Sir, – While Sinn Féin’s selection of Martin McGuinness as its candidate for the presidential election was a political masterstroke, it pales in comparison with the genius of Fianna Fáil. All that bluster and those drawn-out meetings over the selection of a candidate cloaking the fact that their man was already in the field. And not a peep out of them now. Here starts the rehabilitation. Brilliant. – Yours, etc,
Sir, – While I have no allegiances to any of the 2011 presidential candidates, I do feel that the manner in which the RTÉ Frontlinedebate was conducted was embarrassing not only for RTÉ but for the candidates, the debate chairman, Pat Kenny and most importantly the country! – Yours, etc,
Sir, – I am watching with interest RTÉ's Frontlinedebate during which Mary Davis is self- congratulatory on saving the taxpayer €650,000 by requesting An Post to deliver one leaflet only to every household. I wonder who funded the extra three Mary Davis leaflets delivered to our household of four registered voters? – Yours, etc,
Sir, – Some are born Fianna Fáil, some become Fianna Fáil, and some have Fianna Fail thrust upon them. Poor Mr Gallagher. – Yours, etc,
Sir, – Much confusion has arisen regarding the connection between presidential candidate Seán Gallagher and the Fianna Fáil party. This issue has exercised many media commentators not to mention the voters of this State. Am I, therefore, alone in being surprised at the silence of Fianna Fáil party leader Micheál Martin?
There are both benefits and responsibilities which flow from having a party identity, I think, therefore, that the idea of someone “having their cake and eating it” with regard to membership of a party is unacceptable. Particularly when that party has wrecked the Irish economy and sold out our hard-won economic independence. Surely Mr Martin would be concerned about the uncertainty surrounding the status of a candidate who appears to have strong and recent connections with Fianna Fáil presenting himself to the Irish electorate as an “Independent”.
The only authoritative voice with regard to Mr Gallagher’s political status is the leader of the party of which he was so recently a member. It is time for Mr Martin to clear the air. Is his continued silence in this regard conveniently misleading? – Yours, etc,
Sir, – In the Frontlinedebate candidates were asked if the president should empty commodes in hospitals. Is this kind of thing a race to the bottom? – Yours, etc,
Sir, – Yes, commodes do have a role to play in the constitutions of the people of Ireland. – Yours, etc,
A chara, – A couple of thoughts: 1. Thank God it will soon be all over. 2. Is it an innately Irish trait that we have to bash the front- runner? 3. An expression with respect to the appropriate treatment of begrudgers comes to mind: Let the one who is among you without sin cast the first stone. Martin McGuinness, please take note! – Yours, etc,
Sir, – To avoid the expensive, wasteful and unnecessary proliferation of political campaign posters may I suggest Irish local authorities adopt the Tunisian model of designated political advertisement areas in urban centres, which limits posters to a sensible number. People travelling between Lucan and Clonsilla these days would surely agree with such a proactive measure. – Yours, etc,
A chara, – Michael Drury (October 24th) wonders about the wording of the oath taken by Martin McGuinness when he joined the Official IRA.
1. I will rock the foundations of the State. 2. Frankfurt’s way or the Official IRA way. 3. I will construct many (tribal?) time bombs. 4. I will follow the Dear Leader. 5. I will party with the workers. 6. I will support quantitative easing (Printing my own money).7. I will follow a new agenda. 8. Sinn Féin the Unionist Party. – Is mise,
A chara, – The closing stage dénouement of Seán Gallagher’s role as a Fianna Fáil fundraiser, collecting cheques for thousands of euro in brown envelopes, is all the worse for his initial denial that it happened, followed by his failure to recollect the specifics, despite it being only a couple of years ago. Sadly, “FF”, “cheques”, “envelopes”, “poor recollection” and “tribunals” are all back in the public discourse again.
Many fellow party members have been quick to jump on his bandwagon, scenting the smell of success in the air. Mr Gallagher may well be a proxy candidate for Fianna Fáil, but he in no way represents the ideals to which the party ought to aspire if it is to survive. We have been down this road before and the time has come for us to decide what we want to stand for – populism or principles. If he wins tomorrow, it’s no victory for Fianna Fáil. – Is mise,
Sir, – The presidency is a symbolic office. For Mary Robinson it was symbolised by a candle in the window of the Áras to welcome the marginalised and the Irish Diaspora abroad. Mary McAleese’s presidency was symbolised by building bridges between North and South. This time out I think I’ll vote for Dana, as a burst tyre would symbolise a suitable emblem for a country that is burst. – Is mise,
Sir, – A few of the contributors to your Letters page appear to treat the presidential election with an unbecoming levity, even as an occasion for drollery. This particular election however, more so than any previous one, is of paramount importance, and will admit of none but the most serious debate.
