Dia ar sábhál, as my Irish teacher likes to say – God save us. I’m writing this and at the same time listening to Good Morning Ulster on BBC Raidio Uladh/Radio Ulster. I’ve been listening since 8.00 a.m. and even a bit before, and the truth is I’m feeling wobbly. Confused. Because although there’s an election to Europe and to the new super-councils here in less than forty-eight hours, I’m hearing thoughtful reports about a pop singer who was overly-raunchy at the Waterfront Hall last night, I’m hearing about the Queen’s Baton and where it is and will be for the Commonwealth Games. I’m hearing about everything except commentary on some aspect of the elections. Is it that…could it be that…? Nah. Impossible. It’s just that these other matters are so important and pressing, raunchy pop singers and the queen’s baton, the boring old European and local super-councils just got plain squeezed out….What’s that, Virginia? The Shinners are poised to top the Euro poll and to do very well at the super council elections? Very interesting, but nothing to do with the non-election coverage of GMU. To paraphrase Pascal, GMU has its reasons that Reason cannot understand.
But maybe it’ll be on the Nolan Show, which I’m now listening to. And yes, there it is, first item: there’s to be discussion of a Catholic bishop who is giving advice on voting and Stephen’s going to cover that. No, Virginia. The fact that the bishop’s advice will almost certainly be aimed at turning voters away from the Shinners has nothing to do with it. I’m sure Stephen will simply be considering whether it’s a good idea for clergymen to get embroiled in politics here. And why wouldn’t he? It’s not as if we’ve had a lot of clergymen in politics here over the years commenting on politics, making speeches, singing hymns after election victories or anything daft like that. This is a new and fresh electoral topic.
And speaking of reporting, did you see where one of the local papers – the Belfast Telegraph I think – managed to head a story about the Shinners’ rise in the opinion polls with a big picture of Jean McConville ? That was because the story said that Gerry Adams’s arrest appeared not to have had the deterrent effect hoped for – no, no, strike that – the deterrent effect anticipated. Nobody in the press or elsewhere hoped that Gerry’s arrest would stop the Shinners’ electoral machine in its tracks. Nobody at all. Clear on that? OK.
Finally, there’s one thing you’ll find all the politicians are agreed on: the only poll that really matters is the one on voting day. At the same time they keep getting commissioned and that costs, so they must have some worth. For example, the other day there was an Irish Independent/Millward Brown poll. The Irish Independent it gave some coverage yesterday (Well if you pay money for something, you have to use it.) The poll reckons that the most popular party in the southern state is the Independent Party. Well, the Indo didn’t actually call them a party, they called them ’the biggest bloc’. Because otherwise they’d have had to say that the most popular political party in the state, according to the poll, was – you guessed it – Sinn Féin.
This is getting serious, lads. We’re running out of time and ideas. We’ve tried arrest, we’ve tried photographs of your man with a beret and no beard, we’ve tried economic illiteracy…Would somebody do something before it’s too late? Dia ar sábhál….
Boo hoo, please stop picking on the shinners, they really are good people, and if we keep saying it, we will eventually all believe it.
I will if you will, so will I… Old song, William. You’re much too young to remember it. But keep up the good work.
Give it a rest ,Judy, What was all that about yesterday?.
Or perhaps everybody knows the result even before the election is called and nobody can be assed spending time on it?
The sad thing is there is no viable alternative does anybody seriously think the UUP and SDLP would do a better job?
I think you’re right, Neill, that the Euro election is a foregone conclusion – although there might just be an upset for that third seat. But there are the super-council elections – that really should have been given analysis, given the drastic changes.
There will be no upset big Jim will get in however the SDLP on the popular vote will eclipse the UUP.
As for councils we know who are going to win seats I suspect its going to be very tough on the sdlp and the uup with no obvious successes for the smaller parties.
Sounds possible. But my point is, why wasn’t some of this hashed over by people who are seen as knowing about such things? Or even the candidates/parties themselves?
