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Periscope by Niall O'Dowd

Sensational end to Irish presidency race as Martin McGuinness and Sean Gallagher get down and dirty

Posted on Wednesday, October 26, 2011 at 12:31 PM

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McGuinness and Gallagher stand off

If you haven't seen it, I urge you to watch the accompanying YouTube video of the key moment in the Irish presidential race.

It is when Martin McGuinness delivers a hay-maker to front runner Sean Gallagher which has thrown the Irish presidential race into severe doubt once again.

Amazingly, what the Sinn Fein candidate accused Gallagher of was nothing criminal or even underhand.

It was of receiving a check for a fundraiser for the then Irish Prime Minister Brian Cowen.

In the context of the time in 2008, it was a completely unremarkable act

It is the context of today which has produced a media frenzy.

The Fianna Fail brand in Ireland nowadays is as popular as Gadaffi in Libya.

The financial collapse brought with it a withering indictment of their pay to play and see no evil mindset.

It made many of their insiders rich and impoverished so many now who are left to pay the debts.

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Sean Gallagher is a former party member who had successfully distanced himself from the Fianna Fail brand throughout the election.

But McGuinness charged that he had accepted checks on their behalf up to three years ago despite Gallagher's pledges that he had not.

Gallagher has denied he took the check but the damage was done in terms of igniting a media frenzy.

He has claimed a Sinn Fein conspiracy to tear him down. They have claimed he was hiding his Fianna Fail past and misleading people about it.

Gallagher's cause was not helped by another moment in the final debate when a woman in the audience slated his explanation of how a check that was supposed to end up in his company's bank account was assigned elsewhere.

The clear underlying accusation was tax evasion.

So Gallagher was suddenly firefighting massive flames on two fronts.

Yet he is still a likely winner.

He held a 15 point lead in polls going into the final weekend over Michael D. Higgins in second place.

Whether that size of a lead could evaporate overnight remains the unknown question.

My guess is it won't-- but it may be a very close run thing.

Either way an extraordinary end to an incredible presidential campaign.

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Towngate | Oct 31, 2011, 04:09 PM EDT

cynicus: first of your posts I've noticed. Spot on! It is very encouraging that we can boast Michael D.Higgins as our President. - a wise choice. Full credit to the others who braved the field and who kept slogging away even when all was clearly lost. Each had some merit but the worst casualty of the dirty campaign was surely Martin McGuinness who displayed his lack of understanding of the voters of the Irish Republic by pulling that stunt on Gallagher hoping his supporters would switch to him! He looked like coming a fairly decent third, but only managed to put himself a very poor third,when he, aided and abetted Ms Lynch, 'Rat'Kenny, RTE itself; by allowing a live 'Twitter' - which later proved a 'hoax' - led the attack on Gallagher. Poor 'Pyrrhus McGuinnhus' lost everything in the attack and the Irish people have given him his marching orders to 'go 'way home!' ~ ~ ~ We are spared from worrying how he would have coped with Greeting his Boss, Queen Elizabeth II at the Aras! ~ As it is, she might now be popping over to ask Michael D. to polish up her Irish!! ~ I am sure they will get on fine. ~ Two Classic Heads of State, each with an inspirational devotion and love of their country and their People. God Bless 'em Both! Vivat! Regina! - agas Vivat! Michael Árd-Rí na hEireann! - and his Loyal adoring Queen Sabina,their noble Princess and Princes. They might just lead Ireland round that famous 'turning' on the long Hard Road.

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cynicus | Oct 30, 2011, 11:23 AM EDT

Like it or lump it, the only option in this election was a tried and trusted politician. The others were as unattractive a bunch of no-hopers that ever went for a public office. Imagine depending on a fuel-smuggler who must have accordingly defrauded the Irish taxpayer as a trusted witness for Martin McGuinness- and imagine the same Martin then becoming our President! We might as well elect Whitey Bulger if we are to depend on those who subvert our State! Would Whitey make a good U.S. President? Thought so! Would Martin McGuinness make a good Irish President? The Irish people thought not! I wish him well, however, in his return to the service of his regal monarch; she has been far more tolerant than the rest of us, God Bless her! No wonder that this year will be remembered for the Queen's visit, and Mr. Obama's. Not for this election. There is nothing like a truly classic head of state; no pretenders will do here!