Depending on its outcome, the very status of the nation as a republic could be in jeopardy.
History abounds with the examples of ardent young rebels who, through the maturing process of long and outstanding public careers, finish up at the opposite end of the political spectrum. Their path is as the arc of the pendulum, which having started so very far to the left must inevitably complete its course equally as far to the right. They swing from revolutionary, through respectability, to reactionary. Any man already embarked on such a road may be well satisfied today with an inauguration, but who among us will be able to thwart the impetus of his ambition if, seven years hence, he demands – a coronation? – Yours, etc,
Sir, – In the recent TG4 debate I was shocked to hear Seán Gallagher’s comment about changing the lyrics of our national anthem. Does he think that they should be changed to “God save our President” or “All kinds of everything”?
Our national anthem was written by Peadar Kearney, who was interned in Ballykinlar Concentration Camp, Co Down, and who occupied the same inhuman hut there as my late father prior to gaining our hard-won sovereign independence.
Before Mr Gallagher considers himself suitable to occupy the office of the presidency I would respectfully suggest that he study the history of this unfortunate mismanaged country and also devote some time to learning some of our native language. – Yours, etc,
A chara, – David Wilkins (October 21st) claims that Martin McGuinness “paid a substantial proportion of his MP’s salary into his party’s coffers”. Wrong.
Although elected three times as an MP by the people of Mid-Ulster, Mr McGuinness has never taken a penny of his MP’s salary, so couldn’t have given it to anyone. – Is mise,
Sir, – As we all know, Gerry Adams never joined the IRA and Martin McGuinness insists that he ceased to be a member in about 1974. In the light of this knowledge, their achievement in eventually bringing an end to IRA violence is all the more remarkable! Who then were the “real peacemakers” on the IRA army council who listened and represented their views so effectively? Surely it is time for them to step out of the shadows and receive the recognition they so richly deserve. I am sure both Mr Adams and Mr McGuinness would only be too happy to acknowledge their contribution to the peace process. – Yours, etc,
Sir, – What can the president do? The office has few real powers but Presidents McAleese and Robinson used it to welcome and affirm marginalised and excluded groups such as immigrants, Travellers, gays and lesbians and disabled persons, to strengthen the peace process in the North, and to speak out for human rights and against poverty internationally.
They carved out a unique role for the presidency that we can be proud of and that has meant a lot to people at the margins at home and abroad. That role is more important than ever in the current economic crisis. We need a president who can re-assert the fundamental values of social solidarity and remind the Government when necessary not to neglect the poor and vulnerable in the drive for financial stability.
Michael D Higgins, with his long record of support for human rights at home and around the world, his broad political vision, his support for the arts and his independent spirit is ideally qualified to carry on and build on the work of his two distinguished predecessors. – Yours, etc,
Sir, – Many people, both male and female, were born with sexual propensities that caused them to be punished and persecuted in the past. This abuse engendered a tacit worldwide affinity and friendship among them.
If we were to elect one of them to the office of president, the reverberations would be felt around the world, with the possible benefit of millions, many of them eminent in scholarship and business, putting Ireland on their itinerary.
So long as it is not blood money, drug money, or the proceeds of crime, the country needs it, especially in retail and catering. – Yours, etc,
Sir, – A single seat constituency, with single transferable vote (STV), will be used in the upcoming presidential election.
In anticipation of this, it is instructive how well and incisively the merits of the various candidates are being elucidated in the media. By the time of the election, the electorate should be in a very good position to make a reasoned and discerning judgment as to the most suitable candidate.
It is a pity that the same system is not used – single seat constituencies with STV – in Dáil elections! If this were the case, we might have better, more accountable and more responsible government. - Yours, etc,
Sir, - Although I have read reports that indicate that either the unofficial Fianna Fáil candidate Seán Gallagher or the Labour candidate Michael D Higgins will be the next president, this outcome would be very bad for democracy and our country.
As you are aware all laws in the State must be signed by the President of Ireland before they can take effect and accordingly we need a person in Áras an Uachtaráin who is completely independent of government, which at this time is the coalition government of Labour and Fine Gael. Having a truly independent person in Áras an Uachtaráin like Senator David Norris will safeguard the rights of all our people and Senator Norris, should he be elected president, can also call on the wisdom of the Supreme Court, with its eminent and intelligent persons thereon to assist him should he have any doubts before he signs any Bills into law.
In the best interests of our country and democracy we need a true independent who has been a legislator in the Seanad for the past 24 years as the ninth President of Ireland.
