General Election 2024

Who would get your number 1 in the General Election

  • Fine Gael

  • Fianna Fáil

  • Sinn Féin

  • Greens

  • Social Democrats

  • Labour

  • Aontú

  • S-PBP

  • National Alliance ( National Party, Ireland First, Irish People & IND)

  • Indpendent Ireland

  • Irish Freedom Party

  • Others


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scolairebocht

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posters.png


While its still up in the air whether or not there will be a General Election this year, nonetheless, as the above picture shows, it is getting more likely with the date 22 November been rumoured by many. Maybe then this site would like a general thread to discuss the subject and also specifically to try and learn lesson from the recent Local Elections and apply them to this election.


Fake problems for nationalist candidates

But to begin I would like to try and refute, two theories from that election that are often put forward as problems for the nationalist camp. One is that their vote was split by too many candidates and that is why we didn't get so many seats. I think this is a misunderstanding of the Irish electoral system, which is hopefully explained here so no need to dwell on again: (1). In Westmeath for example they had a nationalist alliance among the various anti-mass migration parties, but it seemed to make very little positive difference to the outcome. So while this writer certainly advises people not to vote on any preference for members of the uniparty, which is all the parties in the current Oireachtas, and hopes that individuals on the ground would assist each other in putting up posters etc, nonetheless this factor, the number of candidates, is not like to make a big difference either way.

The other tale you hear endlessly is that the ordinary Irish voter will just vote the same FF, FG, SF etc, faces back in no matter what happens. On the contrary, in the local elections Sinn Fein won 11.8% of the vote when even in the General Election in 2020 they got 24.5% and as late as a year ago were polling in the mid 30s.(2) In general terms I think Irish people viewed Sinn Fein back then as a real opposition to the uniparty, and have now realised it isn't and other than that many are looking at other false dawns like Independents in Independent Ireland and personalities like Luke 'Ming' Flanagan. Its obvious that they are trying to move away from the main parties, but don't see anybody particularly to vote for. Point is that they are not so very set in their ways right now, even the Ard Fheiseanna of the big parties (like recently Sinn Fein pictured), are not very impressive these days in terms of turnout.
sinnfein.png


Real problems for nationalist candidates

So what are the real problems or lessons that could be learned from the Local Elections? I would definitely say it is publicity and the related problem of finance. You see what some people reading this website and various similar twitter, telegram and youtube accounts floating in the same general political space, sometimes don't realise is that the Irish general public largely know nothing about the modern Irish nationalist movement and the personalities now going up for election from it.

Elections are like selling soap powder, ultimately, you might have the best quality brand in Ariel as opposed to Bold or what have you, but the best sales figures will probably not be for the best powder, but for the greater marketing budget assigned to each. There is no point in having the best powder if nobody has heard of it, and thats what applies to elections. Its all about name recognition, getting your face and name on everybody's lips and, as I say, nobody has heard of the Irish nationalist candidates.

This is no accident, its the culmination of been blanked out of all mainstream media for decades, so the only chance any nationalist candidate has in the election is therefore a good display of posters and leaflets to get your name out there. That brings us to the related point, finance. It emerged after the Local Election campaign that not a few quite prominent candidates (prominent that is for those who follow the nationalist social media) just didn't have enough money for any posters or for the postal leaflet drop which is standard for the mainstream candidates (all this is paid by the state for those candidates). Without that they never stood a chance, especially with the ongoing discrimination in the various old school media outlets.

That I think is the problem people might like now to focus on and try and solve if they can, if you are trying to help some good candidate get elected make sure he/she has enough finance at least for the leaflet drop to give them some chance.


Footnotes
1. https://www.sarsfieldsvirtualpub.co...irish-proportional-representation-system.989/ .

2. https://www.politico.eu/europe-poll-of-polls/ireland/ .
 

Mad as Fish

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View attachment 6468

While its still up in the air whether or not there will be a General Election this year, nonetheless, as the above picture shows, it is getting more likely with the date 22 November been rumoured by many. Maybe then this site would like a general thread to discuss the subject and also specifically to try and learn lesson from the recent Local Elections and apply them to this election.


Fake problems for nationalist candidates

But to begin I would like to try and refute, two theories from that election that are often put forward as problems for the nationalist camp. One is that their vote was split by too many candidates and that is why we didn't get so many seats. I think this is a misunderstanding of the Irish electoral system, which is hopefully explained here so no need to dwell on again: (1). In Westmeath for example they had a nationalist alliance among the various anti-mass migration parties, but it seemed to make very little positive difference to the outcome. So while this writer certainly advises people not to vote on any preference for members of the uniparty, which is all the parties in the current Oireachtas, and hopes that individuals on the ground would assist each other in putting up posters etc, nonetheless this factor, the number of candidates, is not like to make a big difference either way.

