Man overboard… to help build a new 32 county movement? November 15, 2018
Posted by WorldbyStorm in Uncategorized.trackback
It’s not all Brexit, and Sinn Féin’s Peadar Tóibín has resigned from the party, following his refusal to follow the party whip in relation to the amendment, with the following missive:
It is with a heavy heart that I resign from Sinn Féin today. I have been a member of the party for 21 years. In that time I poured all my efforts into achieving Irish Unity & Economic Justice. This clearly is no longer enough. I will now help to build a new 32 County movement.
What is this movement of which he speaks? Any thoughts as to his options?
The Cedar Lounge Revolution 
On the radio this evening he mentioned dissaffected Shinners and Fianna Failers who dislike Martin. Wonder will he link up with the ” cherish the children” ex-shinners in the North who appear to be actively campaigning.
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I was thinking much the same re the cherish the children people. He might see room for an all-island lifer party.
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Sounds like that’s the way he’s going. How will it leave SF in Meath?
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I don’t know. I wonder how many of them will go with him?
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Split, I’d imagine. As they were during the Repeal campaign. We had one or two Shinners involved on the TFY side, but Toibin and some of his gang were very visible at the Rosary service and stalls of the NO side in Navan too. Apparently the local branch was pretty pissed off with Toibin during the campaign but I don’t know one way or the other if things settled down since then. I’ll be very curious to see what happens Toibin’s office on Flower Hill in the town, whether his name disappears from the signage, or will it be the SF logo that goes? I don’t keep a particularly close eye on the local paper but there’s nobody in SF that jumps out as a replacement for Toibin in Meath West. They have a strong candidate O’Rourke in Meath East, currently a councillor, who I’d expect to get a Dail seat next time out. But I wouldn’t image Toibin will be losing his seat in Meath West, I’d say he’d have a long career as an Independent if he went that route, as there’s enough of a lifer vote out there to keep him going for a while yet until they all pop their clogs with the passing of the years,
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Good to get the local knowledge there AM. Wonder would he find it easy to hold his seat as an independent? Will be interesting to see how much of the SF vote in Meath West was an SF vote as opposed to a Toibin SF vote.
Wonder will Carol Nolan join him in this new 32 county organisation?
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+1 re AM’s comment very useful.
I’m intrigued he might keep the seat, most people think Nolan is v unlikely to keep hers but what if as you say they did work together?
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He’s a hard-working high-profile local TD, and apart from his views on abortion I wouldn’t particularly hold any antagonism towards him (apart from the default antagonism any WP member might hold for an SF public representative). It’s a big apart from of course, the abortion views I mean. I don’t doubt for a minute that he could hold that seat.
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There was a 36% No vote there in the Abortion Referendum. He may well attract Carol Nolan but she will find it hard to hold on to her seat. Offaly was a 3 seater but is now part of a 5 seat Laois Offaly. It already has Brian Stanley and John Leahy the leader of Renua is Offaly based also. So the Pro Life vote will be split.
It’s who else he might attract is whats interesting. Ex FFers? Then the Northern Pro Lifers, are there any SF or SDLP Councillors that would jump ship to join him?
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I’d be surprised if Nolan did decide to try and contest the next election – in addition to having no party support, she and Leahy are largely based in the same part of Offaly.
Ex FFers? That’d be interesting. One name does spring to mind but I’d doubt he’d abandon his grandfather’s party.
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Em. A 36% no vote in the referendum. But the No vote in the referendum won’t necessarily go to general election candidates who campaigned for No and vice versa with the 64% Yes vote.
General elections are different kettles of fish.
I’d say if Toibin holds his seat it will be as much about his record of hard work on the ground locally.
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Very much so, being pro-life alone won’t win him a seat but having a good local profile along with that will attract votes.
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He’s shaking a bucket outside Navan shopping centre at the minute for Cherish.
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I read that the Brollys and McGuinness family are supporting him. An interesting move by the Cherish gang.
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Which McGuinness family? Martin’s?
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Exactly the one:
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I see on FB that the SF office in Navan has been reopened and dedicated to recently deceased Cllr Joe O’Reilly. So I guess Toibin will be looking for new accomodation.
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