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jonno99 | Oct 29, 2011, 12:58 PM EDT

The derogatory term 'west brit' is used to describe Irish people perceived to be too anglo-centric in their politics and culture.

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FallsRNat | Oct 28, 2011, 05:18 PM EDT

who are the west brits?

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maryanna | Oct 28, 2011, 01:28 PM EDT

80 children by the IRA -644 civilians murdered by the IRA total murdered by IRA 2059.Is a brown envelope more important than the loss of a life. It is a disgrace that people put money before lives. SM did not commit a crime!

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canadianirish | Oct 27, 2011, 07:33 PM EDT

Damn! Sure wish I could vote in this election! REallly enjoyed this last debate. David Norris was in full form...so amusing! Martin McGuinness was the clear winner. He'd get my vote!

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ballindaggin | Oct 27, 2011, 06:24 AM EDT

Nice one Sirpeter, I agree, and remember Towngate, it wasn't Sinn Fein who received 5,000.00 from Morgan, it was Fianna Fail, also Pat Kenny said from the outset that the show was open to all to send in or ask questions and that the candidates could intervene whenever they liked.One of the best live debates ever to go out on air.

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sirpeter | Oct 26, 2011, 10:02 PM EDT

Bilgegate go away and have a good sh*t for yourself.I didn't hear you calling Miriam a disgusting 'moderator' when she asked McGuinness did he go to confession.Hoax! my ass..The guy is a FF man.We all know it.McGuinness was not callous.He exposed what is wrong with this country.And Towngate you represent and support our problems.It is your half Irish disloyalty and lack of pride in the small country which tries it's best that has kept us back.I don't blame the death of a million Irish people on the Brits.BECAUSE I KNOW IT WAS YOUR KIND THAT THE BRITISH HATED.IT WAS THE WEST BRIT THAT KILLED A MILLION PEOPLE BECAUSE TO THE BRITS THE WEST BRITS WERE A GOOD FOR NOTHING BUNCH OF LAZY,SLOBBERING,GREEDY,BUNCH OF AS*HOLES.THE BRITISH LEFT YE STEW and a million of us died.Most people think it was the Brits that caused the million dead..But it wasn't..It was West Brits.FACT!!

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Towngate | Oct 26, 2011, 06:41 PM EDT

Niall, a chara: Last night's RTE debate was a disgrace. Mainly because there seems to have been some collusion with Sinn Fein to disgrace Gallagher. The disgusting 'moderator', Pat Kenny, should not have allowed McGuinness to 'spring' that 'recent phone call' he had from the Diesel crook, landlord friend of Gerry Adams and certainly RTE should not have allowed Kenny to quote the 'Twitter' from SF which totally unsettled Gallagher and which has since been exposed as a Hoax! In your video clip, Kenny is clearly taking sides on the issue. Readers can view the whole debate for themselves on 'RTE Player'. ~~~ The gleeful, callous McGuinness shot Gallagher right between the eyes and finished his chances,for sure,but the gun backfired on him and finished his chances at the same time, because of the obvious sadistic pleasure he appeared to take doing it. Our consolation is that McGuinness carelessly exposed beyond and doubt,his true nature and the people of the Republic of Ireland do not want his kind as their President. I predict the Results will reflect it too! ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ On a personal note,Niall: You had a lucky escape! Jeeese! whoda thunk it wudda got so dirty? How dooya feel ya wudda dun iffa ya'd stayed in the race? Slainte!

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RedBranch | Oct 26, 2011, 04:53 PM EDT

Lets see if the Irish electorate can discern the difference between a brown envelope and bodies in a brown bog. Some voters in North Louth obviously cannot, but they are not the whole country.

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citizen69 | Oct 26, 2011, 01:24 PM EDT

Is there anybody in this race who is straight?! Seems the political classes are full of dodgy characters. Don't know about Gallagher but I'm not surprised Sinn Fein keep such shady company as convicted fuel smugglers. After all SF/IRA were up to their necks in illegality north & south of the border, including fuel smuggling & counterfeit currency printing. Someone once involved in such crime is not somebody you want as your President.

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