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Periscope by Niall O'Dowd

Fine Gael and media attacks hand Martin McGuinness a major victory

Posted on Thursday, October 06, 2011 at 06:03 PM
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The rise in the Martin McGuinness vote and the fall in Gay Mitchell's vote in the Irish presidential election speaks volumes.

Mitchell, the Fine Gael candidate has been the attack dog, backed by major elements of the Dublin media in going after McGuinness from Sinn Fein.

The level of vitriol has included possible impeachment if he is elected president to being arrested for his IRA past.

The upshot has been that Mitchell is now at 9 per cent in The Irish Times poll and McGuinness is in third place at 19 per cent.

In contrast, Mitchell's party Fine Gael enjoys about 44 per cent support while Sinn Fein is on about 13 per cent support.

The change in fortune makes clear that Sinn Fein bashing has run its course with the Irish electorate who know full well the role that Martin McGuinness played in bringing peace to Ireland.

As the main party in the Irish government Fine Gael is enjoying major popularity, especially their leader Enda Kenny who has been honest, plain spoken and direct on issues from the economic meltdown to the culpability of the Vatican in the child sex abuse cases.

Bu the party has clearly panicked over the presidential election and their deeply flawed candidate.

Beating up on Sinn Fein was always a good strategy in terms of turning out the law and order vote in the old days.

Clearly someone decided to pound that big brass drum again this time.

But the people are not listening.

The peace process has made all that rhetoric old and stale. Fine Gale's Mitchell and his media cohorts are like the Bourbons who 'learnt nothing and forgot nothing" in the word of Talleyrand.

Contrast Mitchell with front runner Michael D.Higgins of Labor who has steered well away from the Sinn Fein bashing and easily heads the polls.

Wise old owl that he is he understands when it comes to prejudice there's a time to hold them and a time to fold them.

Fine Gael party and media honchos have still not got that message.


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26 comments

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| Oct 16, 2011, 03:43 PM EDT
BTW I was referring to the Irish Republic not the Irish Army when I said "George Dillon hates us for some reason". Try and calm down George! What exactly do you do for your country,wherever that is? Have you any profession of your own? There is every reason for the Irish Army and Police to exist in order to protect the citizens of this country. The word "Oirish" was invented by Hollywood and speaks volumes about you. BI BI I'm going on duty now for a few hours to justify my existence. I'm on U.N. peacekeeping duties in a foreign country but for reasons of security I will not say where and some of my colleagus are highy amused at you. Where are you from George, we promise we won't hold it against you. However, you may be greatful for our expertise some day so stop behaving like a spoilt child. Over and Out. Goodnight. Regards to you Niall. Audrey.

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audreybolton | Oct 16, 2011, 03:00 PM EDT
BTW I was referring to the Irish Republic not the Irish Army when I said "George Dillon hates us for some reason". Try and calm down George! What exactly do you do for your country,wherever that is? Have you any profession of your own? There is every reason for the Irish Army and Police to exist in order to protect the citizens of this country. The word "Oirish" was invented by Hollywood and speaks volumes about you. BI BI I'm going on duty now for a few hours to justify my existence. I'm on U.N. peacekeeping duties in a foreign country but for reasons of security I will not say where and some of my colleagus are highy amused at you. Where are you from George, we promise we won't hold it against you. However, you may be greatful for our expertise some day so stop behaving like a spoilt child. Over and Out. Regards to Niall. Audrey.

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audreybolton | Oct 16, 2011, 02:24 PM EDT
BTW if McGuinness was running for President of America, he would have to answer "awkward" questions from tbhe American public. Why should the Irish public be any different. Regards Audrey.

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audreybolton | Oct 16, 2011, 02:22 PM EDT
What a bitter man you are Geroge Dillon. Do you have a skill boyond being scathing about a person's profession? Were you turned down by the Army or Police in Ireland? Are you even Irish I suspect not. The word "Oirish! speaks volumes about you. The Irish State needs an army to defend them against people like you and the IRA supporters do still exist, why are they so angry at McGuinness being asked awkward questions about his record. Intimadating Miriam O'Callaghan and other responsible Irish journalists was a very bad move on Sinn Fein's part. Try and calm down George!

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GeorgeDillon | Oct 16, 2011, 01:18 PM EDT
Audreybolton: "I think George Dillon hates us for some reason". Wrong. Not hate--despise. I have nothing but contempt for the Oirish Army. There is no reason for such a body to exist. It's an army that sues the government if its soldiers hear a gunshot or see a dead body. And I am not an "IRA supporter", you dope, in fact the last time I checked no such group existed. But youi invent it in order to justify your useless existence by creating a Bogey Man. Every euro spent on paying you is a euro wasted. Get a real job and stop playing at toy soldiers. I stopped when I was about six. Grow up.

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audreybolton | Oct 15, 2011, 05:51 PM EDT
Irish journalists/tv presenters like Miriam O'Callaghan, Eoghan Harris,Fintan O.Toole etc. have been threatened by McGuinness supporters for trying to get at the truth, why does he not like criticsm! Is he afraid! BTW George Dillon I doubt you would pass the rigid tests or the 15 month army training course. Cheers!!

