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LAST UPDATE | 25 Oct 2018
THERE WAS UTTER confusion within Fianna Fáil this evening as a candidate for the next local elections in the Northern Ireland was announced without the full backing of the party.
At an event in Tyrone this evening, councillor Sorcha McAnespy, who is already a member of the party’s national executive, was announced as the party’s candidate in the local elections.
The media, including TheJournal.ie, reported the story after senior party members made official, on-the-record statements about the announcement.
Standing next to TD Éamon Ó Cuív, the spokesperson on Regional Development, Rural Affairs and the Gaeltacht, as well as Senator Mark Daly, McAnespy is holding a photo of herself with the Fianna Fail branding.
This evening, the two politicians announced that they were the directors for her election campaign.
McAnespy claims Fianna Fáil party leader Micheál Martin informed her that she will be a Fianna Fáil Party candidate in the Northern Ireland local elections.
“There is an appetite now more than ever for Fianna Fáil to contest elections in Northern Ireland. Micheál Martin made the commitments in 2013 to contest local elections in 2019 and I was delighted when he confirmed I would be a candidate for Fianna Fáil in the upcoming local elections in 2019,” she said.
However, the party rolled back on tonight’s announcement in a tweet, stating:
Following tonight’s confusion, McAnespy said she was informed by Martin that she would be supported by the party at a private meeting which took place a number of months ago.
“I was informed of this by Michael Martin that I would be supported by the party at a private meeting with him this meeting took place a couple of months ago,” she said after Fianna Fail’s tweet this evening.
However, when asked repeatedly to confirm if Martin did state this to McAnespy, a party spokesperson said “no comment”.
President of Ógra Fianna Fail Ian Woods has since tweeted that McAnespy’s version of events is accurate.
It is believed that party HQ does not class the event in Tyrone as an “official party event” and that only the leader of the party and the Ard Comhairle can make a decision about who can run as a candidate.
It is understood that some within the party believe Ó’ Cuiv and Daly went solo announcing her candidacy tonight without having the authority to do so.
Daly told TheJournal.ie that as a “party member, a public representative and member of the national executive, she [McAnespy] is entitled to have a Fianna Fáil meeting any time”.
At tonight’s event, which party sources state was not an official party event, O’Cuiv said he believed that Fianna Fáil standing in the north will “help to give proper representation to the people concerned with the day-to-day issues, we will offer fresh thinking and challenge the status quo of Sinn Féin and DUP which has lead to the shutting of Stormont and dysfunctional politics”.
Daly said the party has a vision for Omagh, Tyrone, Northern Ireland and the whole island “that encompasses but also listen to views from across the spectrum, as a party we are strong enough in our identity so that we can reach out to others and realise that a shared future is possible”.
He added that he believed McAnespy’s candidacy launch would be the first of many in the north.
McAnespy was the first councillor to quit Sinn Féin over an alleged culture of misogyny, as reported in The Irish Independent last year.
She has spoken out about being exposed to a “toxic” atmosphere within Sinn Féin after she tried to strike alliances with unionists and other political opponents, which she claims forced her to quit Sinn Féin just two years after she topped the poll for the party in the local elections.
The Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin has long been considering running candidates in the north.
In an interview about running candidates, Martin told TheJournal.ie in December that such a move was an “ongoing issue in the party” and did not rule out the prospect.
“Step by step,” he said.
Earlier this year, Martin told the national executive that preparations were at an advanced stage, adding that an announcement was expected in the autumn.
It is understood there is substantial support within the parliamentary party for organising in the north.
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FF putting ‘The republican party’ on an election poster in the 6 counties LOL!
The publican party, more like…
@The Risen: I can’t wait for them to explain to voters why they left them isolated for 100 years but now they want to represent them by swearing an oath to a non elected monarch.
@Cal Mooney: oh I also forgot to add that they voted against giving people in the North the right to vote for the President of this Island. I agree with a previous post that they are cynically doing this to try and reduce the SF vote.
@The Risen:
For years you’ve been calling for FF to put up or shut up.
You’ve questioned numerous times why don’t they run candidates in the North.
Now that they are, you respond with a typical sneer.
Not a fan of democracy?
Afraid they’ll damage your party’s prospects?
