07.03.08
All change in Clare
News reaches me that Madeline Taylor-Quinn has been elected chairman of Clare County Council. AFAIA, this is the first time since 1935 that Fine Gael has won the chair. It’s been Fianna Fail all the way.
And no better woman than Madeline. She’s a really strong performer and if FG managed to get in government once in a while she’d be a great minister. But for now, County Council Chair will have to do and I have no doubt that after such a long wait she’s more than pleased.
1935..jeez. How did they those poor FGers keep going?
Niall said,
July 3, 2008 at 2:04 pm
FGers have been known to survive on a diet made up solely of bitterness, banality and repressed sexual energy for decades in many parts of the country.
The Crewser said,
July 3, 2008 at 3:51 pm
Hope springs eternal
Dan Sullivan said,
July 3, 2008 at 7:28 pm
Speak for yourself Niall, my sexual energy is entirely unrepressed, the banality and the bitterness I save for special occasions.
John said,
July 3, 2008 at 7:46 pm
Great to see that the FF bastion of Clare has fallen. Did not hear any mention of this on RTE. I note that the Crewser is magnanimous in defeat.
The Crewser said,
July 3, 2008 at 9:02 pm
Sometimes John its important to accept the loss of a few minor battles with good grace. Its the big ones that matter and we have been doing nicely in that regard over the last 20 years thanks to the sophistication and astuteness of the electorate.
P O'Neill said,
July 4, 2008 at 2:31 am
One thing that’s forgotten in the mists of time is the role that Paddy Hillery played in keeping the FF franchise alive in Clare. Dev was long gone to Blackrock for all practical purposes but Hillery took the baton from him. That was close to 30 years worth of dominance without needing the De Valera connection.
John said,
July 4, 2008 at 7:39 am
This is the same Madeline Taylor-Quinn that once mistook a Scrap Saturday sketch for a news broadcast ?
Should be fun in Clare…
Electron said,
July 4, 2008 at 9:02 am
John, she is certainly way, way ahead of the Tanaista Mary Coughlin – Mary’s knowledge of Europe is now legendary. We’re in for some hilarious times with her and the other two comedians Brian and Brian – Laurel and Hardy ” that’s another nice mess you got us into”. Could we have some heavy weights that knows something about something like Richard Bruton , Please!
The Crewser said,
July 4, 2008 at 4:52 pm
Heavyweights indeed. But first they will have to get a mandate to govern.
The Bruton name still sends shivers through the spines of the voting public.
John became famous for taxing childrens shoes Electron. I suppose youve forgotten that. Just as well I am here to remind you then isnt it.
Liam said,
July 4, 2008 at 5:34 pm
Crewser, If you are unable to move forward and embrace the future you should dry up. Living in the past is a total waste of time. Leave it the the historians and those who can analyse it without seeking to apply particular prejudices to satisfy some lustful desire. We have heard your meaningless analysis of history several times. Enough is enough.
JC Skinner said,
July 4, 2008 at 6:44 pm
This is a pure example of internal council politics at work.
Maddy and the local FF boys teamed up recently in opposition to the county manager and former Mayor over planning issues.
Here is her reward for assisting the soldiers of destiny on that score, I suspect.
The Crewser said,
July 4, 2008 at 7:13 pm
Liam, unfortunatelty the John Bruton era is much too recent to treat as ancient history and the same personalities who featured then in FG are still in situ. They have not enjoyed much electoral success though which speaks volumes for the paucity of ideas which have emanated from them. Meaningless my analysis may be to you Liam but obviously not to the people who matter, the electorate.
Electron said,
July 4, 2008 at 8:30 pm
Crewser, The Country was totally bankrupt back in ‘82 after FF under Lynch and Charley behaved with total abandon to secure power – as normal. Bruton was desperate to find money for the dole and to keep the civil service functioning in some fashion. I remember it well, I lost my job and had to go on the dole, with a mortgage to support – it wasn’t funny you arsehole! Your great leader Charley was living the life and we knew he was on the take, but typical Irish style, the press stayed quiet and nobody had the balls to take him on. Like all in FF, you have a selective memory – you’re only a bunch of gangsters in suits. Ireland will never be great until they turf you lot out.
The Crewser said,
July 4, 2008 at 9:50 pm
Typical sour grapes from Electron. Get your lot to develop some policies which will attract public support. Thats the only way to do it. It wont happen under Enda Kenny. Name calling such as what you’ve engaged in here just demonstrates your total lack of class any denigates any cause you might purport to represent. The people of Ireland are the only ones who have the right to decide whose policies are best for the Country.
