The wondrous adventures of Sinn Fein (part 3) Mod Notes and Threadbanned List in OP

Well Griffith's SF party disappeared but the unrelated SF party that was formed from the Irish Volunteers is still very much political since it's currently in government in the Dail.

And which is why, recent public pronouncements by Sinn Féin on immigration / international asylum matters is puzzling. Are the leaders out of step with their membership?

They are as you well know it. The real irony is you are very fond of using the phrase non-sequitur. Yet constantly use to stifle argument when you are cornered.

You only have to look at your profile picture to see your mindset in conjunction with your many nonsensical posts. Laced with contradictions, half truths aimed to misguide. And avoid even the most valid simple questions.

Just to clarify your profile picture at the moment is cartoon of a man in baseball cap, complete with black scarf masking the face and sunglasses. I leave it up to others to draw conclusions as to why you do so

Was James Connolly ever a member of SF?

Really? And your profile picture doesn’t echo something else in the context of this thread? I won’t get into the debate of the contradiction of pretending to be ‘more Irish’ in the support of a British club.

Which is really more akin to the paddy whackery aimed at tourists in Dublin IMO. Like Carroll’s shop for instance. Or the former Republican pub - ‘players lounge’ in fairview. It is now a burnt down cliche.

The fact you ‘support’ Celtic and avid interest and defence of all republicans. Is another part of the cliche.

But you enjoy it is part of the culture you identify with, but it doesn’t explain the nonsensical defences you make of many strands of Republicanism.

However, in fairness to you have in past posts you have found amusement in SF criticising Saoradh. So at least there is that. People can draw their own conclusions from that.

The line been taken by SF is very much out of step with their membership and likely base vote. So what's the soft/inclusive line about?

I think it shows however that they believe this element of the electorate is essentially 'sewn up' for the next election. The soft/inclusive line is clearly designed to appeal to the younger, middle class liberal vote. They need to break into that market to get over the line in the next election, and presenting as the 'party who cares' is a big ploy in this regard.

For this same reason SF have already tried to hijack LGBT rights agenda with some success, and built a campaign on the Irish language to appeal to that sensibility. This is an extension of that tactic. It might prove to be a misstep though, as more people are likely to feel threatened by unfettered immigration in their midst, than changes to marriage law. Still, the govt is stuck on a similar course and Labour offer no credible left-alternative as they have a more liberal line on these issues.

What is interesting though, is you now see a bit of 'playing both sides' starting to emerge. The headline media-driven SF spin is inclusivity and concern, however the latest round of SF 'town hall' meetings has allowed more posturing on the 'need for control' to be touted at local level. This is being masked as a 'housing issue' in communities, as was seen in Waterford the other night. SF - the bleeding heart NIMBY party.

It won’t though because of the layers of SF and the way it works. SF can get away with stuff other politicians can’t.

They have a certain ‘message’ for the NI base and hardliners in the ROI and they have a ‘softer’ message for the middle class in the ROI as was rightly pointed out.

SF know there is a whole voting generation that do not remember the troubles and SF duplicity. That is where they want the votes. The fact that the arse has long fallen out of Labour, and PBP are a student Union type loony fringe opened a vacuum.

It has caused a clear opening for SF to fill the gap on the left.

To be honest much like how Labour in 1918 stepping aside has played into SF hands. How Labour has gone now has resulted in similar results for SF.

Now I know one poster in particular @[Deleted User] is not a fan of centrist governance. But I would argue over the foundation of the Irish State it has served Ireland very well.

I believe we will see SF become more centrist as they try to get power- and keep it.

I also think that is a credit to Irish democracy that SF has HAD to change to slowly move on. The Irish people should take credit for this not SF.

And eventually SF will slowly leave the rhetoric that @endoftheroad and @[Deleted User] are so fond of. And they will become relics of a bygone mindset. It will be just a thing heard on the barstools in Republican/Celtic pubs.