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Carved pumpkins depicting the presidential candidates at Fallon and Byrne in Dublin. Leah Farrell/RollingNews.ie

Player ratings: How did the presidential candidates fare in the Pat Kenny debate?

All six presidential candidates took part tonight. How did they get on?

WITH JUST OVER a week to go to the presidential election, all six candidates squared off for the first time under the TV lights this evening. 

Michael D Higgins and Sean Gallagher – both of whom sat out Monday’s RTÉ debate – joined Peter Casey, Gavin Duffy, Joan Freeman and Liadh Ní Riada in the Virgin Media One studios at Ballymount for a debate helmed by Pat Kenny. 

With the incumbent so far ahead in the polls, one of the challengers needs to pull off a major shock in the next nine days to turn the campaign into something resembling a close-run contest. 

Did any of them surprise you tonight? Who handled the pressure best? 

You can rate the candidates out of ten below. Just click ‘rate now’ to compare your take with readers’ average rating.

Peter Casey

5

Gavin Duffy

5

Joan Freeman

5

Sean Gallagher

5

Michael D Higgins

5

Liadh Ní Riada

5

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121 Comments
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    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Lad
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    Mar 9th 2015, 4:49 PM

    The foods bland and its expensive, not a winning formula.

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    Mute Norman Hunter
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    Mar 9th 2015, 4:50 PM

    It’s also incredibly unhealthy.

    454
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    Mute Neal Ireland Hello
    Favourite Neal Ireland Hello
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    Mar 9th 2015, 4:51 PM

    Not only that, it tastes delicious.

    319
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    Mute Pat Snack
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    Mar 9th 2015, 4:51 PM

    If going down the fast food route then I’d definitely do one of those Italian choppers -Borza, Macaris etc. Failing that I’d have Burger King before McD’s!

    242
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    Mute Neal Ireland Hello
    Favourite Neal Ireland Hello
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    Mar 9th 2015, 4:55 PM

    People who like to go on and on about not owning a television also don’t go to these places.

    111
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    Mute Boganity
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    Mar 9th 2015, 8:58 PM

    I stopping going to MacDonald’s several years ago even though I like their food. I just got tired of how they treat the communities they operate in, bullying their way through local planning laws, suing anyone who stands up to them, marketing directly to schools and kids sporting clubs.

    81
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    Mute Shaun Cooney
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    Mar 9th 2015, 4:50 PM

    ‘modern, progressive burger company’

    Yep

    253
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    Mute Proinsias O Foghlù
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    Mar 9th 2015, 4:51 PM

    I think all chain food is crap: McDonalds, Burger King, KFC, Supermacs and Costa Coffee etc.

    186
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    Mute andrew
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    Mar 9th 2015, 4:58 PM

    Costa and Starbucks have the worst coffee. Complete muck.

    193
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    Mute Ciaran De Bhal
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    Mar 9th 2015, 5:04 PM

    Uh huh. Costa coffee is bitter shite. Starbucks a grade or two better.

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    Mute Pat Snack
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    Mar 9th 2015, 5:16 PM

    Hold on, you’re telling me that Starbucks sell coffee now?

    90
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    Mute Cian O Donoghue
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    Mar 9th 2015, 6:47 PM

    Insomnia is decent though…

    35
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    Mute Barney r
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    Mar 9th 2015, 7:16 PM

    How can anyone even taste coffee with the amount of sugar, milk and general muck added to it?

    19
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    Mute Thomas Maher
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    Mar 9th 2015, 7:24 PM

    McDonalds do great coffe

    84
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    Mute Mary Kavanagh
    Favourite Mary Kavanagh
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    Mar 9th 2015, 9:50 PM

    Now, I think it’s the other way round! Costa at least have nice cups and good cakes. Chacun à son goût!

    5
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    Mute Mary Kavanagh
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    Mar 9th 2015, 9:51 PM

    They do, Thomas and it’s cheap as chips!

    7
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    Mute Gaeltán
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    Mar 10th 2015, 1:34 AM

    Mac Cac. Chomh blasta le himeall mo thóna!

    4
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    Mute Brian Ó Dálaigh
    Favourite Brian Ó Dálaigh
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    Mar 9th 2015, 5:10 PM

    I honestly don’t get why people eat in McDonalds! The food doesn’t fill you. You’d nearly need to eat the entire menu to feel full after it. Everything on the menu tastes like syrup dipped in vinegar (except the drinks which just taste like syrup). And it has no nutritional value. I get that people like to get the odd bit of fast food (and I do like a good Italian chipper), but why go for something that tastes disgusting, offers no nutritional value and leaves you starving 15 minutes later?