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audreybolton | Oct 15, 2011, 02:50 PM EDT
Thank you Niall O'Dowd for printing my comments and perhaps people will learn more about the real opinions of the the Voters of the Irish State. I think George Dillon hates us for some reason known only to himself. BTW McGuinness is down to 13% in today's polls (comes 4th) and Sean Gallagher has come top. Again thanks Niall for printing my comments. Audrey (Captain).

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audreybolton | Oct 15, 2011, 02:38 PM EDT
In fact George Dillion we protect the people of the Irish State again illegal armed groups(i.e. the IRA), have performed peace-keeping duties in the Lebonan, Sierra Leone, Eastern Europe etc. and have a very proud record in doing so. Also our loyalty is to the people of the Irish State and as members of the U.N. we do not make war on other nations. You sound like an IRA supporter (which still exists by the way and so does the Army Council)of which McGuinness and Adams are still members, the Government and Defence Forces have plenty of proof that that. We're NOT PAID A GREAT SALARY BUT ARE PROUD TO SERVE OUR COUNTRY so are my brothers in the Garda (police). So Mocking Us! Could you do the same job without whining?

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GeorgeDillon | Oct 15, 2011, 02:37 AM EDT
audreybolton: "As an Irish Army Officer married to another one"... Double income -- Your family certainly sucks greedily at the public teat. How much do the two of you make a year? And just what do you do to earn it? In fact, now that you're on line, will you tell us just what is the function of the Irish Army? To let grown adults play toy soldiers? I'm not a supporter of Martin McGuiness, as I oppose his Open Door Mass Immigration policy, but I believe it would be a great day for Ireland if the Irish Army were disbanded and their toys turned into scrap metal. This is the same Irish Army whose soldiers sued successfully for deafness because they had been exposed to hearing gunfire. What the hell did these jerks expect when they signed up? That they'd be firing pancakes at each other ? And some of the ones who were in Lebanon want damages for trauma because they saw some dead bodies there. An army of useless jerks--soldiers who sue if they hear a shot fired or see a dead body. What a waste of space and taxpayer money the Irish Army is. You parasites have nothing to contribute to any debate.

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Fergananim | Oct 14, 2011, 09:12 PM EDT
Niall - the fact that Mr. McGuinness even now only retains, according to polls, 16%-19% of the overall Irish vote is indicitive of how far Sinn Fein still have to go to make inroads in the Republic, where they still only retain 10% of the vote. How can this be otherwise when the IRA only ceased in 2005, and only then as a result of the horror at the murder of Robert MacCartney, himself a Sinn Fein voter, Catholic, and Irishman? We've just got rid of one morally bankrupt republican party (Fianna Fail) and should be in no hurry to usher in a new one.

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audreybolton | Oct 14, 2011, 10:46 AM EDT
NIALL, As an Irish Army Officer married to another one and with two brothers in the Irish Police, WE WOULD BE HORRIFIED if McGuinness become our President and Commander-in-Chief. The IRA waged a war for many years againt the Irish Republic's Army and Police and Citizens and the Chief of Staff of the Irish Defence Forces Major General McCann will be HONOUR BOUND NOT to raise a toast to the new President and all will remain seated. Sinn Feinn's fury at the Irish people and media proved that Miriam O.Callaghan, Vincent O'Brien and other other well respected and popular journalists were bang on target and all of them have spent more then half their lives learning how to do their jobs as we have in the Defence Forces. As for the Hollywood movie stars who back him, they don't live in the Irish Republic and won't have to live with the consequences. Niall,please print this if you want to be fair to the country of your birth. Regards. Audrey (Captain).

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MatthewJshow | Oct 13, 2011, 09:15 PM EDT
I was in Ireland this week and listened to the debates. Whether you agree or disagree with Martin McGuinness, politics in Ireland has changed in a big way. It will be interesting to see who wins. Ireland needs someone who will promote a positive image worldwide. Most of the candidates appear to have the ability to do just that.

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cynicus | Oct 13, 2011, 02:28 PM EDT
Ha! What an honour! Second most popular political party! And at a time when all Irish politicians are regarded as ratshit by all Irish people who are not yet dead! Makes you want to join the U.K. Sure Good Queen Elizabeth would top the poll now if she wanted to. I may just give her my Number 1- great way to stuff it to our home-grown carpet-baggers. We have the worst bunch of misfits ever to run for President here! It is clear indicatio that the role of President has been shown to be well-beyond its sell-by date. What next, Whitey Bulger for President- more brains in his arse-pimple than this lot! (is he still alive, by the way?)

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patriot | Oct 10, 2011, 04:54 PM EDT
Boy, the West Briton types are REALLY SCARED of Mr. McGuinness. Perhaps that is because they know he represents more of the Irish electorate than they would like. There are still Irish Men & Women in Ireland who look back with pride and affection to our 1916 rising and the throwing out of british troops from 3/4 of our humble island. They are proud that a tiny group of armed poets was able to overthrow the entire british empire as 1916 was soon followed by britain's loss of India, the jewel of the empire! The Irish are going to elect McGuniness precisely because he is who he is: a man who stood up for his people and fought the brits to a standstill where they sued for peace. God Bless Martin and godspeed his journey to the Presidency.

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seanomelbourne | Oct 08, 2011, 07:08 PM EDT
Maybe we can sit in madigans and chew the fat someday.Is the Laurels still there??

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