Election 2024 . Not that one, though the Trump victory is sure to influence some of what we are threatened and promised. presumably we'll have a date soon.

[DeanElderberry]

Any wise thoughts?

Absolutely. They're just out of bounds for such a large portion of the population.
Everytime I think I get so desperate that maybe I could vote for them, some new issue comes out that reminds me they're not far enough away from the army council and I just can't.

That’s it. Loads of people I know say there’s no way they can ever see themselves voting for Sinn Fein.

Definitely a lot of people who wouldn’t vote SF myself included. They have their stalwart voters though and to have seen the growth they have they must be attracting a younger cohort. A united ireland would most likely bankrupt us!! Definitely not something I would vote in favour of. One of those things that sounds good in a lovely unifying way but the reality would be a shambles.

my Aontu candidate has already been eliminated! I knew it was unlikely they’d get elected but felt like I couldn’t give my usual vote to FG for whatever that small statement was worth.

I hope it could be FF FG plus some independents (preferably the less crazy ones). I’d prefer not to see labour / SD / greens get in coalition given their views on women’s rights.

Yes that's it.

Here's the exit poll, by age. Dramatic difference in younger voters who are most impacted by housing and cost of living and don't have the memory of Sinn Fein.

• 18-24s - SF (29%), FF (15%), FG (14%), Ind Ireland (11%), Soc Dems (9%), PBP-S (7%), Lab (5%), Aontú (4%), Greens (4%), other smaller parties (1%)
• 25-34s - SF (36%), FF (11%), FG (11%), Ind Ireland (10%), Soc Dems (9%), PBP-S (6%), Lab (5%), Greens (4%), Aontú (3%), other smaller parties (2%)
• 35-49s - SF (21%), FG (19%), FF (18%), Ind Ireland (15%), Soc Dems (7%), Greens (5%), Lab (5%), PBP-S (3%), Aontú (3%), other smaller parties (2%)
• 50-64s - FG (26%), FF (22%), SF (16%), Ind Ireland (13%), Lab (5%), Soc Dems (4%), Aontú (4%), Greens (3%), PBP-S (2%), other smaller parties (2%)
• 65+ - FG (28%), FF (27%), SF (13%), Ind Ireland (12%), Lab (5%), Greens (4%), Soc Dems (3%), Aontú (3%), other smaller parties (2%), PBP-S (1%)

That’s a very interesting breakdown @mollyfolk

a lot of people vote party lines in this country too. My DH family are solid FF voters and I know my DH always gives his vote to FF - doesn’t matter who the candidate is or what’s in their manifesto and I think a lot of Irish families are like that.

I saw catriona being interviewed in bbc news just after 6 this morning. I think she’s sick,

Oh yeah - my in laws are the same. Even in 2011 after they basically ruined the country.

A few friends who work in universities said the student unions were pushing SF & SDs as the ‘right’ kind of left

@VaddaABeetch fits with what seems to be happening in universities. Bending over backwards to prove their enlightened credentials.

Apparently many students believe they’ll get jobs in NGOs

It is more likely to be labour or the SDs than independents though.

Then they'll go the way of the greens in the next election..... voters of these parties hold them to a higher standard than the FG/FF voters.

What a lot of bollocks it all is though. My grandad was Fine Gael. He was also a veteran of the British Army WW1 and the IRA. His older brother was killed in France. He was instinctively conservative. My parents were Labour and I continued to support them until the sell out in 2011. Now I vote SF and transfer left- as far as possible. How precious we have all become , voting for the drug barons or the genocide enablers is OK though. And I'm a good bit older than 50.

Who's a genocide enabler?

Yes sure labour still have recovered from that sellout! They were a disappointment to be sure.

I would possibly have voted Labour but didn't know or have ever heard of their candidate. Not one person came to our door and I'm home a lot. I was an undecided voter and a conversation with someone could potentially swing it for me but no one bothered. It seems crazy not to engage with the voters. One of the top 3 leaders is in my constituency too and usually does the rounds but not this year. Last time we were inundated with callers.

How precious we have all become , voting for the drug barons or the genocide enablers is OK though.

Not sure what you mean by this…precious in what way? FF/FG are genocide enablers??

@Dontlletmedownbruce yes we are the same. Nobody called and either myself or my DH are WFH most days.

I've always been involved with a lot of community groups and volunteer work and some local campaigning work in my area so I'm lucky enough to know most of our local politicians and know the ones that I don't know do very little for the area! . It does make a huge difference to speak with someone.

When I was younger I used to be very passionate about a united Ireland but now that I'm late 30s going into my 40's I honestly don't want it. Can you imagine the Dail with a bunch of Unionists who hate the State and will have an influence on our policies. I think it will cost a ton and bring a lot of violence. I'm so glad for the decades of peace we've had because of the GFA but it will forever be a fragile peace.

When I read politicans in the UK talking about getting out of the ECHR and seemingly having no cognisance that staying in the ECHR is a fundamental part of the GFA, I bristle. Seeing the Israel/Palestine conflict flare up again always reminds me how lucky we are to have had peace for so long.

Can you imagine the Dail with a bunch of Unionists who hate the State and will have an influence on our policies

This is the worst bit, it would cost a fortune and cause a load of trouble and we need to be building 55k of houses a year for decades and reducing inequality not opening up a can of worms.

For some ideological belief of SFs. They’ve courted the young with promises they can’t deliver on

No major surprises in the election results.
Hopefully Marie Sherlock can overtake GH in Dublin central.
I am another who could never vote Sinn Fein, Labour got my no1 & SD no2 this time.
Lovely to see Holly Cairns had her baby on election day.

For sure. US warplanes refuelling at Shannon en route to Israel. And Iraq previously. Blocking the Occupied Territories Bill. They're gagging to send Irish soldiers off on some madcap imperial adventure. Even as our ships are tied up in Cobh because we can't afford to crew them. I used to give a lower preference to FG , thinking to break the logjam. Back when they'd form a government with ppl like Dick Spring. That's all over now and they can go and whistle.
But ....let's pick out the positives. The extreme right has had a poor election. The Greens have been chastened. But will they learn ? Or just vanish up the IDpol orifice. Conor McGregor will probably not be Uachtarán. Ireland won the rugby. Sound of barrel being scraped....

I hope GH gets a seat.

Maybe then government will realise you ignore 1000's of people at your peril.

This isn't a head scratcher this is a direct result of government policy and choices.

GH has in his way being active in the community through 80's 90's when no one else gave a s**t.

This community gave up many decades ago we got out and marched, we rose up against the dealers. Government housing policy was simply move the dealers from one housing to another 3 or 4 streets away.

I feel from living and watching GH will be good in the area, he was for years prior to moving to Spain. A lot of young people who went through clubs he set up and funded went to school, got their exams and are working and net tax contributors.

The papers aren't printing the good he has done.

PD has never come into D1, MLD doesn't come near, GG born and reared, I can honestly say I've seen more over him on TV over last few days that the previous 4 and a half years.

Give the seat Gerry Hutch he actually gives a dam about the community.

That is very enlightening to hear. I had heard he had set up the club Kellie Harrington trained in. I hope he works for the good of the community.

D7 have their representatives and in PD, MLD and alas FG.

D1 deserves to have a voice also.

FG should be GG, Gary Gannon