Candidate Dicussion

Well in that case to be honest I will probably be voting for Mossy Quinlivan of Sinn Fein as he is a bloody decent character and I think will make a fine td some day. (I don't think he has a hope of getting in this time but it will happen for him at some stage.)

Limerick has always been a very strange constituency to my mind on an aside. The locals are always quick to decry the raw deal we get but are consistently conservative in who they elect and have been for years. Was one of the only places in the country where the PDs were sure of a seat until they unleashed the poison that is Tim O'Malley on us. (even in my own small circle I know about a half dozen people who wouldn't be Fine Gael by any stretch who voted for Kieran O'Donnell in the last election just to keep O'Malley out!!)

Look at the evidence:

Slick Willie - Don't need to tell anyone. He's a great man for going to a funeral tbf. :bulgy:
Peter Power - Jesus wept. Can usually be found at the lawn tennis club or in one of his many many properties. One of the few people on earth who has never ever done anything for anyone ever.
Jan O'Sullivan - Socialist me eyeball!
Michael Noonan - Was genuinely very good on the ground when he was minister for justice in my local area (a pet peev of yours adam i know!) but has been forever tainted by the whole craic with the blood. Also he's really, really, Fine Gael.
Kieran O'Donnel - Meh

Limerick City is a four seater next time so I'd like to think Power will be out on his arse. But tis not exactly an awe inspiring list of candidates. I means, you'd think Limerick of all places would be a hotbed for some kind of radicalism or other!

I'm in the very fortunate, if that's the right word, of having Moan Burton, Leo the Lip and Brian the bagman to select from. Last time I gave Joe Higgins my number 1 vote (I flew home for the election as I wanted FF gone before they wrecked the country), the Green O'Gorman my number 2, Mags Byrne my 3rd (she was PD but worked well locally), then Burton. I think the last vote I gave was to the SF candidate, I left FF and FG off the ballot, mainly because it was Lenihan and Varadkar. This time I hope there'll be an independent voice, someone who can do something locally and work for the community - Dublin West has been one of the hardest hit in terms of unemployment, has suffered greatly in the property meltdown and ultimately while there is alot of recommend it (business parks, IT, services) there are still areas that are side stepped in the Dail. I would like to think that Lenihan wouldn't be re-elected, though FF are traditionally strong and the opposition vote split. I'd like to get rid of Varadkar as he's one of the worst type of spoofers going - he's wannabe D4 descended from money. Burton I like, I've met her many times and could certainly see her do a good job in government, but it'll be FF-Labour or FG-Labour, which means more of the same. SF have a mandate, though unless they get the apathetic young vote out they'll not nip past the 3 main heads.

It sounds a bit odd voting for an Independent (I do see Higgins as one in a sense as there is no one else from his party who's likely to get to the Dail) as ultimately they'll throw their lot in with the ruling cabal for some concessions, though they have the power to do so and as mypost points out, we could very soon end up with only 4 parties in the Dail, each one more similiar to the next!

Just be grateful you're not "blessed" with the brilliant calibre of TD's in Kerry North - Deenihan, in fairness, makes an effort on occasion, but he's been able to do precious little since '97. Ferris, somehow, has got the reputation as a hard worker, but there's not much to show for it around Tralee and the constituency, while Tom McEllistrim beats off stiff competition to win the award for Worst FF Backbencher. I'll probably vote Labour, but not with much enthusiasm - the popular local councillor Terry O'Brien has been bumped off in favour of Arthur Spring, Dick's fairly gormless nephew.

I'd say Clare Daly is in with a chance this time, although her base is split between two constituency's this time.

I'm not sure I agree with mypost - as far as I can remember there was no rise for FG following their conference where Kenny got uninterupted coverage. Equally, I don't recall a fall following the Labour conference for Gilmore or Labour. I'm open to correction from poll evidence though.

As for 4 parties in the Dail - not once in my voting life have I been faced with a ballot with only 4 parties. If we end up with only 4 parties then that's up to the electorate (and that's the reason why they are all heading towards the same ground, unfortunately).

Longford/Westmeath is a bit of a mess. Most people in Westmeath haven't a clue about the Longford candidates. Dont know if its the same in Longford, and parts of Westmeath are lumped in with Meath which really sticks in the graw of a lot of people.
Willy Penrose of Labour tops the poll every time, he is a nice enough guy and does a lot for the local community, despite himself spending more time in the four courts than the dail (he is a lawyer), and seeing to his quite substantial property portfolio, a long way from his upbringing in the dark lands of Ballingaraghy!!! But he is a decent skin.
Sf dont really bother, always messing with weird candidates but they have upped their vote every time, small as it is.
FG have Jim Bannion elected. Would never vote for FG, but he is a decent man, always helpful and a safe seat for FG
FF have Peter Kelly who i have no idea about, and Mammy O Rourke who gets the big Athlone vote. She does nothing for Mullingar and I guess for the local FFers its either her or Donnie Cassidy to get the nod. Imagine voting for Donie, Im sure if you hit him with a lump hammer it wouldnt have any effect on him.
Always surprises me how many FFers are here. I mean Longford is pretty much a wasteland, and Mullingar might lose 2 hospitals in a yea, yet Mullingar was one of the few towns that FF increased its vote in the last council elections!!
And thats basically the choice, no independents or minor parties have any chance, it really tied up amongst the 3 main parties.

FF actually increased seats in Longford County Council last election - I think the only one in the state. Bizarre if you take the number of ghost estates blighting the county.

It'll be interesting how Sexton does for Labour - PD to Independent to Labour, but there should be the votes there for two labour on recent figures, as Penrose is a shoe in. I wouldn't have a whole lot of time for any of the Longford Westmeath candidates - Penrose wouldn't be one of my favourite Labour TDs - but my vote isn't there anyway. Could see Kelly holding his seat rather than a Westmeath FF candidate, given experience of Longford votes staying in Longford regardless of party, even if that might be less pronounced in Longford - Westmeath compared to Longford - Roscommon (votes don't swim and other such clichés).