Gerry adams to go for election in louth

Sunnyisland · 14-11-2010 09:03AM #1

Sinn Féin President, Gerry Adams, is expected to announce today that he wants to be the party's candidate in the Louth constituency for the next General Election.

Mr Adams is expected to confirm his plans at a republican commemoration event in Co Louth this afternoon.

During the week Sinn Féin's sitting TD in the Louth constituency, 56-year-old Arthur Morgan, announced that he would be stepping down at the next election to concentrate on his family business.
62-year-old Mr Adams, Sinn Féin's best-known figure, is a member of Northern Ireland's Assembly and an MP at Westminster where Sinn Féin has an abstentionist policy.
Securing the party nomination in Louth is expected be a formality.
Once that is done Mr Adams is likely to resign his West Belfast Assembly seat to concentrate on the Louth contest in the next Dáil election.
The constituency's other TDs are Seamus Kirk and Dermot Ahern of Fianna Fail and Fine Gael's Fergus O Dowd.
In the last two elections Mr Morgan got the fourth and final seat with around 15% of the first preference vote

What do you think his chances are of holding that seat for sinn fein,and will it make any difference to them in there support down here.

Poly · 14-11-2010 09:33AM

Yep, BBC breakfast news just reported it.

PomBear · 14-11-2010 09:39AM

it should do well for the party, voters will see the party leader directly involved in Dail issues.
He should get the seat considering Louth has 10 SF councillors and one TD out of 4.
SF are strong enough in the North but are lagging in the South, smart move imo

bigneacy · 14-11-2010 09:45AM

I won't be voting for him, but he'll definitely get in. The head the balls love him in this area.

Trampas · 14-11-2010 09:48AM

must be looking for a nice pension

Sunnyisland · 14-11-2010 09:52AM

Trampas wrote: »

must be looking for a nice pension

wouldent think he is short of a few bob

mikemac · 14-11-2010 11:25AM

A parachute candidate so.
Doesn't live in the area and no record of constituency work for the locals

not1but4 · 14-11-2010 11:40AM

Never been a fan of SF but I would definitely urge people not to vote for him. He couldnt careless about representing the constituency.

The sad thing is he will get in as their would be a lot of support for him for the wrong reasons. I bet when he gets in he wont even live in the area. I'd say Thomas Sharkey wont be too happy to hear this anyway.

COYW · 14-11-2010 11:56AM

feelingstressed wrote: »

A parachute candidate so.
Doesn't live in the area and no record of constituency work for the locals

Yep but as others have said he will probably get in. He is certainly not running for the good of the region. I can see the next election being a real goldmine for the likes of SF. Cant stand them myself and would never vote for them.

mikemac · 14-11-2010 12:12PM

I've little time for parachute candidates

I remember Dana running in Galway and asked to name 5 housing estates for the area she was going to represent
Couldn't even name one :rolleyes:

Maybe someone should ask the same question to Gerry Adams.

sligopark · 14-11-2010 12:29PM

British agent to represent Louth?

snubbleste · 14-11-2010 12:34PM

I can see Dermot Ahern getting nasty with this development in his 'backyard' considering he's the minister for justice

orourkeda · 14-11-2010 12:35PM

Pighead should contest the seat.

bigneacy · 14-11-2010 12:49PM

feelingstressed wrote: »

no record of constituency work for the locals

he did a few campaigns a few years back. Granted they were of the bombing variety, but nonetheless.

orourkeda · 14-11-2010 12:53PM

bigneacy wrote: »

he did a few campaigns a few years back. Granted they were of the bombing variety, but nonetheless.

wouldn't be the first time that happened.

My name is URL · 14-11-2010 12:59PM

I think it's kind of bizarre. There are many other SF councilors & candidates who have done well over the years in Louth. I can't see why Adams needs to put himself in the running here. Though having said that, it'd be interesting to see how things go with a politician sitting on both sides of the border.

Biggins · 14-11-2010 01:00PM

He can't be any worse, Seamus Kirk (FF) Dermot Ahern (FF) and Fine Gael's Fergus O Dowd are useless and riding the expenses gravy train massively.
Lets not forget they all awarded themselves increases in their pay/pensions recently too on the quiet!

feelingstressed wrote: »

I've little time for parachute candidates
I remember Dana running in Galway and asked to name 5 housing estates for the area she was going to represent
Couldn't even name one
Maybe someone should ask the same question to Gerry Adams.

Actually, Mr Adams spends a LOT of time around Drogheda and its regions, even to Cloughterhead to aid local staff there, Danny Churchill and Ruth Tuite. Mr Adams been around this part of Louth for years.
He's a regular on the streets of Drogheda sometimes.

....And I can say that as a definite non-Sinn Fein fan.

PomBear · 14-11-2010 01:06PM

My name is URL wrote: »

I think it's kind of bizarre. There are many other SF councilors & candidates who have done well over the years in Louth. I can't see why Adams needs to put himself in the running here. Though having said that, it'd be interesting to see how things go with a politician sitting on both sides of the border.

It's looking as though he'll be giving up his stormont seat

I'd say he's going for Louth because it's a safe bet. If he lost an election, it would be a disaster for SF.

My name is URL · 14-11-2010 01:14PM

PomBear wrote: »

It's looking as though he'll be giving up his stormont seat

I'd say he's going for Louth because it's a safe bet. If he lost an election, it would be a disaster for SF.

What I gather from the reports I've seen is that he's likely to hold on to his role in Stormont and give up his West-Belfast seat in Westminster. Yeah, if he looses he's finished though. It's a risky move

bigneacy · 14-11-2010 01:21PM

My name is URL wrote: »

What I gather from the reports I've seen is that he's likely to hold on to his role in Stormont and give up his West-Belfast seat in Westminster. Yeah, if he looses he's finished though. It's a risky move

But he's not going to lose. With the support he has in Dundalk and North Louth, he simply can't.

