Young Fine Gaelers successful in local elections

by Revenue watcher Thu Jun 17, 2004 02:50

Leo Vardhkar's result was truly the best - just shy of 40% of the vote for a first time candidate! He'll make an excellent TD in 3 years time

by FG Girl Thu Jun 17, 2004 02:52

Fine Gael are coming back!!! We ruled in the Euro elections.

FG!! FG!! FG!!

by FG boy Thu Jun 17, 2004 03:03

Fine Gael's vote is greater that the Greens, Labour, the PDs and Sinn Fein combined in the locals.

Hands up all those who predicted their demise in these elections?

by FG Boy Thu Jun 17, 2004 03:54

Quote: Tailspin
by General O' Dufflecoat Thursday, May 6 2004, 8:10pm


No amount of publicity shots, trains planes and automobiles can save FG, young or old. Forget the 'fastest growing youth organisation, thousands of new members' etc. What matters is what happens on June the 11th. Any half assed punter will tell you FG will lose loads of council seats. The only real question is do they dip under the 22% figure. Truth is, if they do badly they are in tailspin. What can they do, choose a new leader? Unless they recover in June their destiny is to either implode or fade away. Which will leave a yawning middle class and farmer gap to be gobbled by the PDs and Labour. Leaving a yawning gap to the left of Labour which the radical left could fill if we ever get our act together!

Quote: Blueshirt Trolling
by Canteen Kevin Thursday, May 6 2004, 12:10pm


... Little wonder that your nasty little party is heading down the electoral shit chute.

Quote: FG and Greens
by Draobno Wednesday, May 5 2004, 12:58pm


Hang on YFGer, you are going to do very very badly in these elections, it looks as though you will have no MEPs and lose about 50% of your council seats

Quote:
FG will go into meltdown
by Sinnot Wednesday, May 5 2004, 2:38pm


Remember there is going to be 12 seats in the Euro elections not 15 like last time. FG were marginal for many of those seats. And that was when they had a much stronger vote. FG may win a seat somewhere, PDs aren't running in Dublin and either is Cox in South so they could pick up a seat but FG are in a terminal decline. They will suffer very badly in Dublin, it does look like Dolphin and Vadhkar could lose their seats that is what it looks like on the ground. The only reason that they will still retain a huge chunk of council seats is because there are more councillors per head of population in the rural areas
[i suppose this guy got one prediction right on Dolphin, but that was very much the exception]

quote:protecting jobs
by SIPTU and USI member Thursday, May 6 2004, 10:09am


...FG you right wing idiots. You're party is on the way out. ...
I'm looking forward to June 12th and seeing FG falling apart and retreating into a small niche rural party.

quote: I wonder who...?
by random input Thursday, May 6 2004, 4:35pm
... And of course, remember to hold a special 'welcome home/fuck off' party for YFG in september, after [FG]have been decimated at the polls in June

Quote:
Heading for a crash
by Ernie Bligh Tuesday, Dec 23 2003, 12:15pm


No matter what they do, no matter what populist policies they dream up, FG are going to crash in the local and Euro elections. History is cruel but there is just no space in the spectrum for them now. Their social and political role is played out. I know the YFGers will cry foul and 'we are all revived now' but Im afraid the game is over. It will take a few more elections and maybe a leader or two more before the ediface finally crumbles but crumble it will. This will lead to a major realignment in Irish politics, which can only be agood thing. It willl be interesting to watch how the FG ruralrump realigns.

Prediction for the summer elections: decimation in Dublin and barely holding their own in the rest of the country, followed by the inevitable leadership crisis


Quote:FG are not genuine
by FG watcher Thursday, Apr 3 2003, 3:36pm
..By the way you joined the wrong party Mr Young Bloods FG, if you want a career you should have joined FF Labour of the Greens. FG are dead.


Quote: Brilliant response blueshirt boy
by Dan - SA Thursday, Apr 3 2003, 3:43pm
[email protected]

At least FF and the PDs have a reason to exist. Theres obviously a niche for one hard-right
doctrinaire Pinochet-loving party and one gombeen man pseudo-nationalist cute hoor
"movement" to cream off jobs and donations for the boys. But Fine Gael is just a joke. Except that
it isnt funny. Which is kind of funny in itself.

add your comments



Quote: FG in bits
by RP Thursday, Apr 3 2003, 3:51pm


FG are a party that is in bits, you are seen as boring ineffective gobshites. The party is in so much crisis that the bourgeoisie do not see FG as a party capable of being an alternative government. I predict we could see the Irish bosses come behind the Labour party. Just watch this space.


