Irish Election - Coverage of Irish Politics, News and Current Affairs

Originally posted at Plain of Pillars
The killing of John Ward has dominated conversation in Mayo for sometime. Yesterday, Padraig Nally, the confessed killer of John “Frog” Murphy walked free from court, having been acquitted of manslaughter.
At first glance, the verdict seems repugnant. Pavee Point has already decided that the verdict reflects the prejudiced nature of [...]

There’s been an interesting trend in the recent TG4 polls conducted by TNS/MRBI compared to national figures being delivered by RedC and TNS/MRBI in the Sunday Business Post and The Irish Times respectively. Added to this can be the reporting in The Kerryman of two polls seen there.
There appears to be an increasing trend [...]

Following events in Rossport yesterday, a narrative has emerged of violent protests including the use of a car as a battering ram. Comments from contributors to this site have thrown accusations at Shell To Sea, accusing them of attacking ‘busloads of workers,’ ‘committing criminal damage,’ and possibly using a car as a ram to injure [...]

RTE News is reporting that the Gardai baton-charged a group of protesters.
Update: Breaking News says one person has been injured.
Update: Sinn Fein statement: Ferris criticises Garda handling of Bellanaboy protest; Greens Sargent appeals for calm as violence flares in Bellanaboy.
Update: Labour Face to face talks needed at Bellanaboy, Fine Gael
Update: RTE video hat [...]

As reported in today’s Irish Independent, an opinion poll by conducted by Public Opinion Ltd. for The Mayo Advertiser has found that 45% of voters in Mayo support the Shell To Sea campaign to have the terminal moved offshore, with 15% supporting Shell and 40% having no opinion. The opinion poll reflects the recent TNS/MRBI [...]

Last week’s headline-grabbing poll was in the Sunday Business Post and by now it’s only worth keeping chips in. However, Mayo was also subject to a number of polls at the weekend and is proving to be “unpredictable” at best. Two polls—Millard/Brown for the Mail and TNS/MRBI for TG4—suggest that the constituency is all to [...]

Ive no idea if this has been picked up or not, however the Western People reports that Fine Gael is to run former football manager and current talking head on The Sunday Game John O’Mahony in Mayo. There had been two local Coucillors running for the nomination but after discussion with Enda Cllr Tom Connolly [...]

Round up of the news from the Local Papers. Feel free to comment on any stories.
Western PeopleO’Mahony still in election race
WITH a date set for the Fine Gael convention, the countdown for potential candidates to declare themselves is on with high profile football manager John O’Mahony still in the running.
Speculation has been rife in recent [...]

Some times the news can miss the stories from the local newspapers. So here is Irishelection’s top stories from the country.
The Meath Chronicle
Fraud Squad to probe purchase of Navan land
The “investigation will be conducted by Chief Superintendent Austin McNally of the Fraud Squad. The purchase of the land was made by local auctioneers and [...]

Recent reports of any and every body trying to get a grab on Enda Kenny’s coat tails in Mayo are continued in the Indo today. Fine Gael feel that now is an opportune time to win three seats in the Mayo Constituency.
“With FG TD Michael Ring contesting again, there will be two places up for [...]

Western People:

“THE Fine Gael convention, which is expected to take place in mid May, is heating up with solicitor Pat O’Connor throwing his hat into the ring for the next General Election.

Speculation has been rife for the past 25 years that Mr O’Connor would offer himself as a candidate for Dáil Éireann as his [...]