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Rollingnews

'Michael D is a formidable president': Adams says Sinn Féin was never going to win Áras election

Adams says that Sinn Féin did not engage with its voters.

FORMER LEADER OF Sinn Féin Gerry Adams has said he believes the party “called it wrong” during the presidential election campaign by not engaging with its voters. 

Speaking on RTÉ Radio One this morning, Adams said that Liadh Ní Riada was a “formidable candidate” but that the party was “never going to win”. 

“I think we called it wrong in that we didn’t engage our own people.”

Ní Riada came in third place during October’s presidential campaign receiving 6.4% of the vote, while Michael D Higgins won a second presidential term with 55.8%. 

Sinn Féín party leader Mary Lou McDonald has previously said she did not regret running Ni Riada in the race but was disappointed that the party did not poll more strongly. 

Adams believes that the party’s poor performance at the polls was due to a lack of engagement. 

What was interesting was the exit poll said up to 18 or 19% of those who had voted for Michael D would vote for Sinn Féinn in another election.  So we called it wrong in that we didn’t engage our own vote.

When asked by Ryan Tubridy what he would have done to engage voters, Adams said he didn’t know exactly but knows the issue was that people did not see it as a regular presidential election.  

“We didn’t get people engaged because they didn’t see it as an election which would deal with housing, homelessness, health services, with any of those issues. 

“And just to be fair, Michael D is a formidable president. We were never going to win,” Adams said. 

He continued that while Higgins was a strong candidate he believes that votes lost during the election will come back to Sinn Féin.

The Louth TD told Tubridy that he was “not in the least” bit interested in running himself during the election adding he has been honoured to be in public office for “longer than I like to recall”.

Adams stepped down as leader of Sinn Féin earlier this year and said this morning that once the Taoiseach calls an election that’s him done. 

Sinn é. 

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    Mute tmwtbc
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    Jul 10th 2015, 5:01 PM

    I honestly thought that was Graham Dwyer in the lead photo.

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    Mute James Mc Loughlin
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    Jul 10th 2015, 9:28 PM

    this bridge was up graded and now some fool wants to remove it .can you picture the traffic back up with children trying to cross the road.in the first place the road is too wide and would need an island in the middle of this all ready conjested road.leave it alone and keep death off the road.the dublin city counciller who thought up this mad idea should jack in the job

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    Mute Beachmaster
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    Jul 10th 2015, 4:40 PM

    I’d advise people to be very careful about what you comment about this article….wouldn’t want it to be used as an example of how politicians are being given a hard time online.

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    Mute Ray Farrelly
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    Jul 10th 2015, 4:45 PM

    He will looking for a job after the next election.

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    Mute Pharmyco
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    Jul 10th 2015, 4:45 PM

    A hard time? I’m sure the minister can stand up for himself

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    Mute Donal O'Brien
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    Jul 10th 2015, 6:37 PM

    His teaching job will be there waiting for him.

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    Mute Ray Farrelly
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    Jul 10th 2015, 6:44 PM

    I wonder will he be welcome back in the north wall.

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    Mute Éamonn Mac Eochaidh
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    Jul 10th 2015, 4:48 PM

    What next – somebody using Fidelma Healy Eames or Lorraine Higgins’ photos to attract a man on Tinder, or worse?

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    Mute Colin Webber
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    Jul 10th 2015, 6:32 PM

    I think Fidelma Healy Eames is incredibly attractive. Seriously. She’s a very good looking woman.

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    Mute Miriam Kane
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    Jul 10th 2015, 4:48 PM

    Ha ha ha I wonder did he get any takers

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    Mute Conor Power
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    Jul 10th 2015, 4:53 PM

    Who could forget the time hackers attacked Fianna Fail TD Micheal McGrath. They hacked his Facebook page so they could ‘like ‘Milf of the Day’. Those ‘hackers’ eh??

    http://www.dailyedge.ie/michael-mcgrath-milf-facebook-hack-1180951-Nov2013/

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    Mute steve white
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    Jul 10th 2015, 9:20 PM

    because if he was really using Tinder he’d use a Irish Times file photo?

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    Mute Vicko Aguilar
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    Jul 10th 2015, 5:33 PM

    And everyone has to believe the profile is not his!! Lol

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    Mute laura b
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    Jul 10th 2015, 6:48 PM

    Wasted my vote on this clown ..I feel like a right mug

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    Mute Del Bionic
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    Jul 11th 2015, 3:14 AM

    Seems to be the only member of Labour talking sense these days, so why the wasted vote?

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    Mute laura b
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    Jul 11th 2015, 3:34 PM

    Is that you Aodhain ?

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    Mute Rashers Tierney
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    Jul 10th 2015, 5:50 PM

    “The Master is unmarried, and is likely to remain so “.

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    Mute Marc Power
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    Jul 10th 2015, 5:24 PM

    so what, ?…He’s an adult

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    Mute Ignoreland
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    Jul 10th 2015, 7:24 PM

    Polling the electorate…

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