context of the other post referred to -and after me improving your marks by correcting your previous homework...and that's not maybe!!!
seanomelbourne | Oct 22, 2011, 06:00 PM EDT
the current president is from belfast dan, is she a visitor. What part of the states do you live in? Maybe your knowledge of Ireland is third hand,it certainly lacks credibility or honesty for that matter.
DanOLoingsigh | Oct 22, 2011, 12:56 PM EDT
maireadinmelb - Like the Brits, Martin would be (and is)welcomed in Dublin, so long as , like them, he goes home in a few days. It's the difference between a having him as a visitor and a resident that bothers a few...
Bailey2000 | Oct 22, 2011, 12:38 PM EDT
I have no doubt that Martin McGuinness has some admirable qualities. It is important to remember that the role of the President is to be a symbolic head of state. For the vast majority of residents of the South of Ireland who observed Martin half of their lives as a soldier/patriot/murderer (take your pick) they simply don't see him in this role. I think they are right!
stmungo | Oct 22, 2011, 11:39 AM EDT
The powers to be in Ireland won't let the diaspora vote. If they did Martin would win in a landslide !
maireadinmelb | Oct 21, 2011, 05:59 PM EDT
If we are supposed to be getting over things and following the Good Friday Agreement why is only one side doing the forgetting and forgiving! If the brits can be forgiven and welcomed in dublin why can fellow irishmen not be forgiven and welcomed?
ballindaggin | Oct 21, 2011, 11:33 AM EDT
Martin McGuinness is the right man for the job, but he would be a great loss to Northern Ireland as he is such a good politician.The Aras is a job for someone who can,t hack things in the real world.
billie061 | Oct 21, 2011, 05:50 AM EDT
I.R.A. in the Aras, no way, not that the rest of them are much better, Dana with her dramatics a has been eurovision winner, not one of them are fit to follow in the footsteps of Robinson or McAleese. It has turned into a farce. Bring on Dustin the turkey.
cillowen | Oct 20, 2011, 07:03 PM EDT
McGuinness is Ireland - known throughout the world, friend of all the world's major players be they regarded friend or foe, the essence of diplomacy. Its the nature of things that one day America's buddy Sadam, their friend, and the next day they regarded him Satan. Gadaffi, friend to hero Mandela is another out of favor fellow who would't play ball. They'll be more of such friends of the good guys getting a cumuppence in time. The nature of sharks to feed as they do. Good guy McGuiness is an awesome choice for Prez of Ireland he has the backing of many of the heavy business hitters of this planet. Mandela was the IRA-like head who liberated his people of South Africa McGuiness had the courage to cleanse NI of its Apartheid ways. The southies lacking courage will opt for their losers. Losers - you know at everything. Country gone belly-up.
cillowen | Oct 20, 2011, 07:01 PM EDT
McGuinness is Ireland - known throughout the world, friend of all the world's major players be they regarded friend or foe, the essence of diplomacy. Its the nature of things that one day America's buddy Sadam, their friend, and the next day they regarded him Satan. Gadaffi, friend to hero Mandela is another out of favor fellow who would't play ball. They'll be more of such friends of the good guys getting a cumuppence in time. The nature of sharks to feed as they do. Good guy McGuiness is an awesome choice for Prez of Ireland he has the backing of many of the heavy business hitters of this planet. Mandela was the IRA-like head who liberated his people of South Africa McGuiness had the courage to cleanse NI of its Apartheid ways. The southies lacking courage will opt for their losers. Losters - you know at everything. Country gone belly-up.
DanOLoingsigh | Oct 20, 2011, 06:39 PM EDT
More baloney from our antipodean poster...The IRA tried to bomb their way to some kind of socialist republic...only when they 'copped on' to the fact that some unionists were just as fanatical abour their rights, did they change tack...a good thing, and MMcG deserves credit for his work after that...not sure he can expect to have his former life ignored...but that's not really the SF agenda, is it?
seanomelbourne | Oct 20, 2011, 06:22 PM EDT
McGuiness will not make it to aras but he is the only candidate who worked tirelessly for a negotiated settlement in the north. The meanspirited Irish press and their minions posting on IC should hang their heads in shame,their an ignorant lot.
Rebelforce | Oct 20, 2011, 06:09 PM EDT
When you cast your vote for President of Ireland in a free and democratic election, give thanks for Irishmen like Martin McGuinness, who struggled, fought and risked their lives to give you the privilege. Freedom isn't free.