@Brinster: odd that Irish nationalist in northern Ireland complain about not being part of Irish politics or having a say in their society, and the first person put forward to elect a normal (non abstention) republican party and they get angry. I’d leave them alone – northern nationalists are like the hulk.
@Gulliver Foyle: eh? Like the hulk?
@The Risen: now that is good. Maith an buachaill
@Gulliver Foyle: Man, you must have been asleep since the 70s. SF have been running candidates North and South since then. They only felt excluded because in every election since, FF have totally ignored the people in the North as they appeared to be too much of a hindrance to their domination in the South. FF are parasites.
@Paul Devlin: I know, when I think of The Hulk, I think big, green, fearsome, fights for what’s right and always wins thorugh against the odds. I guess he didn’t think that one through? I wonder if it’ll be prophetic though…
@The Risen: welcome to democracy
@sinead foley-coleman:
No way!
Smarm and condescension from an SF supporter?
Well I never!
Fair play Sinead. You fit right it.
@Brinster: What a silly comment. If you read the article you would see that official Fianna Fraud did not sanction this.
@The Risen: or the party for brown envelopes
@Cal Mooney: the monarchy are never elected in any country
@Tony Lyons: Did you figure that out through Google? England has a monarchy that discrimates against Catholics. Google that one as well.
@Cal Mooney: Why should people in the north have they right to vote for the president in another state?
Note to Northern Ireland :
To hell with the consequences of Brexit, put up a border before you let these b s destroy you too.
@Trevor Hayden: Couldn’t be any worse what is currently up there!! A basket case
If I was a Nationalist living in NI there’s not a hope in hell I’d vote for FF given the fact that they didn’t bother their little heads with seeking to represent the people of the North for nearly 100 years… The Republican Party? What a joke!
@Ger Murphy: Not in the least bit prejudiced there Ger? 20 years since the end of the Troubles which cost 3,532 lives and more than 47,000 other casualties. How many lives has Austerity cost? Several hundreds of extra suicides, a housing emergency, countless families split and destroyed not to mention the people who simply decided not to start a family in such a terrible financial climate and whatever else the gutting of our public coffers did to our society.
So it seems one side of the border has managed to improve their lot and now the party that gifted us with Austerity is trying to muscle in on turf where the tide is rising. God bless them, they can see the writing on the wall, all the while FG are as usual far out of touch and behind the curve.
@Patrick Kearns: Not one bit prejudiced Patrick,just saying as it is. SF Alex Maskey stated that Ni is a putrid little state who am I to disagree. As for our own problems down south we don’t have an alternative to FG, thought the recession might have generated some sort of party from the ashes that would put Ireland first but sadly it’s not to be. We are nothing more than a pawn for Europe.
@Ger Murphy: So we have no alternative but to put up with crisis after crisis followed by emergencies when they’re not dealt with…? Housing/homeless emergency, healthcare crisis, policing scandals of which there are more to come and now an education catastrophe but no, we’ve no alternative but to put up with more of the same?
Can I ask, when it came to the bank bailout(considering we had the EU over a barrel as in we could’ve sank the EU because their banks were so heavily exposed to ours), who do you think would’ve got us the best deal FG or SF?
@ObsidianShine: I’m a nationalist who was born in the north but moved south 23 years ago if I still lived there I would never vote ff. Mr ma rtin too busy sucking up to unionists and does not give a flying f about the nationalist community. The only party they will hurt is the sdlp who lost the nationist vote a long time ago. They will swear an oath to a British monarch and pretend to be for the nationalist community who vote sf because they don’t take their seats.
@Patrick Kearns:
Cant really imagine triochet Telling Adams that a bomb Would Go off in Dublin..
@ObsidianShine: no you’d vote for Slam Murphy though.
@Rory: Is he a wrestler?
The soldiers of destiny finally march over the border. Nearly 100 years since their founder went to war over the borders creation…
@michael: only it turns out they haven’t. Fianna Fail ‘the Republican Party’ have shat the bed yet again hahahaha. What a pack of worthless bullshitters!
Fianna Fáil getting ready for a Reunited Ireland ?
@BAINNE ATHA CLIATH: The DUP are probably delighted that if FF also run in more ‘contested’ constituencies this will only serve to fracture the nationalist vote allowing unionist candidates win.
