Commonwealth Games

at


Saturday/Sunday

Scenes from the Fine Gael National Spring Conference where delegates, including EU Commission Presidential candidate Manfred Weber (pic 8 centre) and Minister for Health Simon Harris with daughter Saoirse (above), heard a suggestion from DUP MP Jeffrey Donaldson that Ireland should rejoin the Commonwealth.

FIGHT, etc.

Fine Gael audience applauds as DUP’s Donaldson says Ireland should join the Commonwealth (Independent.ie)

Sam Boal/Rollingnews

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50 thoughts on “Commonwealth Games

  1. Nullzero

    What Donaldson meant to say was that he hates Irish people and considers himself and his Unionist pals to be superior in every possible way to all Irish people.

    1. SOQ

      I suppose Mr Donaldson forgot to mention his home town of Kilkeel where the Irish park only on the left side of side off the street nor that his party vehemently opposes the subject of the two most recent referendum, both overwhelmingly won in ROI.

      No doubt the speech was pepper with the word ‘democracy’, as all good brexiters have a habit of doing, when they actually mean the exact opposite.

    1. eoin

      Does Simon Harris bring his newborn with him everywhere he goes just to show that he has in fact reached puberty?

          1. Ian-O

            So essentially you are saying he is not in fact a member of the undead, he doesn’t need to drink the blood of innocents and the above is highly insulting because….he isn’t a supernatural drinker of blood?

            Good Lord!

            Ends well though as I no longer have to go through my plan to douse Simon in thrice blessed holy water at his gaff next Thursday. I can now get that pedicure I promised myself, yay!!!!

      1. Catherine costelloe

        As Minister of Health he should know better exposing her to FG diarrhoea and bugs.

      2. Spaghetti Hoop

        I find it odd that Harris was on the airwaves demanding privacy for his wife and young daughter after the protesters turned up at his home – yet is quite happy to parade the baby for the public and press.

  2. Andrew

    Joining the Commonwealth would be a good idea. If people hope to see a United Ireland (I’m not too bothered myself) then there are a million or so Unionists that will have to be accommodated/placated in some way. Joining the Commonwealth would go a long way to achieving that.
    I don’t see any downsides to joining it.

    1. Rob_G

      I think its kind of warped – it’s like a network of abuse survivors, but the group facilitator is the creepy uncle…

  3. Listrade

    ….and 24 hours later Leo comes out attacking SF, which helps bury this particular story. (눈_눈)

  4. Rob_G

    Mary Lou McDonald has also previously made positive noises about Ireland joining the commonwealth in the event of unification; I don’t think that a polite response to a comment at a conference (it’s not like they passed motion or anything) is a story that requires much burying.

      1. Johnny

        Lots people fully support Finn Gael getting the opportunity to put forward its argument,they should be given every platform available to articulate to the Irish people all the benefits of participating.The more they talk/discuss the Commonwealth and invite Unionists to run in seats where they can’t field their own candidates,the better.

        1. George

          You want Fine Gael to invite Unionists to run in Ireland? What Irish constituency do you image it would be easier to find a Unionist candidate than an FG candidate?

        2. Rob_G

          Very magnaminous of you Johnny; it wouldn’t be my cup of tea, but good that people so inclined will be able to vote on it. Perhaps SF will also run a few more candidates amenable to joining the Commonwealth; its good that these two parties are providing that option.

          1. johnny

            Yes its great that SF can run its own candidates,bit sad that FG can’t and all the internal fighting is very unbecoming.
            But given how shabbily Coveney has treated Noel Rock,has he apologized yet, perhaps more daughters of leading Orange Order members like Heather Humphreys will join and run for FG,on a platform of joining the Commonwealth.
            Its embarrassing how FG has treated Noel,one could be forgiven for thinking that there is an element of snobbery involved.
            I don’t find his accent that grating, his lack of style,class and grace but clearly it rattles the Royal Agricultural College educated blue blood Coveney,why else would he slap Noel so hard over the FAI debacle-he’s not the party whip or leader….

            https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/politics/rock-and-coveney-in-war-of-words-over-fai-boss-john-delaneys-100000-bridging-loan-37942546.html

          2. Rob_G

            Perhaps it will get so bad that Noel will resign – a bit like the third of SF councillors who have resigned amidst of allegations of bullying within the party…

          3. johnny

            Noel resign-he doesn’t have the class to take the high road-he hasn’t a chance at the next election-dead TD walking-its why FG treat him like a drunken party crasher, wearing the wrong clothing,speaking with the wrong accent-I’m embarrassed for him how the snobs in FG treat poor oul salt the earth Noel….