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    Mute Pat Snack
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    Mar 9th 2015, 5:17 PM

    They give you a toy with the Happy Meal :)

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    Mute Brian Ó Dálaigh
    Favourite Brian Ó Dálaigh
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    Mar 9th 2015, 5:20 PM

    It’s that long since I ate in a McDonalds that I had entirely forgotten about Happy Meals. Still, that’s hardly an incentive for me! Oh this talk of food is making me hungry! I think I’ll have a nice half-pounder with cheese, chips, onion rings and a battered sausage tonight! :)

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    Mute Dan The Man
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    Mar 9th 2015, 4:53 PM

    Ronald will qualify for job seekers allowance so no sweat

    165
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    Mute Joe Sullivan
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    Mar 9th 2015, 4:50 PM

    You put one scabby gherkin in your budgets, what do you expect? Never mind the chips that never go off and the nuggets made of slime and ammonia. And what happened to the turd burglar? Did he die? Oh wait, that was burger king.

    123
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    Mute Jason Bourne
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    Mar 9th 2015, 6:32 PM

    ‘Our’ Supermacs are mad expensive and portuons are scabby aswell. My local chipper does a fresh fillet chicken burger, with all the dressing, large chips (that would feed two people) and two cans of coke etc for 7.20 euro.

    Supermacs the other night My order was one Chicken Breast Sandwich Meal and one small chips (both portions were tiny) and it came to 10 euro 40 cent!!!

    Im not a big fast food eater but appreciate the price difference.

    104
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    Mute Stephen Eamonn D
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    Mar 9th 2015, 5:14 PM

    Not sure how it is in Ireland now but in Germany at least Burger King here has veggie options and other alternatives to the traditional “burger and fries” fast food menu. I had McDonalds a few weeks ago for the first time in years and it was so bland. I’d much rather spend another euro or two and get a healthy, filling meal somewhere else.

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    Mute Maggie
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    Mar 9th 2015, 6:13 PM

    As a kid Coming from the country always Thoght it was suppose like a magical place. first time i went was in.Dublin when i was 16. Your local chipper is much more fulfilling

    78
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    Mute Ciaran De Bhal
    Favourite Ciaran De Bhal
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    Mar 9th 2015, 5:03 PM

    A prerequisite for any restaurant should be that they serve food. McDonalds doesn’t qualify. I’d take my chances with a 20 a day habit sooner.

    57
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    Mute Powerful Sayings
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    Mar 9th 2015, 4:51 PM

    Janey Mac that’s bad.

    56
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    Mute Super Hanz
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    Mar 9th 2015, 5:38 PM

    It’s muck and it treats its staff the same way so good luck to it.

    52
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    Mute Shane Mac An TSionnaigh
    Favourite Shane Mac An TSionnaigh
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    Mar 9th 2015, 7:15 PM

    I’d rather eat the packaging the food comes in

    28
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    Mute The Viking
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    Mar 9th 2015, 4:56 PM

    MacDonalds can be a handy quick bite to eat. The thing that gets me with them the last 10 yrs or so is that when you place your order they wait for the money rather than go get it while you sort it. This leads to longer cue’s .

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    Mute Norman Hunter
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    Mar 9th 2015, 5:05 PM

    If you’re going to eat that crap, here’s a suggestion have the right amount in your hand.
    I hear they put the prices on their menu display ‘ s.

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    Mute sean malone
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    Mar 9th 2015, 6:59 PM

    Give me super macs any day

    22
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    Mute Con Knightengale
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    Mar 9th 2015, 10:02 PM

    Lose the clown,. He sure is scary, more suited to a Stephen King novel.

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    Mute Trevor Weafer
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    Mar 9th 2015, 9:48 PM

    I love the irony in their sponsorship of the Olympics.

    17
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    Mute Roxy
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    Mar 9th 2015, 10:36 PM

    I eat it every now & then as a teenager, if I was out shopping with friends stopped when I Sussed mcds= headache. Total muck.

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    Mute John J Rambo
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    Mar 9th 2015, 5:08 PM

    Cannot understand how i get thumbs down while something as ridiculous as a hambuglar gets a thumbs up…..

    6
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    Mute China Photo Daily
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    Mar 10th 2015, 11:56 AM

    Shanghai Husi are OSI, an American company who supply McDonalds worldwide. They are one of many Western companies who think they can act like complete cowboys in Asia to cut corners and maximize profit.

    4
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    Mute Robbie Farquharson
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    Mar 9th 2015, 11:25 PM

    Well they would definitely have more of my business if the Big Tasty was always on the menu. Mmmmm :)

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    Mute Terry O'Dowd
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    Mar 18th 2015, 12:14 AM

    There are absolutely no stereotypical Irish comments at all here.
    Not one person is begrudging the success of anyone else.

    1
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    Mute Philip Murphy
    Favourite Philip Murphy
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    Mar 9th 2015, 5:00 PM

    This is a good news story, even for a fast food joint the whole place mings something awful

    1
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