Ireland politics (Part 1)

[Julio_Geordio]

@Sidney

Fact: It is a matter of far greater importance to far more Irish people whether Arsene Wenger stays or goes as Arsenal manager, and who may replace him, than whether Enda Kenny stays or goes, and who replaces him.

And rightly so.

Wenger is a beloved figure, widely respected throughout the association football community, which is most normal people. Calls amongst Arsenal supporters for him to go are made with a heavy heart. They are made with the noblest intent. Arsenal supporters are not merely satisfied with things being reasonably good. They want Arsenal to be better. They want Arsenal to be the best Arsenal can possibly be.

Wenger will remain a beloved figure with Arsenal supporters, whatever happens. But no one man, no matter how great he is, can be bigger than the club that binds them all together.

The Wenger saga is something that really connects with people. It resonates and touches people’s lives. It matters. And if and when the change comes, it will be real change. People go to bed at night thinking about this. They cannot sleep. They agonise over it. It affects their quality of life.

But if Diego Simeone takes over as Arsenal manager this summer, Arsenal supporters will believe things can be better. They will believe Simeone can make Arsenal great again.

They will go to work with a spring in their step, optimistic of better times, of going to Munich or Barcelona and winning, and not just winning a second leg of a last 16 tie 2-0 when they’re already 4-0 down from the first leg, but going to these places, or wherever the Champions League final may be held, and winning when it matters. They will be optimistic of going to Stamford Bridge and no longer meekly surrendering and losing 5-0, but winning.

They will be given new hope.

Nobody, apart from that small group of very strange people that call themselves Fine Gael members, and Stephen Collins, cares who leads Fine Gael. Nobody outside Fine Gael is kept awake at night thinking about who should lead Fine Gael. There is no prospect, no material reason why Leo Varadkar or Simon Coveney will be any better as leader of Fine Gael than Enda Kenny is.

If and when “change” in the leadership of Fine Gael comes, it will be “change” in the way replacing the bag in a vacuum cleaner, or replacing the batteries in a remote control, or buying a new set of tea towels, constitute “change”. It will be no change.

Nobody, not even members of Fine Gael, will have new hope because somebody else becomes leader of Fine Gael.

And that is why it is completely irrelevant.

You may accidentally find Declan Lynch fleshing this point out a bit more if you find him on your coffee table on Sunday morning.

Who are the top 4 governments in the history of the state

[TreatyStones]

Indeed

[Juhniallio]

@Special_Olympiakos

Didn’t notice- another coffin surfer Helen McEntee perhaps? Her and Kate the chemist are about the only semi rideable FG birds

People taking their parents seat in politics? It’s disgusting. Who had SF leader Michelle O Neills seat before her as a matter of interest?

[Sidney]

@Juhniallio

People taking their parents seat in politics? It’s disgusting. Who had SF leader Michelle O Neills seat before her as a matter of interest?

Her father P. O’Neill.

[Special_Olympiakos]

No idea but I agree with you on the first point.

[Juhniallio]

@Sidney

@Juhniallio

People taking their parents seat in politics? It’s disgusting. Who had SF leader Michelle O Neills seat before her as a matter of interest?

Her father

Got it in one.

[Sidney]

@Julio_Geordio

Who are the top 4 governments in the history of the state

Should I do this in a Top of the Pops format?

Down one to number four, it’s Albert, Dick and the Sticks with their single “93/94”.

Up one to number three, it’s Charlie’s Angels with their late 80s smash “Minority”.

Still at number two, its Lemassive Attack’s 1960s hit “No More Protection (ism)”.

But straight in at number one, it’s the one everybody claims to hate and nobody claims to buy, it’s Destiny’s Children with their double A side cover versions of “Money (that’s what I want)” and “Tiger Feet”!

[Little_Lord_Fauntleroy]

@Juhniallio

@Special_Olympiakos

Didn’t notice- another coffin surfer Helen McEntee perhaps? Her and Kate the chemist are about the only semi rideable FG birds

People taking their parents seat in politics? It’s disgusting. Who had SF leader Michelle O Neills seat before her as a matter of interest?

Not as disgusting as what the Labour quisling did to this country though

[Raylan]

Somewhat by the way at this stage, but the girlfriend was asking me what the whole story was with this controversy - “Did he not get some 15 year old pregnant?”
That’s actually the story I was told, couldn’t remember the detail of it until she said it. Incidentally the girlfriend’s father is a retired guard, he also had it that McCabe had sexually harassed female guards up in Cavan. There was an amount of dirt being spread about McCabe, just to take that anecdote.
Kenny is saying nine months for the Tribunal to do it’s work now, and we won’t hear the half of it.

[Juhniallio]

@Little_Lord_Fauntleroy

@Juhniallio

@Special_Olympiakos

Didn’t notice- another coffin surfer Helen McEntee perhaps? Her and Kate the chemist are about the only semi rideable FG birds

People taking their parents seat in politics? It’s disgusting. Who had SF leader Michelle O Neills seat before her as a matter of interest?

Not as disgusting as what the Labour quisling did to this country though

Don’t take your bad week out on me blueshirt boy. Just pointing out that all the establishment parties have done this, FF FG lab and SF.

[Little_Lord_Fauntleroy]

You didnt point that out. You had a pop at SF as you hate the left

[Juhniallio]

@Little_Lord_Fauntleroy

You didnt point that out. You had a pop at SF as you hate the left

Wrong I love the left, everyone should. I dislike SF. Society needs left wing firebrands not feet-under-the-table psuedo socialists who just crave power. We’ve enough of them on the right.

I suppose it’s a lot easier for you, you’ve got one blueshirt you wear through thick and thin.

[anon61956325]

That applies to every party in the state, mate. There is no left in Irish politics, never has been.

[Sidney]

@Raylan

Somewhat by the way at this stage, but the girlfriend was asking me what the whole story was with this controversy - "Did he not get some 15 year old pregnant?"That’s actually the story I was told, couldn’t remember the detail of it until she said it. Incidentally the girlfriend’s father is a retired guard, he also had it that McCabe had sexually harassed female guards up in Cavan. There was an amount of dirt being spread about McCabe, just to take that anecdote. Kenny is saying nine months for the Tribunal to do it’s work now, and we won’t hear the half of it.

Most guards are thick as shit.

Noirin O’Sullivan apparently asked what was the difference between digital rape and analogue rape when herself, Callinan and Pee were deciding what to smear McCabe with.

[Matty_Hislop]

Fine Gael (FineGael)

[Ashman]

Last night will make it harder for the big two to go into an coalition with SF after next GE (may ??). If they wanted to arrest SF growth the obvious thing is seek them as a suitor for coalition .

[TreatyStones]

RATTLED

[mikehunt]

O’Callaghan using de Bert as a reason why O’Sullivan should stay on during a tribunal investigation. An unrale comparison. Both had notions but their unfounded arrogance was their downfall. Both took credit for the little that was right but refused to accept any blame when everything went tits up. Both were guilty as hell but denied it until the last, both (will have) lied through their teeth while under oath.

[artfoley]

1nd Mayo (1ndMayo)

[Fagan_ODowd]

@Matty_Hislop

https://twitter.com/FineGael/status/832263568921858050

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/C4zK7rgWIAEyXKC.jpg

So sad