The other tale you hear endlessly is that the ordinary Irish voter will just vote the same FF, FG, SF etc, faces back in no matter what happens. On the contrary, in the local elections Sinn Fein won 11.8% of the vote when even in the General Election in 2020 they got 24.5% and as late as a year ago were polling in the mid 30s.(2) In general terms I think Irish people viewed Sinn Fein back then as a real opposition to the uniparty, and have now realised it isn't and other than that many are looking at other false dawns like Independents in Independent Ireland and personalities like Luke 'Ming' Flanagan. Its obvious that they are trying to move away from the main parties, but don't see anybody particularly to vote for. Point is that they are not so very set in their ways right now, even the Ard Fheiseanna of the big parties (like recently Sinn Fein pictured), are not very impressive these days in terms of turnout.
View attachment 6469

Real problems for nationalist candidates

So what are the real problems or lessons that could be learned from the Local Elections? I would definitely say it is publicity and the related problem of finance. You see what some people reading this website and various similar twitter, telegram and youtube accounts floating in the same general political space, sometimes don't realise is that the Irish general public largely know nothing about the modern Irish nationalist movement and the personalities now going up for election from it.

Elections are like selling soap powder, ultimately, you might have the best quality brand in Ariel as opposed to Bold or what have you, but the best sales figures will probably not be for the best powder, but for the greater marketing budget assigned to each. There is no point in having the best powder if nobody has heard of it, and thats what applies to elections. Its all about name recognition, getting your face and name on everybody's lips and, as I say, nobody has heard of the Irish nationalist candidates.

This is no accident, its the culmination of been blanked out of all mainstream media for decades, so the only chance any nationalist candidate has in the election is therefore a good display of posters and leaflets to get your name out there. That brings us to the related point, finance. It emerged after the Local Election campaign that not a few quite prominent candidates (prominent that is for those who follow the nationalist social media) just didn't have enough money for any posters or for the postal leaflet drop which is standard for the mainstream candidates (all this is paid by the state for those candidates). Without that they never stood a chance, especially with the ongoing discrimination in the various old school media outlets.

That I think is the problem people might like now to focus on and try and solve if they can, if you are trying to help some good candidate get elected make sure he/she has enough finance at least for the leaflet drop to give them some chance.


Footnotes
1. https://www.sarsfieldsvirtualpub.co...irish-proportional-representation-system.989/ .

2. https://www.politico.eu/europe-poll-of-polls/ireland/ .
Excellent post, and you are quite right in pointing out that people are seeking an alternative but fail to locate what is basically invisible thanks to the efforts of the mainstream press and political system.

What I hear more and more often is that the world has gone crazy of late, on a global as much as a national level, and it is widely recognised that the MSM are simply not painting a true picture of events, yet there is nothing or nobody to turn to who might offer a way out of the mess.

That is a vacuum that needs to be filled, but as you say, it costs money.
 

Coal Gas and peat

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It's about a week away from being called .....I'm already pushing Vals case and have secured votes for him (not a joke :cool: ) he already has a very substantial personal vote ......I'm from monaghan myself and I believe he's in this Big time
 

Tiger

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View attachment 6468

While its still up in the air whether or not there will be a General Election this year, nonetheless, as the above picture shows, it is getting more likely with the date 22 November been rumoured by many. Maybe then this site would like a general thread to discuss the subject and also specifically to try and learn lesson from the recent Local Elections and apply them to this election.


Fake problems for nationalist candidates

But to begin I would like to try and refute, two theories from that election that are often put forward as problems for the nationalist camp. One is that their vote was split by too many candidates and that is why we didn't get so many seats. I think this is a misunderstanding of the Irish electoral system, which is hopefully explained here so no need to dwell on again: (1). In Westmeath for example they had a nationalist alliance among the various anti-mass migration parties, but it seemed to make very little positive difference to the outcome. So while this writer certainly advises people not to vote on any preference for members of the uniparty, which is all the parties in the current Oireachtas, and hopes that individuals on the ground would assist each other in putting up posters etc, nonetheless this factor, the number of candidates, is not like to make a big difference either way.

