Pearse Doherty

The Dignity of Democracy in the Dáil…

Peter Farrelly on November 11, 2020, 9:43 am

| Readers 2433

With the US Presidential Race engulfing the news in recent times, it felt like it took the spotlight off the controversy that had been surrounding Leo Varadkar. Two days after facing a 120-minute grilling from opposition parties in the Dáil regarding the sharing of a confidential document to his ‘friend’ Maitiu O’Tuathail, Varadkar once again entered the Dáil to answer Leaders Questions from the opposition. Pearse Doherty, still unsatisfied with the answers the Tánaiste gave on Tuesday, began probing the …

Sinn Fein’s habit of defection in government and the ravelling of uncivic values…

Mick Fealty on July 24, 2014, 1:24 pm

| Readers 2347

Most criticism of Sinn Fein in the south is misplaced. Jude Collins has a point when he argues that the ambush of a British army column at Kilmichael in west Cork has an equivalent to the IRA’s actions in the north. People do die (often needlessly) in war, but once there’s been a discernable commitment to peace, the lines of conflict ought naturally shift to new battlegrounds. Not least, how you’re likely to run the county, the region or the …

The difference between FF and FG? Twelve months.

John Ó Néill on December 8, 2011, 12:25 am

| Readers 12

Anyone who watched the anodyne post-budget chat between Michael Noonan (FG) and Michael McGrath (FF) on RTE’s PrimeTime on Tuesday must have been reminded of Pearse Doherty’s comment during Sinn Féin’s response to the budget in the Dáil earlier that day that the difference between Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil is twelve months. In retrospect the kites that were flown prior to the budget provide a cynical benchmark of the extent to which the government tried to instill fear in the public to condition them for some of the changes …

Is Micheál Martin the kernel of Fianna Fáil nua?

Mick Fealty on January 19, 2011, 2:38 pm

| Readers 7

Cute fox you might say. But Micheal Martin is undoubtedly a shrewd operator. He survived Bertie’s attempt to destroy him by giving him the politically murderous health portfolio earlier in his ministerial career. In this last passage of play, if he did anything at all that was right, it was to serve his resignation as Minster of Foreign Affairs and, crucially, go through with it. It contrasts markedly with the party’s shambling ‘we’ve had tough decisions to make, so don’t …

30 minutes that changed everything for SF?

Blank on December 7, 2010, 6:52 pm

| Readers 21

Quote from twitter: ‘Superman has Pearse Doherty pyjamas’

Donegal South West: Emergence of Sinn Fein Nua?

Mick Fealty on November 27, 2010, 8:39 am

| Readers 20

Now whilst Donegal is not Ireland, for Sinn Fein this byelection victory has the potential to become a game-changing moment. They now have one of those two predicted Donegal seats. In fact, Aidan Kavanagh’s Red C extrapolations underestimated Sinn Fein’s appeal to the Donegal South West electorate and exaggerated the strength of the mainstream parties. Pearse Doherty grabbed 40% of all first preferences, and 60% of all first and second preferences, something that’s previously been unheard of in the politics of the …

SF win at a canter: Senator Pearse Doherty now Pearse Doherty TD

Blank on November 26, 2010, 7:00 pm

| Readers 7

The Liveblog is still running but Sinn Fein’s Pearse Doherty has now been declared TD for Donegal South West. In a stunning performance he was elected slightly under quota as the two remaining candidates were unable to catch him. Perhaps the most encouraging factor for SF is Doherty was collecting transfers at high levels throughout all counts? Interestingly his final tally of 16,897, on a reduced turnout, isn’t far off the 20K that would have seen two TDs elected in …

Red C: Doherty to take Donegal South West at a canter

Chris Donnelly on November 17, 2010, 11:58 pm

| Readers 14

A Red C poll to be published tomorrow will show Sinn Fein’s Pearse Doherty sitting on 40% of the 1st preference votes in the Donegal South West constituency, some 21% ahead of the second placed Fianna Fail candidate. Perhaps just as interestingly, the Sinn Fein candidate would appear to be strongly positioned to pick up second preference votes, with some 19% of those polled stating they’d transfer directly to him following their first choice candidates. Whilst this is just an …

Swotting the SF challenge in Donegal SW and beyond

John Ó Néill on November 9, 2010, 12:35 pm

| Readers 7

Firstly the threats and weaknesses. Obviously, Sinn Féin are, and are maybe always going to be, dogged by the legacy of the IRA’s role in the conflict. That’s not going to go away. At the same time the historical impact of Section 31 is probably still the mitigating factor when it comes to attracting transfers and Sinn Féin’s difficulty in converting first preferences into seats. It is often forgotten that Sinn Féin members were banned from the media under Section 31 of …

High Court judgement creaks government one step closer to the end…

Mick Fealty on November 3, 2010, 11:37 am

| Readers 6

Interesting judgement in Pearse Doherty’s case in the Dublin High Court this morning. Although he stops one step short of confronting the legislature (that’s the Supreme Court’s job) Mr Justice Kearns, High Court President, said: “I am satisfied that the delay in this case is so inordinate as to amount to a breach of the applicant’s constitutional rights to such a degree as to warrant the court granting some form of relief. Far from the court ’tearing asunder’ the provisions …