Sheer utter boredom I imagine we know what’s going to happen now the same in the next elections more and more people will stop voting less change will take place more corruption will happen and most people will shrug their shoulders and go on with their daily business
If I were into conspiracy theories – and God knows I love a good’un – I would say that these elections are being used as a ‘kick up the backside’ for the electorate in time for next Assembly elections. If nationalism do well in these relatively low-impact elections it will be the perfect catalyst for unionist ‘cooperation’ with calls of “look where splitting the vote got us in the last elections so let’s unite under the DUP umbrella in time for the next election so we can save our seats/salaries/pensions/expenses”.
But’s that’s only if you believe in conspiracy theories.
Morpheus
A conspiracy by whom? Are you suggesting the DUP want the Shinners to do well so they can rally the Unionist vote for the next election?
Did you take the blue pill?
Yes Jude this election is really throwing up a dogfight in the “we hate Sinn Fein” stakes. check out GA’s interview on the SIx one news on RTE, think it was last night. Then you have Miriam on the election debate show also last night where, even though challenged on time, was still able to shoehorn in the political football that is Jean McConville into the debate. Only a few days to go and everything still to play for, think RTE might just shade it.
Tom Kelly’s opinion piece in yesterday’s IrishNews was along similiar lines, SF like UKIP poised to do well according to Tom…
Tom Kelly is the reason I won’t be giving Alex Attwood a number two.
And gerry adams is the reason i won’t be giving bomber anderson my vote, ah, actually it’s because I don’t vote
I’m amazed, William. You’re clearly interested in, dare I concede it, informed about politics here – yet you don’t vote. So you let somebody else make decisions for you. Dia ar sábhál…
Yes, that’s correct, there is not one of them that deserve a vote, we haven’t got a party here that is deserving of the population, I was an Alliance voter, but considering their recent behaviour, I won’t be voting for them in the foreseeable.
Their recent behaviour?
WF. Their recent behaviour? Could it be because the union flag isn’t flying in all its splendour from the rooftop of Belfast City Hall 365 days a year or Anna Lo said the most evil of evils, she is for a united Ireland….
Me too!!
His opinions are those of a bitter stoop, comparing Sinn Féin to a little party like UKIP is pretty desperate stuff. Can`t bring myself to give Alex my number two either. However I might relent if I hear another Unionist telling me to vote Unionist all down the line. Sectarian, huh?
How lucky we are here in this wee part of the country. Imagine for one tiny moment living in North Korea, or Zimbabwe and many many more places. We complain here all the time, we waste a lot if money on stupid petty unimportant things!
I will be voting, because Emily Pankhurst struggled to get women the vote, and it is not that long ago.
I as a Protestant like Sinn Fein’s bread and butter issues, but because they are a united Ireland party I cannot vote for them.
I don’t feel comfortable with the thought of bombers and gunmen, who in my eyes are unworthy running the country.
I adore the people down south, they have
always made me feel welcome, and I have enjoyed their hospitality. They have told my husband and me on many an occasion they don’t want us up in the North! They are happy with the status quo.
I think if SF dropped words like comrade and naming parks after hunger strikers, and softened their approach a little they could win round some Protestants, but not Danny Kennedy or Gerry Kelly, they are agitators.
Who will I vote for on Thursday, probably UKIP. oops have I gave too much away.
Norma
Sorry that should have read Morrison
Norma, I can see were your points are coming from and I understand the sensitivity and views associated, but for the sake of it, lets take another perspective.
1. “Bombers and gunmen, who in my eyes are unworthy running the country” – Due to the history of a Unionist gerrymandering state, this was the fuel that re-created Sinn Fein. Unionism brought them back from the virtual sidelines of history and they gained mass nationalist support. What do you suggest, ban them? Conflict creates and moulds political parties worldwide. They are also very good working with and for all communities, unlike most parties who grace your door once every few years. Bombers and gunmen are in may forms, MRF, Blood Sunday, Dublin Bombings, Glenanne Gangs……. They are all connected to the ‘established democratic government’. I wont mention Iraq….
2. “I think if SF dropped words like comrade and naming parks after hunger strikers.” – I will only add, how do you think nationalists see…. Victoria Park, Queens Bridge, Albert Bridge, Royal Avenue. Do you think its time for the city council to re-name Royal Avenue to Dail Eireann Street? It would show acknowledgement for nationalist aspirations.