These are just a few examples of the erudite analysis from INdymedia. There are plenty more.

Will these people be oeating humble pie?

by moonwolf Thu Jun 17, 2004 05:42

Question;

How many of the above list are the offspring/nephews/nieces of Old F.G members who took the money and ran in the great double jobbing giveaway?

and by how much did F.G increase it's vote since the last local government elections?

Finally are F.G aware of the difference between young and new? since the faces may be young but the seats are the same OLD ones vacated by the aforementioned dedicated public servants who took the money and ran!

by iosaf Thu Jun 17, 2004 10:25

you really are learning the lessons properly,
you were going down the drain, till you an angel grabbed you by the scruff of the neck and used you to contain the greater threat to the Irish nation posed by the Progressive Democrats.
You will now continue on your previous course, for not recognising the value of humility and daring to suggest that these councilors will challenge others for Dail seats so quickly.
We require local and municipal representatives who are keen, able and dedicated to the public service of their constituents, we do not require nor facilitate those who see a councilor's seat as a stepping stone to a very well paid deputyship in Dail Eirinn.
Ah but the angel knew this would happen, go on you petulant little ográs, fight to hold your swing over the PDs and serve our strategy of rightwing containment one more year. And whilst you're at it, try remembering to answer a question lost in the archives perhaps, but one which will increase in relevance :-

"with whom do you stay on holidays?".

by Canteen Kevin Thu Jun 17, 2004 11:18

Re;

"Quote: Blueshirt Trolling
by Canteen Kevin Thursday, May 6 2004, 12:10pm


... Little wonder that your nasty little party is heading down the electoral shit chute."

Your overall vote went DOWN by -0.5% weenies. My reference was not limited to this election but to the fact that sooner rather than later FG will split or shrivel. We already have one set of right wing gangsters (well 1.01 if you count the PDs) in politics for sleaze and self interest. If you study political trends you will see that one of either FF or FG are facing extinction, but that the process will take a lot of see-sawing, with massive anti-FF, anti FG votes each election followed by minor recoveries depending on who is in Government at the time.

So Ok, I was wrong, you're not heading down a chute, it's more of a ramp.

by café n croissant Thu Jun 17, 2004 11:27

they're going down the effin chute.
It's just they're so expensively over fed
that they're not viscous and stuck at the U bend.
we'll starve 'em a bit more then they'll drop.

Part of the magic of the FF and FG machine was their historical roots, they exist as a part of the temporal flow of self-identity Irish nation-state politics. That is why they will both end this century, they have outlived their not only their usefulness but their era as well.

Top scientists have proved it!

The only antidote would be to hand all the most important policy making decisions to their younger members, and it is too late for either FF or FG central to hand such power to the petulant alchopop ogras, they trust them even less than we do.
Honestly, trust me, all you need to do, is remind everyone of the _age_ that they as nation-state party political machines belong to. It was the mass psychological fulcrum that lifted the PDs to government, but now it can't even serve PD tactics.

Top diplomats have proved it!

by my oh my Thu Jun 17, 2004 12:09

my my well congratulations, here's a euro, now don't go spending it all in one shop you little scamps, off you go home now, run along.

by Canteen Kev is a fool! Thu Jun 17, 2004 13:32

Fine Gael's vote went up around 5% since the last election.

Oh, there has been a .5% decline in overall vote, but your talking about the 1999 local election result, the best result for FG in a local election since the early 80s. Furthermore, the 4% bounce (the difference between first preference votes and seats) highlights the appeal to other voters of Fine Gael as their party of second preference.

For a good example of this look at the Averil Doyle election. Despite being up against a supposedly popular left wing trade unionist, she matched him more or less for transfers from other 'left-wing' candidates. She got slightly more transfers from Dubsky, White and that left leaning FFer, Kirk than Cassells and got transfer at 2:3 from Dwyer compared to Cassells.

This despite Averil Doyle being one of the hardest right winger in FG.

Just face facts Kev, FG are on the up - a piss poor election has been rectified and we are now facing into an election with the best morale since Garrett's time.

