Niall O'Dowd: Day one on the presidential campaign in Ireland

Searlit: I understand what you are saying however the Political Establishement is essentially a boys club that reflects what is valued by Society...Women's narratives are not considered an important part of the mainstream 'conversation' therefore are not articulated Instead they are marginalised to voluntary/interst goups or public/charitable bodies.Unfortuately women particularly Irish women seem to collude in their second class citizenship being caught between the Church and the State...You only have to read a recent debate in the Dail where the sexual innuendo about two leading International women Politicians was the equivalent of schoolboy sniggering...It is only now some 40 odd tears later that Society is beginning to understand the 'sex object' debate...sorta... and is finally requiring retailers to stop sexualising children... I'm a little battle weary having fought these issues for what seems like forever so it's up to the new feminists to take up the causes now...Good Luck...

@themurphia, by women's issues, I meant the human rights of all women. It is shocking to see that human rights abuses such as, the trafficking of women and girls aren't being dealt with effectively. Also, the allowance of control, and suppression of women by different religious groups has ill effects on all women.

Niall: According to another poster since you were born on the Island of Ireland ergo Constitutionally an Irish citizen... and if there is no bar on the President holding dual Naionality this issue should be put to bed for once and for all...it's a distraction but one you will have to address once the meeja get stuck in to you... Amongst your connections you must be able to find a Constitutional lawyer who can answer this question definitively...

@themurphia: Mary McAleese was an Irish citizen she couldn’t have become president otherwise; the Constitution of Ireland states in Article 12.4 that: Candidates must be Irish citizens aged 35 or more. She was born on the island of Ireland, and the law at that time granted automatic citizenship to her. Furthermore, if you are an Irish citizen, you may also hold dual citizenship. Your post baffles me, do you expect us to just make Niall president the minute he expresses an interest in the job? Surely you accept that in a democracy, the people and the media have a right to question candidates. The tone and content of Niall’s articles raise questions over his suitability for the role. Finally, how exactly is Niall being treated like an illegal immigrant? The reality is Niall has been hyper sensitive to pretty mild comments about the novelty of an Irish American candidate. I am still looking forward to hearing more from Niall, and I do hope he runs a good campaign.

Niall: Front page news today on the IT comments pages...lovely piece by Bruce Morrison...The Irish at home are a quare lot altogether..they have been bellyaching about the State of the Nation and the damage caused by the FF'ers since 2008...Having got rid of Tweedledum they elected Tweedle dee..the result after 100 days not a lot really...before the election they were crying out for people with business acumen and skills the entrepreneurs, the get up and go guy...now they have the prospect of one they are saying he's 'an alien'...well a couple of them...This issue of the dual Nationality needs to be addressed...Mary McAleese was not 'a citizen' of the Republic yet she was elected...you need to find out how. The other oddity is that the very ones decrying your candidacy are probably the same who would vote for a candidate who wants to be President of a Republic he thinks should never have separted from the British Empire or gained Independence...Bizarre or what...? If the Irish miss out on this opportunity Niall then maybe it's time for the Diaspora to cut the umbilical cord and leave home for good...Get this Constitutional issue sorted out and get this monkey off your back so that the positive ideas you bring to the table can be the focus not this ID distraction...Ironic really that an Irishman is being trested as an illegal immigrant in his own country...You couldn't make it up...but it's there and needs to be dealt with...Amen

Best of luck to Niall O'Dowd in this venture. You're the guy to shake them up, all right! I'm so pleased at this development it overshadows all kinds of negativity. Good man yourself, Niall.

Good Luck to ye Mr. O'Dowd. Being a Republic I guess the doors are open to all who so desire to run for office. And it is also open to "arm chair" political analyst and their take on things. Just remember that with most of the public you could give them a Euro and they couldn't buy a clue. But who has any Euro's to spare?

There is an arrogance about your turn of phrase in this piece which will not endear you to the Irish public. Little Irelanders? Firstly, the European Parliament, for all its fault, is hardly 'discredited' and to dismiss the ideas of other candidates as yak-yak is a bit insulting to people who have served their country for many years. You also seem to confuse the role of President with the head of the IDA. Your rhetoric about jobs is very crowd-pleasing, but the electorate in "insular" little Ireland is much more sophisticated than you seem to think. People know the limits of the presidency and the role someone can play. Its not a businessman people want, it's someone who they feel represents them and the country well. In that regard, I'd be less worried about your views on British Royalty, and more worried about how hyper-sensitive you are. I remember you several times on Irish radio taking offence at something The Simpsons, or Family Guy said about Irish people that most of the rest of us found funny. But then, as now, I suspect your motive was just to generate publicity for this website. In that regard, I guess the presidential campaign is a success so far.

Don't mind the negative comments Niall they just can't bear the thought of you leaving but don't know how to say it in case they appear soft...!;")

Best of Luck to you Niall. I'm sure Irealnd will be the better for it if you attain the office. Just as the US needs a "smart business person" to run the country....instead of "politicians"....so would Ireland benefit from it. It's about time that governments realize that knowing how to "back-slap & kiss the babies in the crowd" WON'T help an ECONOMY. Get a savvy business person in office to run the country like a business. And as far as the rest of the gobbledy-gook being thrown by Ellis & certain others...it should be a non-issue. I was born in America, as was my father. His mother came from the fair isles of Ireland. And I, myself, have visited the country 10 times....and couldn't love it more if I had been born there. It's a matter of "how much you treasure a place" and want to see it at it's best....that will be the person to steer the country into the right direction. So, after you're the President, if you ever need some help....I'd be happy to assist you. Would even give up my nice warm, sunny location here in Orlando to do my part for Ireland...one of the best countries on this planet!!!!

I think you are an opportunist, into self promotion for whose benefit? I hope the people of Ireland use their common sense and send you packing.

Well Niall whatever you're doing you must be doing something right..another article in the (sh)IT...it's an attempt at (not very good) satire from their very own in house Unionist...I told you it had an Orange tinge... nil illigitibus carborandum...!

Joycean, I'm aware that the Irish Government automatically claims everyone on the island of Ireland as an Irish citizen, but I was wondering if President McAleese was ever asked about dual citizenship when she ran for office since she was born a British "subject" in Belfast.

Are these comments from the inmates of some type of Asylum or substance abuse facility...this is so banal it beggars belief...If you decide to run all the best I think you're going to need it if this is your demographic. Slan

antoman lol. OK!Grab the wheel quick!! This will be hard going until Creaky and Georgie's bodies slide out from under the van.Da Da Daaaaaa!! Do Do Do Dooooo!!