I see Ed Moloney’s got a comment piece in the Irish Times today. This time about Richard O’Rawe and the hunger strikes. Well, really about the bearded one and his limitless perfidy. Poor old Ed….
Paul
Any thoughts about the actual content of the piece?
Bit of confusion there, Norma. You like Sinn Fein on bread and butter issues but you’re going to vote for the ultra-tories of UKIP? What has your Protestantism got to do with Sinn Fein (whether bread and butter or the full four course meal version)? You don’t like the word comrade but you must be happy with ‘bongo-bongo land’ if voting UKIP? Morrison and Kelly are agitators? Well Morrison is a writer and Kelly is a politician. Aren’t all politicians agitators? UKIP certainly are. I saw Nigel Farage knocking about with Billy Hill and Rub McGee of the UDA/Protestant Coalition down in the Europa the other week. Didn’t get mentioned on the news naturally but as the saying goes ‘a man is known by the company he keeps’…..
I do not know or have heard about the people you mentioned. Danny Morrison will forever be remembered by myself holding up his armalite stroke ballot box.
Did he not take people to be nutted by Scab
In Creeslough. As for Gerry Kelly riding on a land rover, that was too much.
Protestants are not usually associated with SF. I do like their policies but not the UI.
The only party who would suit me at present is UKIP.
Norma – “As for Gerry Kelly riding on a land rover, that was too much.” I sort of agree to an extent as It was alot to watch and probably not one of his brighter moments but that said he is a member of the Policing Board and was being ignored by the PSNI when trying to defuse a potential inflammatory situation. I wonder if the PSNI would have rolled down their window or stopped for a chat if, say it was Nigel Dodds. Would they have ignored Nigel Dodds? Would they have driven with Ian Paisley on the bonnet? Somehow, I doubt it…..
PW
When I signed up to the GFA, I never ever envisaged a politician stopping the police driving their land rover.
What sort of an example is that to show young people. And yes he sits on the police board, you couldn’t make it up.
I believe in Law and Justice. I know the sins of the past, committed by my forefathers. I am truly sorry, And yes Nigel Dodds does not jump out at me, the way that Ian Paisley would.
Norma, please don’t vote for UKIP.
If you have the time, please have a read of this
http://heterocephalusgabler.wordpress.com
Love Is All You Need
Gerry wasn`t driving the jeep, some fair minded member of our nice new police force was. Still, better than being washed off the bonnet like that fleg protester eejit eh? Why do Unionists always jump into line with the Tories, even though they are making the poor and unemployed suffer for the sins of wealthy bankers? Don`t they remember Maggie and her treachery ?
It is interesting to observe the servile role of some sections of the media in the south of Ireland, grovelling to a global elite. In the north of Ireland there is a political hokey cokey going on about the European Community. It is clear that some elected representatives do not know where they stand in the context of membership of the community. A sophisticated electorate will respond to media moguls and the dancers. Is maith an scéalaí an aimsir. Time will tell.
what is alliance recent behaviour william they took the middle ground in flag debate.. no change there. good odds on jim allister getting 3rd seat 5/2 paddy power.
Norma, Morrison was a politician, now he’s a full time author and that conviction was overturned as a Special Branch set up. As for riding the land rover, it was either that or get run over. I know which I’d prefer. UKIP are a party of the far right that believe in a massive curtailment of the state. I don’t see how you square your liking for Sinn Fein’s centre left social policies with UKIP’s Thatcherism? Maybe, like Nigel Farage, you just wouldn’t like Romanians living next door to you 🙂
Quote from William :
“Yes, that’s correct, there is not one of them that deserve a vote, we haven’t got a party here that is deserving of the population, I was an Alliance voter, but considering their recent behaviour, I won’t be voting for them in the foreseeable.”
I see william’s at it again,Jude. your blog request yesterday obviously fell on stony ground again. Now poor old Alliance have incurred his wrath and he won’t explain what they’ve done recently that has changed his views on them .Did they suddenly have a change of views or policy.? I don’t remember that one either . Must have been on holidays again….i’m missing so much detail…
As I’ve said before , if I was a voting Unionist, Alliance with Anna and Naomi and NI 21 would be the only ones to get my vote. Their honesty and their stand against racism and the Dark Ages is commendable .If there ever were two parties that could possibly scoop up votes right across the divide, they’re making a right good fist of it.