It makes me think something else is afoot - Its the one seat in the Republic of Ireland he knows he is most definitely going to win. And Arthur Morgan, a long time favorite in the area suddenly decides to step down.

I think Sinn Fein have high hopes for the next election and they want to make sure they have their leader in place.

Biggins · 14-11-2010 01:25PM

I have no doubts whatsoever he will win the Drogheda seat.
The current lot there elected are completely useless and dire. Louth has two TD's that for years have been funnelling everything they possibly could, north to the Dundalk region (where they are from) and south Louth has been (and still is) VERY poorly represented by O'Dowd - and a lot of the locals know or think that way.

bigneacy · 14-11-2010 01:29PM

Biggins wrote: »

I have no doubts whatsoever he will win the Drogheda seat.
The current lot there elected are completely useless and dire. Louth has two TD's that for years have been funnelling everything they possibly could, north to the Dundalk region (where they are from) and south Louth has been (and still is) VERY poorly represented by O'Dowd.

But he has no interest in helping Drogheda. He couldn't care less about Louth. He's worse than a blow-in. He doesn't even live in the county!

All he wants is his foot in the door - I think Sinn Féin believe they will get a part in a coalition. Lets all cross every finger and toe they never, ever do.

Biggins · 14-11-2010 01:34PM

bigneacy wrote: »

But he has no interest in helping Drogheda. He couldn't care less about Louth. He's worse than a blow-in. He doesn't even live in the county!

All he wants is his foot in the door - I think Sinn Féin believe they will get a part in a coalition. Lets all cross every finger and toe they never, ever do.

I'd have to partly disagree there.
He's always down in Drogheda. Has been for years and years (has friends/relatives/etc) there.
Of course he wants his foot in the door (anyone running for election does).

Maybe he's come to the conclusion he'd rather be a big fish in a smaller pond - than been a constant small fish in a bigger pond!
Food for thought...

sanbrafyffe · 14-11-2010 01:40PM

and if they did get into coalalition.can they be any worse than the 1s that r in it.thats irelands problem.there just seems to be 2 partys and no 1 else.id love to see the day that the smaller partys get a chance to run the country.etc labour/pds/sinn fein.if u look at the sinners up north how massievely well they r doin and next mays election r expected to the be the biggest party in the north giving mc guinness the first ministers roll.its great to see most people have moved on and let the past be forgotton.so if they can do it up north why not do it down south????????

bigneacy wrote: »

But he has no interest in helping Drogheda. He couldn't care less about Louth. He's worse than a blow-in. He doesn't even live in the county!

All he wants is his foot in the door - I think Sinn Féin believe they will get a part in a coalition. Lets all cross every finger and toe they never, ever do.

MavisDavis · 14-11-2010 02:40PM

sanbrafyffe wrote: »

and if they did get into coalalition.can they be any worse than the 1s that r in it.

In a word: yes. Do you know anything about SF policy?

God help us all. I'll be sorely tempted to leave Louth if (ok, when) Adams is elected. I'd prefer Sharkey and that's saying something!

brianthebard · 14-11-2010 02:45PM

bigneacy wrote: »

But he has no interest in helping Drogheda. He couldn't care less about Louth. He's worse than a blow-in. He doesn't even live in the county!

All he wants is his foot in the door - I think Sinn Féin believe they will get a part in a coalition. Lets all cross every finger and toe they never, ever do.

I don't think any of that is fair, SF are obviously interested in the whole island of Ireland, far more so than the rest of the ROI parties. I think its a smart move, one of the problems with the last election for SF was confusion over why the President of the party was representing the party in tv debates when they were not a candidate for election, this removes the confusion and increases visibility for the party.

Joey the lips · 14-11-2010 02:49PM

Gerry Gerry Gerry Gerry Gerry

Nevermind_ · 14-11-2010 02:52PM

brianthebard wrote: »

I don't think any of that is fair, SF are obviously interested in the whole island of Ireland, far more so than the rest of the ROI parties. I think its a smart move, one of the problems with the last election for SF was confusion over why the President of the party was representing the party in tv debates when they were not a candidate for election, this removes the confusion and increases visibility for the party.

Did you happen to see adams in any of said debates?
I particularly liked when he was asked about economic policy in the south, he hadnt a fcuking clue, and really couldnt even debate basic economic questions.
You might as well have been looking into a field of nettles.

MavisDavis · 14-11-2010 02:54PM

Nevermind_ wrote: »

Did you happen to see adams in any of said debates?
I particularly liked when he was asked about economic policy in the south, he hadnt a fcuking clue, and really couldnt even debate basic economic questions.
You might as well have been looking into a field of nettles.

I liked how he made everything about Northern Ireland. No matter what he was asked about it was "N.I. this and N.I. that".
He cost Sinn Féin seats in the last election with his dire performance.

silkworm53 · 14-11-2010 02:54PM

Was Arthur Morgan told to bite the bullet or.... bite the bullet?

Anyways Gerry Adams is British. What business has this foreigner in our country?

Biggins · 14-11-2010 03:00PM

silkworm53 wrote: »

Was Arthur Morgan told to bite the bullet or.... bite the bullet?

Anyway Gerry Adams is British. What business has this foreigner in our country?

Ask our president?

Your answer lies in all reality in your view point of what constitutes "being Irish" - the fact that he was born on our "one Island" or that politically, he was born under a different regime?

...But that's maybe a topic for another thread?

Gerry adams to go for election in louth

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