@Diaspora’d: exactly what I thought, this will cause nothing but dilution of the nationalist vote spreading it thinner among different parties.
@Diaspora’d: you obviously haven’t heard of the dramatic decline of the SDLP. Nationlist votes are out there for grabs. This will not help the DUP in any shape or form
@Diaspora’d: no one in NI in the right frame of mind would vote for the failers
@Joe: Of course I have. Moderate unionists have deserted the UUP in droves to vote for the DUP so as to prevent SInn Fein becoming the largest party in NI. If FF are promoting themselves as a Republican party they are obviously not courting votes from unionists. The DUP will of course be helped by FF carving support away from Sinn Fein preventing a nationalist party becoming the largest party in NI
@Sean Murphy: Northern Irish local elections are somewhat protected from a split like that because they use Single Transferable Vote
@Matthew Johnston: So that raises questions..
would FF just allow SF free reign to run (and abstain) in their current 7 Westminster seats?
If FF was suddenly to become the largest nationalist party in the assembly would they go back into devolved government with the DUP without a pre-agreement on Irish language Act and SSM?
If the answer is YES to both or either of those questions then I am sure the DUP is delighted about FF contesting elections in the north
…I am beginning to think FF don’t actually know themselves.
Is this article true or not ?
@Diaspora’d: SF are so strong up north and the reason is because they run on an abstentionsionist platfor,, the SDLP got anniihilated last time out, Fianna Fáil will go the same way as the SDLP, #1 because they would take the queens oath, and #2 they haven`t been seen up north in nearly 100 years, no one on the Republican side is going to trust them up there, they will do no damage to Sinn Féin.
Sorrf for bursting your bubble there lad
@Pixie McMullen: what bubble are you on about. Did you know Fianna Fail now saying that this story of them running in the local elections is false.
@Diaspora’d: Did you know, that i couldn`t give a flying FC** what Fianna Fáil says about it?
@Pixie McMullen: No actually..you seemed so engaged.
So what bubble of mine were you thinking you burst earlier?
@Diaspora’d: The one in which you had high hopes of FF helping the DUP get back into a position of power with FF taking votes away from SF lad.
@Pixie McMullen: You obviously need to learn how to read..can you point out which part of any of my posts were advocating that FF should run candidates in the north? I said the move would only serve to delight the DUP.
@Diaspora’d: need a few reading lessons yourself lad, point out to me where i said you were advocating for them to run
@Pixie McMullen: ..”you had high hopes of FF helping the DUP get back into a position of power”
You were wrong
@Diaspora’d: that’s like saying the SDLP split the vote. Welcome to democracy!
@Rory: that’s right and the UUP and the DUP form electoral pacts when contesting Westminster elections for constituencies like Fermanagh/S.Tyrone and South Belfast where they don’t want to split the unionist vote.
The public are trying to get rid of FF FG LABOUR,they will regret letting any of these partys get a foothold,keep them out.
@@mdmak33:
Big fan of democracy?
@Brinster: The people will vote based on how much FF supported them before the troubles. Based on FFs contribution to help the disenfranchised and discrimated during that time, I am guessing they will get very few votes. They are parasites.
Well done Sorcha, delighted for you, I know that you will continue your 100% dedication to your constituents.
@Hugh Conaghan: Is she ready to swear allegiance to the Queen of England. If she is, she isn’t much of a Republican, is she? FF showing their true colours.
@Cal Mooney: yeah she was a member of Sinn Fein,an abstentionist party and left blaming “a culture of misogyny” but somehow she is also now prepared to take her seat and swear an oath of allegiance to a British monarch…..sounds like a careerist.
@Adam O’Donoghue: do local councilors swear an oath of allegiance in Northern Ireland????
@CrabaRev: no they don’t,but her new party leader Micheal Martin was only 3 months ago urging SF to take their seats in Westminster so is it not safe to say to she agrees to the principle of swearing an oath to the British monarch just like her new leader??
It’s a shït show in the occupied 6. Makes sense they should be part of it.
A sinister plot to split the republican vote to keep the dup in power.
@Keith Mac Suibhne: they haven’t got a hope of doing any serious damage to Sinn fein’s vote.They are even more unpalatable to the northern nationalist vote than the SDLP and look at how their share of the vote has crashed
Careful up there in Northern Ireland .
