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Home Page > Blogs > News blogs > Periscope > Martin McGuinness presidential move a major coup for Sinn Fein ---Either way they will win

Periscope by Niall O'Dowd

Martin McGuinness presidential move a major coup for Sinn Fein ---Either way they will win

Posted on Saturday, September 17, 2011 at 03:40 AM

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The entry of Martin McGuinness into the presidential race throws the cat among the pigeons very forcefully in Ireland.

I happened to be on a current affairs program, the George Hook Show here in Dublin when the news hit

. The reaction of the pundits was immediate.

A presidential race that was becoming a circus of minor contenders suddenly had been galvanized by the entrance of the Sinn Fein Deputy First Minister.

The immediate reaction was that McGuinness could not win the race but could get as high as 25 per cent of the vote and possibly finish second.

Paddy Power bookmakers seemed to concur with that. They listed him as a 6/1 shot, well behind the two front-runners Michael D. Higgins of the Labor Party and Gay Mitchell of Fine Gael.

But this presidential race has been such a surprise cocktail form the beginning.

McGuinness was not the only contender announcing yesterday.

Last night on the Late Late Show, Ireland’s top rated program, David Norris announced he was getting back in the race after a gay scandal forced him out .

Like moths to the flame contenders cannot resist the lure of Ireland’s top constitutional job.

I’m not that sure that McGuinness can’t win. There is a strange mood abroad in Ireland with the economic collapse there and I know several Irish people who told me McGuinness is the one Sinn Fein candidate they would cast a protest vote for.

He has an excellent image in the south in recent years, his ability to work with Ian Paisley and Peter Robinson and construct a solid government in Northern Ireland has won him deserved praise everywhere.

There are many who will wish he can get back to that that the peace process is not fully bedded down and who see his steady hand is still needed in the North.

But the lure of running for president in the south was too big to turn down.

It positions Sinn Fein as the largest opposition party in the south and leaves Fianna Fail, who have refused to run a candidate for Ireland’s highest office, looking very diminished indeed.

Sinn Fein as usual are playing a long term game If McGuinness wins it is an incredible achievement.

If he loses, but finishes second it moves Sinn Fein to the position of being Ireland’s leading opposition party.

Either way they win, it is a plus sum game and a net gain for them.

Clever, very clever.

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greensod | Sep 17, 2011, 12:53 PM EDT

Your closing words, Clever,very clever. Thats exactly what Ireland needs,Sinn Fein has loads of people that fit that mold. Clever,smart,intellegent,well educated proven track records,Great step in the right direction,lets get more of these Sinn Fein people moved into decision making positions,before it is too late for Ireland.Good luck Martin.

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kinvara7 | Sep 17, 2011, 12:29 PM EDT

@Moth O'Dowd: Do you remember when you pulled out of the race and you spoke about how impossible it was for Indepedent candidates to go up against Party candidates? Isn't it strange and disappointing how your website has ignored Mary Davis and Sean Gallagher. I believe Sean Gallagher is currently on 21% in the polls, just a few behind Mitchell, yet he is hardly mentioned. When Mr. Gallagher entered the race as an Independent, he did so with a great degree of seriousness and intent; unlike others. Sean Gallagher is an entrepreneur, who has created many jobs for his fellow countrymen (for example, his company Smarthomes employs 70 people and it is due to expand further). Sadly those achievements are apparently less laudable than those of other candidates, and thus are not worth of mention...I believe your words a few months ago were: 'Quite simply I believe the race is not winnable for an independent, any independent, no matter what the current polls say because the dice is stacked.' Well Niall, one would have hoped that the experience would have provided you with some wisdom in this regard, and that you would have sought to give every candidate appropriate coverage.

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Rebelforce | Sep 17, 2011, 11:32 AM EDT

I'll bet there are a lot of West-brits in Ireland today who desperately wish they could bring back the days when Sinn Fein candidates were censored. I'm sure Martin McGuiness will very eloquently and effectively tell fed-up Irish voters that a vote for Sinn Fein is a vote AGAINST the same old same old in Irish politics.

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eiriamach | Sep 17, 2011, 11:19 AM EDT

Would a win by McGuinness help the cause of re-unification?

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antoman | Sep 17, 2011, 09:19 AM EDT

The butler in the Aras does'nt know yet if he will be dressing a man or woman in the morning.

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sirpeter | Sep 17, 2011, 07:37 AM EDT

If Sinn Fein could manage to get their voters out and vote on this one.They could do very well.Coming in second would still be an unbelievable achievement.

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