They’ll never get the United Ireland vote , which is fair enough but at least they have a rational, non -religious viewpoint that would appeal to the secular voters who wanted the union for now…with the possibility for change if that was what was wanted in the future. That’s proper politics..
So what have they done to William , this time? Nobody knows what’s happening in William’s mind .Our william never talks…or explains anything…
Paul
Please do not assume! I have been a foreigner, an immigrant, I wish NO ONE harm.
I do not wish to stay in the EEC and I do believe there are too many foreigners here.
I am old enough to remember, the way things used to be, and how much they have changed for the worse.
Why did you single out the Romanians in particular?
When jobs, housing, education, health are being put at risk from abuse and misuse then yes it’s time to sort it out.
I have voted Alliance and SDLP but I may as we’ll not have bothered.
My Mother in laws old sister of almost 90 years, left Ireland 70 years ago, and reared her family in Birmingham. She is back home now. The last white person in her area.
I would not like that to happen here, are you saying that makes me a racist.
Paddykool will remember this song, BLUE MINK. The world is just a great big melting pot. Then why are we all fighting. Do you want to end up like England.
I do genuinely think SF do care about the community, I see them as modern day Robin .
Hoods.
Maybe the lack of interest to partly due to the dull candidates. A quick question: has there ever been a colourful character that could put smiles on faces eg screaming lord Hutch of the monster raving loony party or a Jacky Healy Rea ( for all the wrong reasons) Boris Johnston can be funny at times. I don’t mean agree with their policys but the way they act?
Dennis Skinner a great character!
Norma :
It’s a fact that the world and Ireland are radically different to what they were in the 1950’s when I was a small boy, but I would take off the sentimental rose-tinted glasses and really have a look at the changes that have been wrought for the good since then.
In real terms we are all so much better off in general compared to most people’s ordinary lives back then. There’s the centrally heated houses that we now take for granted , the sizes of the newly built homes, ; most homes have several showers or bathrooms where we can get hot water at the touch of a switch.There’s the variety and the quality of the food and instant and immediate communications in our pockets. Science fiction when we were young …. .I’ll not mention the great wine we can get now at the supermarket! jeez…i’d forgotten about the supermarkets …we hadn’t them either…fridges…Most people hadn’t one of those until the late 1970’s There’s the ease of buying anything you want from anywhere in the world while sitting on your sofa and accessing the internet….
Those are only a few of the things. If you look around those people who want to stay healthy are out getting exercise because most of them have jobs which allow them the leisure time…. time -shifts , leisure centres and gyms…… to allow it.
It’s a new world brimming with all sorts of cultures and new foods. There was a time when a Chinese takeaway was an exotic treat.now we can choose from Thai, various regions of India, Aussie., Polish.,Italian and Japanese.. These all came because of immigrant cultures.
Families are mixed and varied as never before .I have Indian and Filipino in-laws, a gay nephew,[possibly two!] protestant and catholic family members …and then there’s a curmudgeon like me who believes in Charles Darwin and will argue the toss with them all about the mystery of the universe..It is a great big melting pot and it’s all the healthier a gene -pool for all of that.
Yes…immigration can cause problems if the system cannot support both the immigrants and the indigenous population.That can cause distress ,but the blame should be on the politicians whom we vote in to make the hard decisions and not on the immigrants.They’re well paid for the abuse!!!
Unless they are criminal tourists,immigrants are blameless people trying to make a better life and usually working damned hard and harder than the rest of us. Their sons and daughters will your future family members when they marry your grandchildren’s children….and future generations will be all the healthier, more worldly and cosmopolitan and more beautiful for all of that..
Like I said before , America, Australia and England were built by immigrant labour.We can’t now throw stones when we as a nation did exactly the same thing in the past. [people in glass houses etc.]…and in many cases [the native Americans and the Australian aborigines, },were left a sour legacy which we should now learn from..
Yes , i know that some people have problems with the comparatively sudden social changes with all the new languages and cultures, the doctors’ surgeries seemingly overrun to breaking point, but that is not our new neighbour’s fault. They’ve come here usually by invitation to do jobs that a lot of us are not prepared to do .They’ve left their old lives and come a ling way just as the Irish boarded coffin ships for America, never to see their old home again…..