          4. ReproBertie

            Who’s going to take his seat Johnny? It was a close fight between Noel and McAuliffe (FF) for the last seat last time out. Do you think Paul has done enough to pip him next time out? Why do you expect the people of Dublin North West to swing towards FF and, even if they do, do you think Róisín Shortall’s seat is safe from FF and FG?

          5. Rob_G

            Indeed – it is a pity that he does not have the ‘class’ of those 37 SF councillors who have ‘taken the high road’, for sure.

          6. johnny

            It’s a 3 seater I’d expect Shortall/Ellis hold their seats,Rock was elected on the 9th count based on transfers-McAuliffe is a possibility as is SF taking another seat from what was once a FF stronghold.
            He looks like FEMA dressed him-who would not vote for a grown man who likes wear and get pictured in glow in the dark t shirts and shorts…

            “A TD has lost three stone in just under two years, proving he can run for a lot more than election.
            Dublin North-West representative Noel Rock shed the excess weight with spinning classes after his waistline began to have an effect on both his personal and professional life.
            The 30-year-old said: “I put on two stone very fast. The manifestation of that is how you look in print and on TV and there is nowhere to hide the gain when you wear a suit every day.
            People don’t want to see an obese or overweight politician.”

            https://www.irishmirror.ie/news/irish-news/noel-rock-dail-eireann-finegaeltd-12585918

            Rob regarding bullying the treatment of poor oul Noel,who’s struggled with obesity and some funky skin thing is awful, its dreadful what FG have put him through:)

    1. Andrew

      Correct Rob, as did Charlie Haughey previously. People need to be a bit more mature about this. If joining the Commonwealth can assuage some Unionist concerns, then so be it. A bit of realism is required if a United Ireland is what people want

      1. ReproBertie

        What Unionist concerns would be assuaged by our Republic joining an organisation led by the hereditary head of the British state?

        If we joined the Commonwealth would the DUP accept the Irish language act, the right to abortion and same sex marriage?

  5. Liam

    I could live with a new flag, I could live with the Twalfth being a public holiday (who wouldn’t want an extra day off in July?), I could certainly live without Amhrain na Bhiain.

    But rejoining the Commonwealth? Come on – it is just irredeemably pointless and naff. No deal, Donaldson.

  6. eoin

    It wasn’t just the DUP’s Jeffrey Donaldson attending the FG gathering, the SDLP’s Claire Hanna was there too. She is probably the SDLP’s ablest representative, she’s one of the North’s 90 MLAs , representing south Belfast. She resigned her SDLP position as Brexit spokesperson in protest at the tie-up with FF, but she remains an ordinary member of the SDLP (for now). There is a lot of unease in the SDLP at the FF tie-up and the haste with which it was confirmed. Could Claire Hanna be the second senior SDLPer, after Mark Durkan, to jump ship into the arms of FG?

    1. eoin

      Poor Derek Mooney, did he hear what Leo had to say about his beloved FF? “Fianna Fáil is a party with no ideas, no policies, no alternatives. I’m sorry Micheál, but hurling from the ditch isn’t a policy, conspiracy theories don’t constitute analysis, and finger wagging isn’t a solution” Another kick in the baawwwws for the soldiers of destiny, or at least a kick in that part of the anatomy where political eunuchs would once have had baawwwws.

      1. V for Frilly

        He’ll be spoilt for choice this week

        Hurling Dancing TreXit
        The Commwealth of Donaldson and Marylou

        But there’ll not be a word about Billy the bould Kelliher stitching it back inta Meehall

  7. Jake38

    I’d only agree to joining the commonwealth if we were guaranteed we’d never have to join with the psychos in NornIrn or pay their dole with our taxes (£10 billion annually, BTW.).

  8. Ian-O

    No matter how happy clappy things might get, people should never forget who exactly the DUP were and still are.

    They are not reasonable people by any measure and I personally would prefer not to have to share a jurisdiction with them with them acting as they do.

  9. DaithiG

    Surprised Bono and Bob Geldof weren’t there cheering him on waving miniature Union Jacks.

    FG have gone full Tory.

  10. Dub Spot

    Outstanding example of multicultural Ireland in those pics. Stale, Pale, Decline to State.

    God, this is worse than Brexit.

  11. Truth in the News

    What about setting up a replacement for the so called Common Wealth but excluding
    the English and the establishing a programme of reparations for all the land and
    wealth the English stole ……..it would soon give a new meaning to the term
    “Common Wealth”

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