I and my wife will most definitely be giving our No 1 vote to Senator David Norris who will make a great president of our country . – Yours, etc,
A chara, – On the recent TG4 presidential debate, Martin McGuinness stated that he was not in favour of a change to our national anthem Amhrán na bhFiann. This is at odds with his own hopes to be a president for "all of Ireland" and his party's central aim of creating a 32-county republic.
If Sinn Féin want to reach out to the unionist tradition and create "a new republic", then it must realise that those same unionists will not take on Amhrán na bhFiannas their anthem. It can be argued that it is a militaristic, outdated and mono-cultural anthem. An anthem that can be sung by all the traditions on this Island, be they nationalist, unionist or other is worth exploring (a proposal both Seán Gallagher and Michael D Higgins were open to). It is a suggestion that Sinn Féin should also give thought to if it is serious about an all-inclusive united Ireland. – Yours, etc,
A chara, – During Monday’s presidential debate a young woman asked Martin McGuinness what he would have to say to young people like her. She declared that she had no knowledge of, nor interest in, the North and its history. Well, ok. It was her assertion that it was a different country to the Republic of which she was a proud citizen that has probably offended many, many people throughout Ireland.
Everyone has a sense of identity and they have the right to express that identity. Would she say the same thing to another Derryman Séamus Heaney, someone we are very proud to claim as one of our own, or Paul Brady, a world- renowned bard?
I imagine Mary McAleese must feel a little sad that some of Ireland’s “citizens” don’t really consider her to be Irish, nor her husband who has worked so hard in bringing two communities together to meet and see the other view. Many people in the North feel very Irish. What a nasty slap in the face for them to be told that they are really from another country. The Border has been responsible for awful divisions in Ireland, it created an Orange state for a while, but it never created another country.
I value my culture, but when I see an apparently articulate, well-educated woman express such ignorance, I fear we may have squandered it. However, she is not alone in her thinking and the one thing I am glad about in this election is that many of us in the South are being confronted with our own prejudices, and having to re-think our relationship with the North. To paraphrase Dana, a Derry woman: “When we looked south, we didn’t see any Border”.
I believe that many people North and South, from all traditions, share that view, but when they are exposed to the gratuitously offensive insults expressed in the manner we heard last night, they must sometimes wonder what Irishness means at all. – Is mise,
A chara, – Wouldn’t it be lovely to think that if Queen Elizabeth came back for another visit, and again spoke to our president in Irish, that our president would be fluent enough to reply in the same language. – Is mise,
A chara, – Regardless of who one is voting for, is anyone clearer than me as to what we are voting for? According to my copy of De Valera’s “little blue book” (Bunreacht na hÉireann/Constitution of Ireland, 1937 as amended), reference is made to “the island of Ireland”, which one assumes is the nation. And to “both jurisdictions”, which one assumes are states. I can find no overt reference to either the Republic or Northern Ireland, only to an Ireland generically, as with reference to “The President”.
Moreover, since the name of “The State” (p6) is the same as that of the island (p4), it is unclear who or what “The President” presides over. The inference is people rather than territory. A “national flag ” and “national language” are mentioned (p8), as is “The National Parliament” (p 36), the latter in the context of only one of the islands two jurisdictions.
Reference to a national anthem is conspicuous by its absence.
In light of such seeming ambiguities, might I suggest we elect someone who would “symbolically” represent both, as did our esteemed incumbent and her husband. This may challenge those who are personally over-identified with the status-quo. But thinking outside the state is important in a decade of centenaries when the march of history demands it.
The Áras might then continue as a healing house for both traditions, and for anyone damaged by the Troubles on our island and between these islands. If to understand all is to forgive all, and we remain unforgiving, does that not mean we do not understand? Exclusion bred violence. Inclusion engenders peace. Turning swords into ploughshares should always and forever be encouraged. – Is mise,
Sir, – In response to the well orchestrated Sinn Féin/McGuinness attack, Seán Gallagher could well borrow the retort of Denis Healey to Geoffrey Howe in June 1978, “It is like being savaged by a dead sheep”. For Martin McGuinness to use the word “murky” is surely a dead giveaway. If only Sinn Féin could harness its intelligence network to help unearth the bodies of the remaining Disappeared, seven in all. Or maybe this issue is just too “murky” for Mr McGuinness and his friends in Sinn Féin. – Yours, etc,
Sir, – The Frontlinedebate was yet another example of how vulnerable broadcasting is to manipulation compared with newspapers where time permits checking. Seán Gallagher was blackened live on-air, with a massive TV audience, and although next morning the truth emerged – that Mr Gallagher could not have either sought or taken any cheque from this man after a FF fund-raising event, because that same cheque had already been lodged by FF on June 30th, before that July Fianna Fáil event had happened, the damage was already done. The only way we listeners can now make amends, fooled as we were via this RTÉ broadcast (as was RTÉ itself), is to vote for him.