Thank the Great Pagan God for Easyjet,, I say ,and let’s get on with the game…..Things could be a whole lot worse…..
I swear to God Paddykool every time you put pen to paper I fall in love with you.
Everything in moderation.
Yes yes yes, multiple bathrooms, central heating, that you can even set with the app on your phone, even have your food delivered, not sure about the wine tho?
BUT I will argue about the Darwin theory, my nipple is strategically placed, along with the crook in my elbow, to allow a baby to suckle?
No way that evolved, only the big fella himself designed that !
I mean look at your bees, and the flowers?
Back to politics, I can’t not vote, it would be a sin.
Ah, if only I had a magic wand?
Less of the nipple talk, please, Norma. This site has a reputation for clean language. Keep whatever arrangements you and Paddykool arrive at a matter between the both of you and your God. Or Gods.
There was an interesting programme on BBC4 a few years back about how to reconcile Science with Faith. One clever chap suggested that Evolution was actually part of God’s grand plan, and that it was through Evolution that God allowed us to develop free will.
I’m sure there was other good stuff on that programme, but I can’t remember any of it. Admittedly, I had been drinking.
Oh, and have we seen that NI21 have just designated as ‘other’?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-27495256
Game On.
RJC
Thank you for the information regarding UKIP regarding NF’s private life, ie stockbroker, millionaire, I did know about this.
I was ignorant to some of the facts you pointed out..
So maybe an alternative closer to home would be more suited.
Norma
You’re more than welcome, Norma.
I think the greatest trick that Nigel Farage has pulled is that he has managed to convince the British electorate that he is somehow ‘anti-establishment’ despite being a multi-millionaire, privately educated former stockbroker.
I lived in England for 15 years and have a lot of friends there, many of whom are increasingly worried and upset about the recent surge in popularity of UKIP.
Nigel Farage is a fascist. UKIP are a fascist party. To vote for them is to support fascism. A vote for UKIP is a vote for a racist Britain. A vote against UKIP is a vote against that. To pinch a line from a popular film “The greatest trick the Devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn’t exist. ”
Sadly, it looks as if UKIP may do well in this week’s British elections. I hope that those good people who plan to vote will come to realise that they have been duped, and vote against them in next year’s general election.
Ok RJC, you state that UKIP are fascist, please explain, is it because they are against wholesale immigration and the EU, or is it purely based on your dislike of them?
“First they came for the Romanians, and I did not speak out –
Because I was not a Romanian.”
RJC
I’ve often wondered,just why did God give men nipples?
Perhaps one of his/her minions here on earth can explain.
Maybe God just has a sense of humour.
Ah Jude
You just made me laugh, I am sure Pk is like myself happily married, he just has the most fantastic way with words!
I bet you any money with him being a bit of a Bohemian, he is very romantic too.
Now here’s three of you’s, yourself Jude, PK, and my big fella, it was his hands that attracted me to him?( like JB diggers).
The Protestant girls need to get out there and bag themselves a bit of good old fashioned catholic boys, they don’t know what there missing?
Norma
“By believing passionately in something that still does not exist, we create it.”
See what you did there Norma? Jude’s away for a cold shower!! Calm down now!!!
Apparently my bees evolved some 100 million years ago in tandem with their meat-eating cousins the wasps.They were both from the same bloodstock before that but the bees became vegetarian as new species of plants which required the use of insects for pollination unlike their cone -bearing predecessors.The bees developed a taste for pollen and a sip of nectar and in doing so helped the plants to pollinate and not totally rely on the wind..
Many millions of years before mankind was even a notion in a lemur’s tail , bees had developed a viable language and a successful communication structure which you can see working like clockwork perfection in any honeybee hive.They are still one of the very few creatures on the planet that have this fantastic skill besides man. I’ve no doubt when mankind is nothing but the dust of memory and if he hasn’t completely destroyed the flora with his greed and monoculture, that the bees will survive him by another billion years in their perfect way.If they don’t we will be eating a very bland diet because we are totally reliant on this very important creature for virtually all the food we consume…
The birds and the bees ……way more important than politicians or any of us …..