Anyone like Kev trying to put us down should look at the Euro statistic,

1999 - 4 seats out of 15

2003 - 5 out of 13, largely being down to FG's ability to pick up votes and transfers everywhere.

Indeed I wouldn't be suprised if the biggest vote getter in working class Dublin was Gay Mitchell.

by tea and rashers Thu Jun 17, 2004 13:40

Astute political analysis from our continental friend (very stylish with the acent):

Part of the magic of the FF and FG machine was their historical roots, they exist as a part of the temporal flow of self-identity Irish nation-state politics. That is why they will both end this century, they have outlived their not only their usefulness but their era as well.


FG & FF will end this century - talk about putting your head on the line! Only another 96 years left for us Blueshirts - Fine Gael and FF will end when their messages are no longer relevant - unfortunately for you left wing Walter Mittys, both still are!

The only good prediction I ever heard from the Irish left, was that the Seventies would be socialist!

Possibly for Angola, but I'm still waiting for it in Ireland.

Just remember FG's vote is larger than the entire left wing vote in Ireland.

by Canteen Kevin Thu Jun 17, 2004 18:49

You blueshirts will never come near being the majority party in Ireland again, you're on what ,27%, and you're crowing, I seem to remember darker days not too long ago when you used to regularly take 35-40% or so of the vote. I suppose you believe those votes will come back to you under the inspired vision ("vision with purpose"- remember that how we laughed) of Inda.

Your vote (local elections) in Dublin went down 1.5% and stands at a princely 15%, lower than Labour AND Sinn Fein., in Cork down by 3%, Galway 2.5%. The FF vote in there went down by 7.5%, 7.5% and 10% respectively so not only could FG note pick up a single vote from FF, your core vote went down.

FG support only increased in rural areas where there is no real alternative or strong Labour tradition. Let's hope Labour deny you a lifeline in Dublin and after next General election.

BTW What will you do if hopefully, Labour have a modicum of integrity and tell you to go fugh yourselves? Face infinite irrelevancy or split left and right, that's all you could do and well you know it.

by Jubiliant Fine Gaeler Fri Jun 18, 2004 03:30

People have had enough of dodgy Bertie and MacReevey, they want a return to good honest government, which Fine Gael has always stood for.

Enda Kenny will soon be Taoiseach and it won't be a moment too soon.

by f Fri Jun 18, 2004 03:46

Forget the Euro election, face it - it's a popularity contest. McGuiness is a B rate celebrity from RTÉ and Gay Mitchell seems to have an uncanny abilty to get support from old housewives.

The locals is more representative in terms of FG's future potential. In those elections FG's vote actually declined on their then disasterous 1999 result. FG are in decline.
A similar story for Labour. They failed to increase their vote on 1999. Labour and FG have remained stagnant. The parties that have gained in the elections are SF, Greens and the SP, the more established parties are in terminal decline, no amount of spinning from our blueshirt friends will take away from that.

by f Fri Jun 18, 2004 03:51

Another thing, those candidates are not all young. How many are below 25?Soem of the candidates listed above are in my area and I can tell you that most of them I recognise are in their late 20s or early 30s. Hardly Youth in anyones book.

by Sean Russell Fri Jun 18, 2004 04:06

So the Blueshirts are back. At times of uncertainty weak minds, like young F.G., are attracted to authoritarianism. Nothing new here. More ominously, Niall O Dowd, editor of the Irish Voice in New York, relates how he was campaigning for his F.G. brothers in Co. Louth. O'Dowd was the liaison between Sinn Fein and the Clinton White House in the lead-up to the Good Friday agreement, and is a close friend of Gerry Adams. In the same issue of the Irish Voice he has an editorial praising S.F's breakthrough. How about a Blueshirt/Sinn Fein coalition?

by Howsoever Fri Jun 18, 2004 04:09

The parties you cite as growing are SF. Greens and something called the SP (?).
These will always be micro-groups with no broad appeal, they're picking up votes from under 25's but nobody with any sense will ever give them the time of day.

by Analyst Fri Jun 18, 2004 05:36

SF, Greens and SP have seen a huge increase in their votes. They may be getting a larger vote from the youth then FG and FF etc but this does not fully explain their increased vote. For example for SF to win 10 seats on Dublin City council it needs more than youth votes, same goes for the Socialist Party, for them to have all four of their councillors elected first takes more than just youth votes. All three of these parties are winning votes from all age groups.