DublinCitizen | Oct 20, 2011, 05:21 PM EDT
We have been at peace for nearly 90 years in the Republic and we don't want any Sinn Fein/IRA bullies like Martin McGuinness stirring up the old hatreds. Detective Jerry McCabe's widow Anne said it all today so did John Kelly's son - he is not fit to be President of Ireland. In all my 62 years and remembering the havoc people like him caused, I won't be voting for him and neither will my friends and family.
RedBranch | Oct 20, 2011, 04:40 PM EDT
@Rebelforce, surely Mr.McGuinness is the establishment, one of his suits costs more than I earn in a month. Shuttled around in expensive cars, flying first class, the choice of any salmon river in Ireland. I don't hear too many un-establishment mutterings coming from him about the governance of Northern Ireland.
Rebelforce | Oct 20, 2011, 03:45 PM EDT
I agree with you that Martin McGuinness is the best candidate on offer for President of Ireland. But I'm kind of torn as to whether McGuinness' toughness, political skills, leadership ability and sense of vision are more needed in the fledgling northern Irish power-sharing assembly right now. In any event, there is no question that the election of Martin McGuinness as President of Ireland would deliver a sharp, well-placed and well-needed kick in the asss to the political estabishment.
FallsRNat | Oct 20, 2011, 03:25 PM EDT
jfmcauliff - i would pose the question - what reconciliation in the north, my house overlooks a peace wall that has increased in size between the catholic & protestant population in the north since 1999, there isn't even genuine reconciliation between the nationalist & republicans. Making soundbites on the campaign trail about having a July 12th celebration in the ARAs, for whom?
JBRAFTREE | Oct 20, 2011, 02:50 PM EDT
In my humble opinion, Martin is the right man for the Republic.
jfmcauliff | Oct 20, 2011, 12:49 PM EDT
As an American with Irish ancestry several generations removed, my opinion about whom should be President of Ireland is irrelevant. However, I do want to add a perspective based on covering one of the early northern elections in which Sinn Fein competed for Philadelphia's Irish Edition. I interviewed and observed the campaigns of leading figures of both SF and the SDLP, including McGuinness. My impression concurred with the view of a leading Quaker in the north that McGuinness had emerged from his personal history of violence as a peacemaker with the ability to transform the political dead end of the troubles. That trip was also a revelation about the mix of denial and repression in the Republic that was the heritage of a bitter post independence civil war and analogous to the ability of the white population in most of the US to remain oblivious for decades to the effect of Jim Crow discrimination in the south. The McGuinness campaign may offer an opportunity within the Republic for the rehabilitation and reconciliation of history that SF brought to the north. Will even the vituperative perspective of Irish Central columnist John Spain be reconsidered if the Irish people choose McGuinness? His leadership could both symbolize and embody the contemporary spirit of a truly united Ireland. John McAuliff Fund for Reconciliation and Development
mastersonjp | Oct 20, 2011, 12:20 PM EDT
markrichey has problems with fanatics, zionist pedophiles and west britons. What about cop killers, kidnappers and bank robbers. martin had no problems withe these types for years
MarkRichey | Oct 20, 2011, 11:50 AM EDT
I totally agree, Amid the fanatics, zionist pedophiles, West Britons, etc., only Martin McGuinness has shown any integrity or courage.
mylesie | Oct 20, 2011, 11:49 AM EDT
@ wyalusingjohn & mcdolan Have you watched the Irish version of Dragon's Desk?
canadianirish | Oct 20, 2011, 11:31 AM EDT
Yes, I'm an outsider but I greatly respect Mr. McGuinness for having taken a stand against the presence of British occupational forces in Northern Ireland in the late sixties. Those were volatile times and he responded accordingly. He would get my vote. He embodies the principle of: "Those who STAND for NOTHING, will FALL for ANYTHING". I wish Mr. McGuinness all the best on election day!
wyalusingjohn | Oct 20, 2011, 10:28 AM EDT
I'll not criticize McGuiness but I think that Sean Gallagher is the right person for the job In addition to integrity his business experience is right for Ireland at this time. It is a pity that this race has become so decisive.
mcdolan | Oct 20, 2011, 09:41 AM EDT
Hear, Hear!