There is a strong republican vote in the border areas. The traditional Fianna Fail vote in these areas was much different to that in the midlands and south. It’s a republican vote by and large and not a parish pump vote.
That is why they will struggle to get it back now Sinn Fein have established itself here and engaging in selective spinning of the troubles will not do them in any turns in winning back that vote.
You truly are an idiot of unrale proportions.
Ah here we go @Nembo_Kid trying to muddy the waters.
I never said there was a 400% increase in support. You did. The 400% increase in support you’re alluding to is the increase from 2 seats in these areas to 8.
The point I was making was that in order for SF to go from no seats in 2007 to 2 in 2011 they only needed a slight increase in support, as they just missed out on these two seats in 2007.
MacLochainn increase his first preference votes in by about 20% (or from 17% of the first preferences to 24%) between 2007 and 2011.
Doherty had more of surge increasing from 21% of the first preference to 34%.
Given the blow out from Fianna Fáil last time out, on a national scale, there should be a truer reflection of the support they have this time out. They’ll likely harm each other with first preferences but still get each other over the line with transfers. I’d back Doherty to top the poll but MacLochlainn will likely need the transfers of the third SF candidate (also called Doherty) to push him over the line.
That is utter bullshit. Charlie McConalogue got elected completely on a Parish Pump vote from the Inishowen Peninsula, as did Pat the Cope from Gweedore for years.
Why are you engaging with this clown?
The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.
No I said there was a 400% increase in seats. You in turn played this down to a minimal increase in votes gatherered and that increase in seats did not mirror Sinn Fein’s growing stranglehold in these areas. That was you just throwing our plain mistruths. I would expect at the very least they will have doubled their vote count in these areas since 2007 which does not fall I with what you’re saying.
They have had a massive surge in both seats and votes in these areas, no matter how much you don’t want to acknowledge it.
McConalogue got voted in on the 9th count last time round. Gallagher didn’t run.
Again. I said for this increase in seats in Donegal that you’re pointing to there was only a slight increase in support needed.
This is 100% factually correct.
SF bounce in popularity during a recessionary period, shock.
Bottom line for SF is they will always do well along the border areas in urban areas. The rural vote is slightly different though as a large % of farmers would be very wary of what SF would bring to the table.
Further South the Farming Community have a serious distrust of SF & their policies.
In fairness, their appeal is to a very much working class, dole accepting public who have the paw out. Those supporters alone will only get you so far.
I know Gallagher didn’t run. I never said he did.
You made the point that Fianna Fáil have only got elected in these areas due to Republican backing rather than Parish Pump politics. This is wrong as McConalogue blatantly got elected thanks to the Parish Pump in 2011 and The Cope has done it over the years that he got elected.
Why are you comparing apples and oranges?
I never said they only. I said Donegal has had a traditional Republican vote for a very long time, from Neil Blaney through to present . Fianna Fail have now lost this traditional republican vote to Sinn Fein who certainly didn’t romp home on parish pump politics the last time round. Whereas in other areas down the country last time round Fianna Fail lost out to parish pump candidates this is not the case in border regions where that vote transfers to the republican option.
They won’t get it back in these days either with the way they are carrying on.
The Fianna Fail vote has quite evidently transferred to Sinn Fein in these regions, something that was not indicative in the other areas of the country and the reason for that is that’s it’s a republican vote.
Donegal, Cavan/Monaghan and Leitrim are all rural areas and Sinn Fein has seized a massive capture of the vote here as it is a Republican vote. The tactics of Fianna Fail trying to score points re the troubles is not going to do them any good in winning back that vote in these areas.
Are you trying to say that SF don’t get the parish pump vote, but that the FF parish pump vote has now transferred to SF?
Really.
You’re completely overstating the value of the republican vote in Donegal.
The protest vote up here is far more important, they love being able to prove a point to the Government as everyone feels alienated from what goes on in Dublin, hence ‘the Forgotten County’.
it’s definitely not a republican vote up here. Maybe so in the other border areas but you’re wrong with regard to Donegal.
Can you read?
I’ve said that the traditional Fianna Fail vote in the border areas is intrinsically different to the Fianna Fail vote further down the country. It is a Republican vote, hence it is the only main region where SF made a big nibble into the FF vote in the last election was places like Donegal, Leitrim, Louth and Monaghan.
Parish Pump reply.
Bingo.
If SF had been in government for the past 5 years, the republican " non parish pump " vote wouldn’t be long disappearing.
No you’re wrong with regard to Donegal. Your posts on this thread have shown you to be completely ignorant to the matters transpiring.
The FF to SF swing in the 07 to 11 elections was unprecedented around the country. Fianna Fail in Donegal has traditionally had very strong republican minded candidates like Neil Blaney and independent republican candidates running in the area for the sole purpose that it differs from the other regions in the country as having a genuine republican vote.
What about the 2006 election you mentioned earlier, where are your stats on that?