Conor said,
July 5, 2008 at 12:47 am
Well said Crewser, the Irish people voted for party with the most attracitive policies. Remember…”Health Cuts Hurt the Old and the Sick”
The Crewser said,
July 5, 2008 at 9:48 am
Well at least FF did not make foolish commitments to re-open loss making rail lines in the West of Ireland as FG were doing in the run up to the May 2007 General Election. So much for good financial management from “the heavyweights”
Electron said,
July 5, 2008 at 11:16 am
Classy Fianna Fail – now there’s a real oxymoron. Its leader F’s in our parliament, no less – what a great example to our people and to the rest of the world.. Fianna Fail has cultivated ignorance into a type of art form and peddles it as a core value for common folk.
As for policies – the last election was won on the basis of a scam – fooling the common people into believing that all was well and that their futures were secure by deliberately pushing the property market into the red zone for two years – it’ll now take ten years to recover.
As for management – we won’t mention the HSE – we don’t want to contemplate what horror to expect if we were to fall ill – it’s best to not think about that one. Then there’s the infrastructure, delay after delay and over run after over run and Schools still in Dickensian condition.
The Irish people have had this weird capacity to celebrate failure, but it’s starting to change – the gombeen is now on death row!
Dan Sullivan said,
July 5, 2008 at 3:13 pm
Interesting to note that without VAT children’s shoes are in fact dearer than those for adults
http://archives.tcm.ie/irishexaminer/2003/07/17/story568961783.asp
Crewser, it is FF policy to reopen the western rail corridor too you know.
The Crewser said,
July 5, 2008 at 3:42 pm
How bitter and vexatious Electron. Typical of you. Still all your lot have to do is set out their stall yet again when the next General Election comes around. I would not put too much hard earned cash on them being any more successful than in 2007, particularly if Enda is still at the helm. And Dan I know all about the Western Rail corridor, it was turned into a political football by Michael Ring and Enda Kenny. But when it comes to deciding the must have’s and the nice to have’s it will not feature. No doubt Ring and Kenny will be trying to bat for it in Dail Eireann ahead of much more deserving needs. Anything for a few votes I suppose.
B said,
July 6, 2008 at 2:29 am
These “deserving needs” being Fianna Fail staying in power at all costs.
The Crewser said,
July 6, 2008 at 10:38 am
B, why dont you blame FF for the rain, the high oil prices in the world, the dollar weakness, Northern Rock, the international credit crunch. Wake up and smell the coffee.
B said,
July 6, 2008 at 10:54 am
I just think its unhealthy to be in power for so long. We need a change.
The Crewser said,
July 6, 2008 at 10:57 am
As I said before that is all in the hands of the opposition. Set your stall out, develop policies and present them to the electorate. Thats how its done.
B said,
July 6, 2008 at 11:41 am
Why bother when as soon as elected or as soon as the economic weather changes the policies are jettisoned.
B said,
July 6, 2008 at 11:49 am
Anyway. I am clocking off this “debate” because instead of anything real being discussed it descends into a vitriolic battle with the Crewser who insists on the final word on everything.
If one party has their way all the time with little oppostion the people suffer. God forbid I ever need a hospital. We have one dominant shower of bullshitters and an opposition that is almost completely ineffective.
The Crewser said,
July 6, 2008 at 12:16 pm
A good opposition is what keeps all Governments on their toes.
betty said,
July 6, 2008 at 2:26 pm
Crewser is winning again—–taking over what could be an interesting dicussion with his rabble rubbish. As well as Mary Coughlin’s ignorance of Europe, she failed as minister for Agriculture—she should have known about the IFA’s reservation re the WTO and dealt with it before it became an issue in the Lisbon referendum—but she is a woman ,has lost 2 stone , has a personal trainer , a new hair style ,and a good command of the native tongue so she is appointed tanaiste–never mind the quality ,feel the width—-we will deal with everything next tuesday as she repeated like a programmed robot on morning ireland.
B said,
July 6, 2008 at 3:22 pm
I for one have no interest in continuing this or any other debate here.
Darren Prior said,
July 6, 2008 at 4:17 pm
There is a huge cultural dichotomy between FG and FF. FG have to end the view that a lot of people have that they are just FF-lite.
There are loads of positives in FG’s favour. But they need a new leader.
The Crewser said,
July 6, 2008 at 7:22 pm
Betty you are takling about one of the most able and accomplished politicians in Dail Eireann. Im not surprised to find an outbreak of begrudgery in respect of her. Its par for the course.
Electron said,
July 6, 2008 at 7:48 pm
Crewser, Mary Coughlin, able and accomplished !!!! – did our super efficient HSE perform a lobotomy on you by mistake or purpose?
The Crewser said,
July 6, 2008 at 8:04 pm
Typical Electron, vexatious, snide and nasty but those of independent mind know what the story is. That would definitely exclude you.
B said,
July 6, 2008 at 9:11 pm
Electron, I think we need to step away from the tar baby.