None of these parties are micro groups. All have representation in the Dail and all have representation on more than one council. All three of these parties have definite strongholds and many council seats. The Greens have a stronghold in South Dublin, SF in the border counties and some parts of Dublin and the Socialist Party is the largest Party in much of West Dublin and Swords and also polled very well in areas of Cork and Tallaght. In many cases on a local level these parties are bigger than FG.

For now these parties may have smaller support than the establshment parties but I wouldn't just dismiss them as micro parties, we could well see a huge and rapid growth in these parties. In Dublin for example in the next election we could see a situation where FG are behind SF, Greens and the SP in terms of TD's.

by bob Fri Jun 18, 2004 14:36

I don't know about the rest but Maria Bailey is in her thirties. I'm not saying that she's old, but she ain't no baby. Not what I would consider part of the yoof.

by f Fri Jun 18, 2004 15:30

These candidates are in their 30s or at best their very late 20s. Hardly what other parties would consider youth. Maybe it is all relative for the FGers, afterall they are a party of failed blueshirt fossils and tired middle aged offshore account men at this stage.

Naoise O’Muiri, Dublin City Council

Leo Varadkar, Fingal County Council

Lucinda Creighton, Dublin City Council

by aunty left Fri Jun 18, 2004 15:44

The people listened to us and voted overwhelmingly for a yes to end citizenship abuse in the referendum and against the rip off Ireland of bertie ahern, which indymedia.ie and its out of touch writers was also totally unaware of!

by YFG'er Fri Jun 18, 2004 19:38

all candidates listed above are under 32, of the 36 listed, at least 28 are d3efinitely under 30.

for the attention of 'f': Creighton is 23 or 24, Varadkar is 25.

for the record, Sally-Anne Flanagan and Rosemary Whelan are just 20.

sore losers will do whatever they can to try to spoil the winner's celebartions!

by ??? Fri Jun 18, 2004 20:33

we didn't lose.
we won.
You were competing with our target for rightwing votes. None of us would vote for you in a lifetime.

by Saoirse Sat Jun 19, 2004 02:35

FG is a part on the move, we have always been the authentic voice of the Irish people, they always turn to us in times of crisis.

FG is the party that founded this State and we have a rock-solid record of being a steady hand at the tiller.

I'm looking forward to seeing a FF rout in the general election and a landslide victory for FG.

FG Abú!!!!!

by chris bond Sat Jun 19, 2004 03:42

I dont really like them nor trust them but It wouldnt be so bad if fine gael got in power provided that Labour and Green party hold enough seats in the coalition to effectively implement their policies and keep a stranglehold on the latter.Im sure they`d do a better job than the 7 years of destruction caused by FF/PD.

As long as kenny doesn`t follow through on his stupid and blatant suggestion to increase the drinking age to 20 ill be happy.Again based on the grossly false assumption that the only binge drinkers in ireland are in the 18-20 age bracket.

When i hear a valid argument that centre right rhetoric is proven to really make the streets safer i will entertain it.

by moonwolf Sat Jun 19, 2004 03:44

So whats the answer to the questions in my previous post?

Oh and by the way , isin't AVRIL spelt A V R I L? (it's only in the wist that they pronounce it averil,titter,titter)and is it not true that she was lucky to hold her seat after having a minor celebrity with NO political experience foisted on her by her very supporting party, who were pandering to the I.F.A at her expense?

by conor - yfg Thu Jun 24, 2004 14:34

In reply to chris, Fg will not be dictated to by the greens or labour. If a coalition is formed, it will have to agree to a common plan for government. Naturally Labour and the greens will have a large input in it, but it will be headed by Enda Kenny, and FG will not abandon its core objectives to get into government. In reply to the last post, Avril Doyle got elected with a very impressive vote despite her "b list celeb running mate" (who was an excellent candidate). perhaps if Eoin Dubsky was a b- list celeb he might have done better too? same goes for Joe Higgins. (Titter titter)

by Blueshirt watch Thu Jun 24, 2004 16:37

"perhaps if Eoin Dubsky was a b- list celeb he might have done better too? same goes for Joe Higgins. (Titter titter)"

If the SP had decided to run a proper campaign, it is quite possible that Joe might have done a lot better. 23,000+ votes and no campaign, I wouldn't call that a bad vote. And certainly not in the Eoin Dubsky league.