I have decided not to run for the Irish presidency.
The logistical challenges of running for an office as an independent against established political parties is incredible.
This holds most notably on fund raising. The race costs about $700,000 to run a proper national campaign. The main political parties can easily raise that.
The independent candidates have to raise it for themselves at approximately $9,000 maximum contribution per person.
That is a lot of fund-raising --especially as you are trying to run a national campaign from scratch at the same time for an October election.
The party candidates will also be chosen by early July allowing them to begin competing in the election proper.
The independents will not finally know their fates until September when either the county councils or the parties not fielding candidates will agree to back them.
You need either 20 members of the Irish parliament or Seanad or the approval of four county councils.
It is a complicated system which overwhelmingly favors the big guns in the main political parties such as Fine Gael and Labor.
Bottom line, unless they are completely terrible candidates either the Labor or Fine Gael contender will win the race
I told my backers I would take until the end of June to come to my best conclusion. I have now done that. They have loyally supported my decision.
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.
I think I have been around enough political races, either supporting my brother, now a minister of state in Ireland or campaigns here in the US to see that writing on the wall.
But it was a fascinating adventure which came about in a surprising manner and I think highlighted the Irish abroad in a new way
It was an unexpected detour on life's road and I have to say I enjoyed it and met some great people along the way including so many over here who wished me well.
Thank you for all your kind messages of support.
'Ar Aghaidh Linn' as always.
36 Comments
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Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.Pyramid | Jul 07, 2011, 08:49 PM EDT
??
Towngate | Jul 03, 2011, 09:35 AM EDT
declanfoley: " Until the people in Ireland ... stop making tin gods of idiots ..." ~~~ Congratulations! ~ that is a mighty mouthful! I am furious I didn't think of it first! ~ ~ ~ Anyway,fair play to you! Right, now: which of our tin gods will we de-consecrate and start this self-empowerment with? Larkin? Connolly? Pearse? Dev?, McQuaid?,Collins,... and so on, up to the latest bunch ~ ~ ~ choose your own 'favourite'! ~ ~ ~ What worries me about your idea,though, is that once we stop fooling ourselves that they are any kind of gods ~ we will have to face the truth that they are all little more than delusional eeejits who have to turn a perfectly good little country into a pathetic debt-ridden living nightmare!
DeValera | Jul 03, 2011, 08:27 AM EDT
delusional
themurphia | Jul 03, 2011, 03:37 AM EDT
Niall:'Whatever you say...say nothing'..!
declanfoley | Jul 03, 2011, 02:44 AM EDT
Niall, I for one am more than pleased you made the right decision. You can do far more for Ireland where you are in one day, than in seven years in de Park. So stay with what you know best, and your family are young and require the guidance of both parents. Like me you are too long out of Ireland and it is not the same country we both left. Until the people in Ireland empower themselves and stop making tin gods of idiots whom only spend ( much of it wastefully) the money they take from the people in taxes, nothing will ever change. !977 and Haughey in 1979 sowed the seeds of selfishness, and the mantra is still they same: "the government owes us everything from children's allowance to subsidized housing, completely free health care, education, new roads etc, etc."
jacersagain | Jul 02, 2011, 06:46 PM EDT
For some odd reason at ICentral’s end, my post yesterday re Niall’s decision didn’t make it online. I basically said that I thought his decision to pull out of the contest was a wise, astute one. It leaves him free to pursue what he aspired to do for his Ireland within business environments rather than thatnwithin restrictive duties of the Presidency. I wish him well in that regard. Now that he is free, perhaps he might now feel free enough to tell us all who was so stoopid as to invite him to posit for the Presidency in the first place??? Transparency is the name of the game these days, isn't it, Niall...? Do tell!
cillowen | Jul 02, 2011, 10:18 AM EDT
i knew you would - good resume but seeing you in buckingham palace would be a stretch
jacersagain | Jul 02, 2011, 09:12 AM EDT
This is a wise decision by Niall. It leaves him free to pursue what he might have aspired to for Ireland - but which he would have been incapable of achieving within the restricted duties of office as President - in the more appropriate environs of the business world. And I wish him well on that.
