SF leaflet came through Lucan doors this week inviting people to attend a public meeting on Building Irish Unity on Thursday evening.
Meeting will include the following speakers: Mary Lou McDonald, Aengus O Snodaigh, Shane O'Connor and Feilim MacCríosta.
Two questions:
1. Is this SF's belated attempt to raise their profile in the Lucan part of the DMW constituency and is a meeting on Irish Unity the best way to do it?
2. Which of the speakers will be the SF candidate at the next Dáil election?
Can't see the good burghers of Lucan giving a toss about this, to be honest.
"Elite - a small superior group; esp one that has a power out of proportion to its size." (Oxford English Dictionary)
The majority cannot therefore be the elite.
Well it depends which part of Lucan you're talking about. If it's a Mid-West meeting, it takes in parts of Clondalkin where SF do have some support. Similarly, if you look at Lucan itself, a large part of it (the big estates on the south side of the N4) constitute a possible base of support for SF if properly cultivated. I still don't think there's enough support there to win a seat in the constituency though.Originally Posted by hiding behind a poster
I'm half thinking of going to the meeting out of curiosity. I probably won't bother in the end though, unless there's punch and pie.
Is there going to be punch and pie?
Failed liberal traitors:
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I went to the meeting last night, and it must have been quite disappointing for the organisers. In addition, to the four speakers, there were 31 people present and 1 photographer from a local newspaper. Of the 31 people there, barely ten were non-SF party members and local people from Lucan (and that's a generous count), and that included myself and at least three others who were clearly non-SF supporting. Most of the people present were SF party members from Clondalkin and wider Dublin.
The meeting was ostensibly called to 'build Irish unity', but Cllr O'Connor also stated at the outset that its other purpose was to set up a SF cumann in Lucan. Given that there was maybe five or six people from Lucan as possible recruits, I can't see them creating much of a threat to established parties (and independents) in Lucan.
In summary, a lot of effort for little gain. When contrasted with the numbers attending recent public meetings held by the PD's, FG and the Lucan Independent it is clear that SF are pretty much in the ha'penny place on this side of town.
What meetings are these?
Can you give us details of what they are about and how many attended?
There were two meetings held before the Summer by the PD's and FG in Dublin Mid West. Both meetings were about Crime and Justice and attendance was about 200 at each.
In addition, the Independent councillor in Lucan has held a rolling series of meetings across Lucan (five I believe) at which he had the Gardaí and local residents re. anti-social behaviour. These meetings attracted attendances of between a dozen to over 40 - most of whom were local residents and not associated with his political campaign.
Well it depends which part of Lucan you're talking about. If it's a Mid-West meeting, it takes in parts of Clondalkin where SF do have some support. Similarly, if you look at Lucan itself, a large part of it (the big estates on the south side of the N4) constitute a possible base of support for SF if properly cultivated. I still don't think there's enough support there to win a seat in the constituency though.
Well seeing as the initial post said that the leaflet came through the letterboxes of "Lucan", I'd be referring to the Lucan part of Lucan. But on your substantive point, I know the estates you refer to quite well - and they're full of young families, who have far more pressing issues on their minds (transport, infrastructure, childcare, schools, etc) than Irish unity. (Especially if someone pointed out the economic cost of same to them)
"Elite - a small superior group; esp one that has a power out of proportion to its size." (Oxford English Dictionary)
The majority cannot therefore be the elite.
I think this is the essence of SF's problem in DMW. Their support and activity is limited to the more marginalised, working class parts of the constituency - specifically North Clondalkin and Quarryvale. They lack any significant appeal to the fastest growing part of the constituency in Lucan, or indeed to people in Clondalkin Village. The lack of public support for their public meeting illustrates that.I know the estates you refer to quite well - and they're full of young families, who have far more pressing issues on their minds (transport, infrastructure, childcare, schools, etc) than Irish unity.
When you look at the campaigns being run by the established parties, in Lucan in particular, they are all focussed on bread-and-butter issues. This does not mean that the national question is unimportant, nor that local people do not have strong views on it. What it does mean is that Lucan people do not vote on the national question. Until SF get that simple point in DMW they are looking at an unsuccesful run-out for Shane O'Connor at the next General Election.
So thats why she has such a model attendance record at the European Parliament
"Nixon is PRO-WAR and PRO-FAMILY" - Nixion's head (Futurama)
[quote][quote="setanta
What it does mean is that Lucan people do not vote on the national question. [/quote]
'Twas ever thus, and ever thus will be - almost no-one votes on the National question.
"Elite - a small superior group; esp one that has a power out of proportion to its size." (Oxford English Dictionary)
The majority cannot therefore be the elite.
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