And to treat further allegations from Mr McGuinness – about anything – with the greatest suspicion and rigorous scrutiny – unlike RTÉ. – Yours, etc,
Sir, – Dana Rosemary Scallan has been an outstanding ambassador for Ireland throughout the world. We should acknowledge that fact instead of being cynical and contemptuous abut her at every turn. The question we should ask: is the foundation stone of the presidency built on rock or sand?
We as a nation need to look deep into our own hears and not be influenced by innuendo and distortion of the truth and remember the saying that: but for the grace of God there go I. Ireland needs a president for the people not a president for the media as would seem to be the case now.
Our forefathers who died for the flag and their faith would turn in their graves at the bullyboy tactics of the media being used to betray everything our nation stood for culturally and otherwise. – Yours, etc,
Sir, – It was suggested recently that all the presidential campaign was lacking was the candidates appearing in their bathing suits.
In fact, it would seem from the The Frontlinedebate, birthday suits would more aptly describe the attire which they were allowed to wear! I never supported Gay Mitchell, and will not vote for him, but his outburst was the only voice of sanity in what can only be described as a farce.
How sad for Ireland. – Yours, etc,
Sir, – As voters fumble through the forest of presidential choices, beware of Fianna Fáilers in Dragons' clothing! – Yours, etc,
Sir, – As an adopted person with scant information on my birth parents, I am seriously considering standing for president next time around. It seems to be the most comprehensive means of getting to know all about your family. – Yours, etc,
Sir, – The idea of Seán Gallagher calling to the home of what he described as a convicted criminal, a tax evader and a fuel smuggler to ask for €5,000 for a Fianna Fáil fundraiser is not the activity I would associate with a possible future president of this country.
I for one think he is not worthy of the highest office in this country. – Yours, etc,
Sir, – I am imploring the women of Ireland to vote no 1 for Mary Davis or Dana Rosemary Scallon. We women represent 51 per cent of the electorate and our women candidates have got too rough a ride in this election and have been effectively silenced. I’m begging readers not to be fooled again by easy charm and empty words.
Dana is already well known to the electorate and her record speaks for itself so I am going to focus on the least-known candidate of this election, Mary Davis. Everything she has achieved in her life has been dedicated to helping other people overcome obstacles that stood in their way to achieving their full potential. She has worked in particular with people with intellectual disabilities and through her work she helped us to focus on ability rather than disability.
What we need now more than ever is someone who can genuinely harness the positive things that are happening in communities and keep our young, not so young and old hopeful and involved in the face of unemployment. Which of the other candidates will work tirelessly for this? Ms Davis has done this all her life. She is unique among the candidates in this respect.
Let us continue the positive trend of inspirational women in the highest office in the land.
Sir, – Does Mary Davis have to apologise (Geoff Scargill, October 17th) for earning a living as a paid professional and an exceptional achiever? Being managing director of an international charitable organisation is no different from being MD of a multinational corporation – extremely competitive, tough, demanding work, reaching financial targets, engaging with corporate partners, leading and persuading at all levels, fund-raising, being transparent etc. It’s perhaps even harder, in the current climate.
Major charities have to operate very much like a business. This work involves a lot more than warm words and touchy feelings, and justifies a salary. It’s also about building staff morale, team-working skills and providing volunteering and pro-bono opportunities. People volunteer for many reasons, but always for a purpose. A victory for one is really for all. Perception is not reality in the case of Mary Davis. – Yours, etc,
Sir, – Those who think Martin McGuinness’s history make him an unsuitable candidate for the presidency, and those who explain away his role in the Northern Assembly as being due entirely to the d’Hondt system (Giles Durcan, October 18th), are guilty either of denying the possibility of personal development or of deliberately diminishing the great contribution that he has already made to peace and reconciliation in the North – and which he could build on here an internationally through the office of the presidency.
But then, as Raymond Tallis said in his book about Hippocratic Oaths: “Those who deny progress have many things in their favour. The collective amnesia of how things were in the past is the most powerful... And then there is a tendency, when thinking about whether progress has been made, to compare how things are with how they should be or how we would like them to be, rather than with how they once were”. – Yours, etc,
Sir, – Regardless of which of the seven candidates wins, we should not lose sight of the need to reform the restrictive nomination process. What would be wrong with self-nomination? I am firmly of the view that, had it been possible, a self-nominated, unemployed parent in negative equity would have romped home and that it would have been no bad thing! – Yours, etc,