Towngate | Jul 02, 2011, 03:14 AM EDT
The lights have dimmed a little with the news that Niall has decided not to run for President of Ireland. ~ ~ ~ @ themurphia (11.30). You could be right about Gerry Adams being the first President of a reunited Ireland. But bear in mind that it is up to whoever was responsible for 'disuniting' the country in the first place - to put it back together again, so don't assume it will be the'North' who joins the Southern breakaway sector ... the way the land lies at the moment,it is much more likely to be the other way around! - if Britain would be kind enough to consider having us back!
ellenfromcork | Jul 01, 2011, 10:28 PM EDT
Niall, the dice are not stacked, the dice are loaded, the deck is stacked.
PolinDeB | Jul 01, 2011, 08:45 PM EDT
In fairness. There is an awful amount of people in Ireland hoping you're wrong and we get David Norris . an Independent President, rather than some FF/FG hack in the Aras. I think it is possibly the right decision only due to the fact that people I know back home will be given you the "what right has he.. coming back here from his fancy Irish Newspaper"... I was told so many times back home I didn't understand when I pointed out House prices were not only too high but unaffordable.. not really looking forward to the return this year.. and the "well you know .. nobody could have predicted it"..."actually everyone including the government did"
themurphia | Jul 01, 2011, 05:54 PM EDT
Can't wait to see how long it takes for that to be recycled by the(sh)IT times parasites...I give it 24 hours max...
themurphia | Jul 01, 2011, 05:43 PM EDT
The real Niall O'Dowd has returned and sent that Presidential imposster back to his mothership... Well said that man...Wonder who the next target will be on the Obituary writers hit list...But listen did Gerry really sink the Titanic...WOW...!
WalterEllis | Jul 01, 2011, 04:22 PM EDT
I take your point. What do I know? I'm only a British obituary writer and a Unionist acolyte of the Mad Major.
niallodowd | Jul 01, 2011, 02:59 PM EDT
Walter Gerry Adams shot JR and JFK and sank the Titanic from the iceberg with a slingshot. he told me so last week. That should give you and Mr Moloney lots of new conspiracy theories
casualMBA | Jul 01, 2011, 01:42 PM EDT
Niall, you are a voice a bit too far out in the wilderness to be heard by the people at home...My gratitude extended for your candidacy's highlighting (despite positive diaspora citizen initiatives) Ireland's pre-Hellenic forms of representation for its people abroad (i.e.,come home, visit, share your opinion, and investments, enjoy yourselves, and, for the love of God, be on your way)- while the nation hosts its next branded event guaranteeing the world it is moving away from the cultural core of our emigrated forebears.
themurphia | Jul 01, 2011, 01:13 PM EDT
solyeant:ballotbox.ie ran a virtual poll for the disenfranchised citizens..i.e.the Diaspora...before the Irish GE2011...they will probably do the same for the Presidential election...anyone who has not already done so should register with ballotbox.ie to get your virtual vote...Hopefully at some time in the not too distant future we will get an actual vote...until then at least the 'voice' of the Irish abroad is recorded somewhere...
oldboreen | Jul 01, 2011, 12:50 PM EDT
It was some spoof Niall! You milked it for all it was worth!
solyeant | Jul 01, 2011, 12:18 PM EDT
Niall I am truly sorry to see this announcement and looks like the logic to retire was a lesson the irish govnerment should learn namley the downright overspend on running such a contest I am drawn to the theory that since we are all more or less fit to survive i this world the President should be drawn by lottery and if everyone gave €10 or €100 for the possibility the national debt and the fear of a Chinese acquisition would disappear I do hope this disappointment does not stop you realting the stories of irish valour chivallry , stuupidity etc Perhaps as i have done suggest a virtual Presidential Campaign for the same day election and read the minds of those too busy to attend a polling station for such wasteful frivolity Thanks
jdi2269 | Jul 01, 2011, 11:33 AM EDT
INDEPENDENT???? REALLY????