Down here there were a lot of envelopes flying around before the crash
A historic day for Fianna Fail and a decision which should have been made a long time ago. Two all Ireland parties is exactly what we need with the prospect of a UI in the pipleine. Great day for Irish nationalism!
@Joe: Aye, they’d be a lot more credible if they made that decision back in 1926 but they didn’t and with a united Ireland on the cards, they’re dipping their toe. Fianna Fairweather seems to be a fitting moniker for them now.
@Joe: This makes five all-Ireland parties. Granted, only Sinn Féin could be considered major, while three of them are very minor. But, three parties do already have elected representation on both sides of the border: Sinn Féin, the Green Party and People Before Profit all have elected representatives in Northern Ireland. The Socialist Party (or whatever name they are operating under now – I think it’s Solidarity) also organises on an all-Ireland basis, although they do have an agreement with PBP.
@Brian Ó Dálaigh: fake news this statement.
@Joe: Will you pull the other one, FF will be hammered (rightfully) if they do run someone up North. It’s not like they ever did anything for people there.
The MaFFia spreads its wings!
Traitorous organisation,
Party first country last!
Haha! FF leadership losing control. Doesn’t exactly fill you with confidence in the FF “team” in the gov negotiations!
@Adrian: Look Martin Ferris was not even elected in Kerry last General Election by making the quota. He was elected in the last count.
While NI elections are first past the post SF is so delicate in certain they will lose out. Welcome to Democracy!
FF putting forward a woman?
Must be a mistake, as a party they don’t like woman. It’s a men’s club and nobody should try think otherwise.
They won’t call an election in the 26 counties. Now they want to stand for election in the 6 counties… good luck with that one. The deputy leader of the blueshirts Michael Martin will not be happy with that decision.
Michael martin split FF,the party is torn apart through his leadership,or lack of,no wonder he doesnt want a GE.
Well done Sorcha, you’ve been working hard for Tyrone!
Eamon O heave is back. Delighted he is sticking it to MM
Journal app is bugging out something fierce. Anyone having issues?
Another party being fooled by a disgruntled ex SF member. I hope to god Fianna Fraud run in the 6. Our Northern Brothers and sisters will give them the response they deserve.
The poppy candidate’s bots are not happy…..
And watch FF happily line up to swear the oath, the people up the North won’t have a bar of this. No way they’ll get many votes, sure what have they ever done for the people up North?
I thought FF were supposed to be creating a new party in The North in alliance with The SDLP??
Well done Sorcha you have been working hard for Tyrone
The soldiers of disaster cross the border michael leader one of the bertie gang willie ó dea is still there John mcguinness would welcome back bertie with open arms the bull o donoghue looking to get on the ticket on the kerry Council election this shower can’t put the Haughey era to bed as long as the shower keep showing praise for those two corrupt Taoisigh they will never get my vote
Will they swear oath to Queen?
@Willy Mc Caul: MM was asking SF to take their seats not so long ago so id say yes.
This is the same clown that wanted to run for President. Phew .
Just when you think that FF might well be a normal political party composed of adults, this farce happens and up pops FF Senator Mark Daly to remind us that FF are actually a shower of halfwits unfit to run a raffle let alone a country.
FF can’t get it Up , North
As if the place isn’t fu**ed up enough
Found this so stupid by Mary Lou McDonald beign the laeder of Sein Fein North and South how come the shinners kept in government in the north, I blame Sein Fein for this political caous in NI by not being responsable.
@Ossi Fritsche: You know, if you don’t have a clue about NI, it’s probably best to keep your nonsensical opinions to yourself while you go educate yourself as to the realities of it’s history. What you’re saying is as naive as it is divisive.
@Ossi Fritsche: You sir, are clueless.
FF are sitting on the pot
It’s time to shat now or get off
About time, but that was a car crash interview on Sean O’Rourke with the candidate doesn’t inspire confidence.
Moderate nationalism needs a strong advocate in the Dail. Something that is appealing to Alliance voters and very soft unionists would get transfers. Some SF voters will turn to FF as they have serious government credentials.
But they have to get ‘The Republican Party’ off posters.
have your say