The other tale you hear endlessly is that the ordinary Irish voter will just vote the same FF, FG, SF etc, faces back in no matter what happens. On the contrary, in the local elections Sinn Fein won 11.8% of the vote when even in the General Election in 2020 they got 24.5% and as late as a year ago were polling in the mid 30s.(2) In general terms I think Irish people viewed Sinn Fein back then as a real opposition to the uniparty, and have now realised it isn't and other than that many are looking at other false dawns like Independents in Independent Ireland and personalities like Luke 'Ming' Flanagan. Its obvious that they are trying to move away from the main parties, but don't see anybody particularly to vote for. Point is that they are not so very set in their ways right now, even the Ard Fheiseanna of the big parties (like recently Sinn Fein pictured), are not very impressive these days in terms of turnout.
View attachment 6469

Real problems for nationalist candidates

So what are the real problems or lessons that could be learned from the Local Elections? I would definitely say it is publicity and the related problem of finance. You see what some people reading this website and various similar twitter, telegram and youtube accounts floating in the same general political space, sometimes don't realise is that the Irish general public largely know nothing about the modern Irish nationalist movement and the personalities now going up for election from it.

Elections are like selling soap powder, ultimately, you might have the best quality brand in Ariel as opposed to Bold or what have you, but the best sales figures will probably not be for the best powder, but for the greater marketing budget assigned to each. There is no point in having the best powder if nobody has heard of it, and thats what applies to elections. Its all about name recognition, getting your face and name on everybody's lips and, as I say, nobody has heard of the Irish nationalist candidates.

This is no accident, its the culmination of been blanked out of all mainstream media for decades, so the only chance any nationalist candidate has in the election is therefore a good display of posters and leaflets to get your name out there. That brings us to the related point, finance. It emerged after the Local Election campaign that not a few quite prominent candidates (prominent that is for those who follow the nationalist social media) just didn't have enough money for any posters or for the postal leaflet drop which is standard for the mainstream candidates (all this is paid by the state for those candidates). Without that they never stood a chance, especially with the ongoing discrimination in the various old school media outlets.

That I think is the problem people might like now to focus on and try and solve if they can, if you are trying to help some good candidate get elected make sure he/she has enough finance at least for the leaflet drop to give them some chance.


Footnotes
1. https://www.sarsfieldsvirtualpub.co...irish-proportional-representation-system.989/ .

2. https://www.politico.eu/europe-poll-of-polls/ireland/ .

Imagine how much time and money went into finding a campaign slogan and they came up with the utterly banal and meaningless - “Moving Forward”.

What were the other options? “Falling over” or “Sitting Down”.

The entire political sphere is a shambles.
 
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scolairebocht

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I agree, I think specifically a lot of the candidates in Ireland now - like the current UK government - do not seem like very competent people. They look like the people who take the orders rather than give them, so yes its a rotten edifice that should come tumbling down, but whether it does or not remains to be seen.

Like for example consider Fine Gael in Meath West. There they had an intelligent man anyway (he is moreso that than comes across in the media) and well known throughout Meath and I guess in national politics, Damien English. He then retired at the actual convention to elect the new Fine Gael candidate, of course by doing it that way he stymied anybody else from running - because they thought he was going to and few would stand a chance against him - and instead English's secretary, not known for anything else except being a Councillor for a few months, takes the task alongwith a person from Nigeria. This in a constituency with many well known and, in some quarters, popular alternative Fine Gael candidates.

Its really quite a noticeable step down from the candidate they thought they had a few weeks ago, all across the country it looks like this with some very light weight candidates never mind the very justified unpopularity of the government parties. But frankly if they have the money they can still succeed, plaster enough posters and paid social media adds and you are good to go, that's all that seems to matter in elections.
 

Mad as Fish

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Imagine how much time and money went into finding a campaign slogan and they came up with the utterly banal and meaningless - “Moving Forward”.

What were they other options? “Falling over” or “Sitting Down”.

The entire political sphere is a shambles.
'Taking a dump' would have been more apt still.
 

Declan

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Mad as Fish

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T

Two well known names and they can only get two grand is pretty telling.

which brings me back to these protests. Stay at home and send the 50 you spent going to a candidate instead
Too ordinary, one's the sort of lad who'd be a store manager for Tesco while the other is a handy bit of MILF redolent of fitted kitchens in a nice dormer bungalow, there is just no edge to them.
 

Coal Gas and peat

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(Verse 1)
In the heart of Ireland, where the green fields lie,
Val Martin stands tall, reaching for the sky.
With a vision so clear, and a heart so true,
He's running for the people, for me and you.

(Chorus)
Val Martin, Val Martin, hear the people's call,
For freedom and justice, he's standing tall.
With the Irish Freedom Party, he'll lead the way,
For a brighter tomorrow, a brand new day.

(Verse 2)
From the streets of Dublin to the countryside,
Val's message of hope is spreading far and wide.
With courage and strength, he'll fight the fight,
For the rights of the people, for what is right.