themurphia | Jul 01, 2011, 11:30 AM EDT
Broken arrow...?...just noticed that little freudian slip...I have said it before and I'll say it again Gerry Adams WILL be the inaugural President of as re-united Ireland...and quite rightly so imo...if that means he has to rain on other's parades then that's Politics baby...it's a dirty old game...!
themurphia | Jul 01, 2011, 11:16 AM EDT
I've read the broken arrow blog...nice 'photo's of brit troops btw...I think from a crdibility point of view it would probably be better if Niall was a little more candid about his candidacy...!
GeorgeDillon | Jul 01, 2011, 11:13 AM EDT
Pyramid: How could O'Dowd have trivialized it more than Mama Blather McAleese? She's an utter fool.
biggles008 | Jul 01, 2011, 11:01 AM EDT
I don't know who to vote for now. I'm an ordinary "joe soap" and I'd do as good a job as any of the ones going for the job.A small house and €50,000 P.A. would do me. That's not the way it works.
mandokeith | Jul 01, 2011, 10:19 AM EDT
Well, I guess if you are not going to run then I won't either. It would have been quite a time.......
WalterEllis | Jul 01, 2011, 10:10 AM EDT
Those seeking an interesting take on Niall's withdrawal from the presidential race might wish to read The Broken Elbow, the excellent blog by Ed Moloney (author of The Secret History of the IRA) on: thebrokenelbow.com/2011/07/01/niall-otrump/
Trealach | Jul 01, 2011, 10:03 AM EDT
At last the truth is out - you were never invited to run, and there were No backers - and you thought you had us all fooled - rofl.
irishwriter | Jul 01, 2011, 10:01 AM EDT
There goes my shot at a cabinet position...
Pyramid | Jul 01, 2011, 09:52 AM EDT
Do you know! I haven't even read your reasons for not standing. I'm just glad you didn't. I think you are extremly audacious to consider standing for president of the republic. Who the hell do you think you are? Your standing would have trivialised the highest office of a nation!
themurphia | Jul 01, 2011, 09:41 AM EDT
At the risk of mentioning the 'bleeding obvious'...surely you knew that already...???
LoyalCitizen | Jul 01, 2011, 08:12 AM EDT
Great publicity. How many extra people signed up to members of IC?
antoman | Jul 01, 2011, 06:38 AM EDT
The USS Niall O'Dowd was sunk by georgyboy before it had even left port.The media in Ireland in the weeks prior to the election would have brought to the attention of the people of Ireland the disparaging vile remarks left by georgyboy on this site.The superflous question at that stage would have been asked of Niall O'Dowd..why he had let an individual from America(georgyboy) leave such remarks and why he had not responded to georgyboy?Niall O'Dowd would have replied "freedom of speech",in answer to both questions.RTE,Enda Kenny and the people would have erupted in fits of laughter, and handing Niall O'Dowd some free government cheese and a return ticket to New York.He would have left Ireland with the words "and you can take your troll with you".
sirpeter | Jul 01, 2011, 03:55 AM EDT
That's a pity.Thought it might be good for the country by adding a new dimension.
TongueLash | Jul 01, 2011, 02:50 AM EDT
How come paddypower is still giving odds on you being nominated ? I suppose if I was 8/15 NOT to get the nod I would quit too !
Towngate | Jul 01, 2011, 02:30 AM EDT
Niall, a Chara: Sad, of course ~ but sound and sensible too! Slainte!
GeorgeDillon | Jul 01, 2011, 01:54 AM EDT
I am sorry to hear this. The election will be blander without O'Dowd. As far as I can see, all the candidates are boring, and some of them are deeply compromised with the EU gangsters. I read where an Irishman won the World "Iron Man" Championship. They should make him president. He wouldn't eat much, and he'd be happy just running around Phoenix Park all day. On second thoughts, maybe one of the deer in the park would be available -- outside of rutting season.