Election Rumblings

With growing public unease at the water charges Taoiseach Enda Kenny has revealed that his Fine Gael party is divided on the question of an immediate general election.

The Coalition government has stuttered and stumbled through the water charge fiasco, with the latest Red C opinion poll putting Fine Gael considerably behind the Independents and level with Sinn Fein.

Despite sustaining widespread criticism over allegations of covering up for sexual abuse Sinn Fein has steadily increased its stock in opinion polls.

25th April 1976..Sinn Fein held an Easter Rising Commemorative parade..The parade started at St Stephens Green, Dublin and proceeded through the streets to the GPO in O'Connell Street, the scene of the centre of the 1916 uprising

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Sinn Fein Tapping into Water Discontent

Despite being enveloped by the Mairia Cahill abuse scandal, Sinn Fein has emerged as the most popular party in Ireland according to recent opinion polls.

Popular anger at government proposals to introduce water charges has fed into large scale street protests across the country.

Sinn Fein leaders Gerry Adams and Mary Lou McDonald have stated that they no longer intend to pay their water charges.



18th February 1978.

Peace People protest march to the headquarters of Provisional Sinn Fein at Kevin Street in Dublin.

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Election 2014: Team Sinn Fein

Sinn Fein has been credited as the party to have made the biggest impact on the European and local government elections. In each of the three European constituencies as well as in the North the Party saw its candidates elected to the European parliament.

Today there has been speculation that the strength of the Sinn Fein vote could allow it to become a junior partner in a future coalition government with Fianna Fail.

Sinn Fein Ard feis at the Mansion
House, Dawson Street, 7th October 1976..

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Budget Fall Out

Last week's budget has seen the coalition government come in for a lot criticism, particularly in the area of health where cuts were considered particularly stringent.

One national newspaper reported that government ministers were 'fightling like cat and dog' in the wake of the budget with Health Minister James Reilly being particularly isolated.

Meanwhile, Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams called on Taoiseach Enda Kenny to resign.

Finance Minister Ray McSharry on Budget Day 1988

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Seanad Retained

Ireland, or the largest part of it, has voted by referendum to retain the Seanad. It was a crushing blow to the governing coalition of Fine Gael and Labour which had campaigned for abolition. The main opposition party Fianna Fail which campaigned to retain the institution has emerged as the real victor. The junior opposition party, Sinn Fein, sided with the governing parties on the issue.

The government is now on the horns of a dilemma, seeking as it must to reform and keep in existence a Senead it believed had no function.

11 October 1983. For Irish senators enjoy a rare autumnal sun 

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Ruairí Ó Brádaigh Dies

Ruairí Ó Brádaigh, a president of Sinn Fein fro 1970 to 1983, and who also served on the Provisional IRA's army council over the same period, has died aged 80 after a long illness.

Born into a republican family his entire life was steeped in the republican tradition. His was relentless in his dedication to the cause of Irish republicanism and was also unwavering in his support of the physical force dimension of that tradition. His lack of equivocation on this matter led to him being effectively marginalised in media discourse for much of his life.

A biography of O'Bradaigh was written by US professor Robert White. Mr O'Bradaigh will be buried tomorrow in St Colman's Cemetery, Roscommon.

Ruairí Ó Brádaigh speaking at the Sinn Fein Ard Fheis in dublin October, 1976.