(Chorus)
Val Martin, Val Martin, hear the people's call,
For freedom and justice, he's standing tall.
With the Irish Freedom Party, he'll lead the way,
For a brighter tomorrow, a brand new day.

(Bridge)
Together we'll rise, with Val by our side,
In unity and pride, we'll turn the tide.
For a future that's bright, for a land that's free,
Val Martin's the one, for you and me.

(Chorus)
Val Martin, Val Martin, hear the people's call,
For freedom and justice, he's standing tall.
With the Irish Freedom Party, he'll lead the way,
For a brighter tomorrow, a brand new day.

(Outro)
So let's stand together, and make our voices heard,
With Val Martin leading, we'll spread the word.
For a nation united, for a land so grand,
Val Martin's the one, to take a stand.
 

jpc

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I agree, I think specifically a lot of the candidates in Ireland now - like the current UK government - do not seem like very competent people. They look like the people who take the orders rather than give them, so yes its a rotten edifice that should come tumbling down, but whether it does or not remains to be seen.

Like for example consider Fine Gael in Meath West. There they had an intelligent man anyway (he is moreso that than comes across in the media) and well known throughout Meath and I guess in national politics, Damien English. He then retired at the actual convention to elect the new Fine Gael candidate, of course by doing it that way he stymied anybody else from running - because they thought he was going to and few would stand a chance against him - and instead English's secretary, not known for anything else except being a Councillor for a few months, takes the task alongwith a person from Nigeria. This in a constituency with many well known and, in some quarters, popular alternative Fine Gael candidates.

Its really quite a noticeable step down from the candidate they thought they had a few weeks ago, all across the country it looks like this with some very light weight candidates never mind the very justified unpopularity of the government parties. But frankly if they have the money they can still succeed, plaster enough posters and paid social media adds and you are good to go, that's all that seems to matter in elections.
There was an article in gript.ie or the phoenix a while back.
Can't remember which.
The gist wrt candidates suitability.
The ones that they wanted weren't interested.
The one's putting themselves forward are substandard apparently!
Take that for what it's worth.
 

Wolf

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Woke SF is destroying itself.
Nationalists my arse!
To think I wasted 30 years of my voting life on these traitors.........


Where do we go now?

The NP?????? For Fuck Sake.....
 

Coal Gas and peat

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Woke SF is destroying itself.
Nationalists my arse!
To think I wasted 30 years of my voting life on these traitors.........


Where do we go now?

The NP?????? For Fuck Sake.....
Looks like they are imploding now and will lose seats in the upcoming GE , and the blame lies squarely with Mary lou McDonald and party leadership......Stanley is a big loss for them , chair of the public accounts committee who did a good job
 

Wolf

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Professor

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(Verse 1)
In the heart of Ireland, where the green fields lie,
Val Martin stands tall, reaching for the sky.
With a vision so clear, and a heart so true,
He's running for the people, for me and you.

(Chorus)
Val Martin, Val Martin, hear the people's call,
For freedom and justice, he's standing tall.
With the Irish Freedom Party, he'll lead the way,
For a brighter tomorrow, a brand new day.

(Verse 2)
From the streets of Dublin to the countryside,
Val's message of hope is spreading far and wide.
With courage and strength, he'll fight the fight,
For the rights of the people, for what is right.

(Chorus)
Val Martin, Val Martin, hear the people's call,
For freedom and justice, he's standing tall.
With the Irish Freedom Party, he'll lead the way,
For a brighter tomorrow, a brand new day.

(Bridge)
Together we'll rise, with Val by our side,
In unity and pride, we'll turn the tide.
For a future that's bright, for a land that's free,
Val Martin's the one, for you and me.

(Chorus)
Val Martin, Val Martin, hear the people's call,
For freedom and justice, he's standing tall.
With the Irish Freedom Party, he'll lead the way,
For a brighter tomorrow, a brand new day.

(Outro)
So let's stand together, and make our voices heard,
With Val Martin leading, we'll spread the word.
For a nation united, for a land so grand,
Val Martin's the one, to take a stand.
1728822944861.png


Kingscourt farmer enters General Election race​


“I was a farmer before I was a garda; and good people must do the right thing.”

It'd be wonderful if Val got elected, he'd bring a great sense of vitality to the Dáil debates, he could be very good for the country. Fare thee well Val!☘️
 

Wolf

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View attachment 6504

Kingscourt farmer enters General Election race​


“I was a farmer before I was a garda; and good people must do the right thing.”

It'd be wonderful if Val got elected, he'd bring a great sense of vitality to the Dáil debates, he could be very good for the country. Fare thee well Val!☘️
So Val was an immigration officer in AGS according to that article.
An immigration officer.
 

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