@Shaun Gallagher: we need a new departure on both sides of the border. SDLP/Alliance coalition in NI and a new Centre/Left party(s) in the South. New thinking is needed. Civil War politics and politics of conflict is dead.

@Chris Mc: cheerleaders for terrorists it’s not 1980, you might want to keep up with the times

@Shaun Gallagher: Says the man with Michael Collins as his avatar.

@Owen O’Murchú: they haven’t gone away you know

@Eoin Roche: And? FG and FG weren’t formed to nearly a decade after Collins was killed

@Declan Moran: the DUP and their opposite number SF need to be off the stage before we make progress of any kind in NI, not to mention any talk of unity. It will take a decade without sectarian politics before unionists can start to be convinced of any merit in a united Ireland.
It’s encouraging to see some of the sectarian parties losing ground, but SF voters seems to still be mostly sticking with the politics of hatred.

@Shaun Gallagher: probably the last thing we need, leaving a clear run for sectarian terrorist cheerleaders, but they need to amalgamate, there’s nothing between their policies.

@Chris Mc: We’ll vote for whom we believe will work hardest for a united Ireland, no matter what the likes of you opine about them. Michelle O’Neill and Mary-Lou McDonald are not cheerleaders for ‘terrorists’ as you so erroneously call the IRA. Neither of them was ever in the IRA and the IRA no longer exists because of Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness. Time for someone to knock you down off your moralising, judgemental parapet and put a bit of fact into your head. Both states currently on this island were born from what you would call ‘terrorism’ and bloodshed. Don’t try to pretend they weren’t. You’d still be brown nosing the British if it hadn’t been for brave Irishmen and women taking up arms for freedom. Or would you rather still be doing that, anyhow? We need more proud, brave Irish citizens and fewer moralising judgementalists without courage or conviction.

@John Mulligan: It certainly suited FF/FG to keep their civil war differences alive for decades. The only reason they entered government together was to preserve the status quo. You are very selective when you point the finger at Sinn Fein and yet ignore the DUP. A memory loss on par with Michael Martin on your part. Let’s see how the election results pan out.. No doubt if S.F. becomes the largest party you will question the democracy of the election.

@John Mulligan: What would you know about life for Irish people in the north? The sectarianism emanates primarily from the Planters – study their history here since the Elizabethan plantations and you’ll see exactly what type of people they are. Sinn Féin voters vote for Sinn Féin because we, like they, desire Irish reunification and freedom from British rule, just like we helped you get in 1922. We do not vote Sinn Féin because we hate unionists. We may hate unionISM, but not the unionISTS. We are not terrorists or cheerleaders for terrorists, we are law abiding Irish people, who work and pay tax, just like the rest of our people in the south. We won’t allow gombeens the like of you to disparage us either! And when Ireland is reunited, we northerners are going to change Irish politics out of all recognition. No more obeisance to the Catholic, or any other church, and a state that works for ALL its citizens, not just the rich ones. No more FFFG being bought off by big business, builders and developers, etc. And an end to the corruption which permeates every level of government under FFFG. A government afraid of its people and a people with no fear of the hallions we elect to serve in each electoral cycle! Certainly not the sheeple the Catholic church and FFFG made out of Irish people since 1922!

@Shaun Gallagher: Do FF and FG live rent free in your head.

@Shaun Gallagher: Maths isn’t your strong point.

@Antaine O’Labhradha: regardless of the motives of SF politicians, their brand — polluted as it is by decades of murder and criminality — is an impediment to unity. If they want to move Ireland towards unity, they will have to fold their tent and slip away, leaving the moderate parties to represent the nationalist side. That’s just a reality; unionists and moderate nationalists don’t share the simplistic SF vision of a united Ireland that Adams and company seek.
If we had a border poll now, which they seem to think of as a good idea, it is quite likely to deliver only around 20% in favour, and kicking that can down the road for 15 to 20 years.

@Antaine O’Labhradha: crxp

@John Mulligan: Again you propagate only one side of the conflict. Murder and Criminality should be accredited to successive British and Irish governments who buried their heads in the sand concerning the apartheid state that existed in the six counties. It would certainly explain the revisionists comments you post.

@Chris Mc: I think you mistyped. SDLP have never advocated violence.

@Maurice O Neill: hmm interesting maybe the opinion polls show SF on top because unionists who always voted DUP are now voting SF because of their pro choice stance. Maybe their not all dinosaurs after all.

@Maurice O Neill: Isn’t it nice to see people in the North engaged in non-tribal voting?

@Pat Casey: President Trump . Never supported Le Pen. We do have freedom of speech and expression so nothing wrong with it

@Pat Casey: he also has had a love in with arlene Foster. He is obsessed with women’s reproduction

@Maurice O Neill: Freedom of speech does not mean that you can say anything you want, responsibilities come with that, like not telling women what or what not they can do with their bodies.

@Maurice O Neill: your right to freedom of speech does not mean you are the voice of a woman’s unborn. She is that voice.

@Ian O’Donovan: I rest my case

@Pat Casey: Pro Life and proud of it

@Brian Madden: Get a grip will you.

@Pat Casey: And what have I said that is so wrong and not responsible.

@Maurice O Neill: Nationalists now have Aontú, which will help with Irish Unity

@Maurice O Neill: Maurice by your argument the DUP will also lose votes by people not being pro choice. Anyway we had a vote on abortion in ireland and the people spoke. Just like the people spoke in voting out trump.

@John Comerford: The people never spoke to put Trump in! That happened due to the vagaries of the Electoral College system.

@Maurice O Neill: and by that same logic sinn fein would get votes from pro-choice unionists no?

Not to mention that there are also pro life republicans that the pro-lifers can vote for.

And also, lol at pro-lifers acting like the pro life vote is the decisive factor in an election. They are the minority and need to learn to accept that democracy happened and by a wide margin we chose a woman’s right to choose.

@Maurice O Neill: Would the pro life nationalists not vote for the pro life nationalist party.

@Maurice O Neill: it’s pro birth. Nothing to do with pro life.

@Mickey Finn: not enough of it, but it’s an encouraging start.

@Maurice O Neill: most at the door have said they won’t give a first preference but they would likely give a second/third. Usual older troubled voters.

@Paul Furey: it’s anti choice and anti woman.

@O’Brien Michael: actually 1st & 2nd ministers are of of equal standing in the North

@Sheila McNulty: Yes, but not psychologically.

@Fr. Fintan Stack: both have the same powers