Sir, – “West Brits”, Mr McGuinness (Breaking News, September 21st)? So much for respect and inclusiveness. – Yours, etc,
Sir, – Martin McGuinness goes on about “West Brits”, but gets paid by the “mainland”. – Yours, etc,
Sir, – Fianna Fáil, in forbidding its parliamentary party members from supporting the nomination of any candidate for the presidential election, has just handed the keys of Áras an Uachtaráin to Martin McGuinness. – Yours, etc,
Sir, – Perhaps the only fair option would be to add a “Quick Pick” panel at the bottom of the ballot paper. – Yours, etc,
Sir, – What message does it send to voters that a political party has chosen not to involve itself in the election to an office that its own founder created? – Yours, etc,
Sir, – As a pacifist, I deplored every violent action that took place and still takes place throughout the North.
I was saddened that the nation of my birth could bring forth such violence against human beings. We can do nothing about the past, except learn from it. We can only react to the present but we can change the future. Martin McGuinness is trying to change the future so that we have a less violent society.
He must be listened to with regard to his non-violent vision for the future of this island. – Yours, etc,
Sir, – Even after he initially left the race, polls suggested David Norris would have been a popular choice for president.
Dana has shown in a previous election that she has significant support. Senator Labhrás Ó Murchú, by virtue of the fact that he is an elected Senator, has demonstrated the existence of a political mandate. Although it has chosen not to put forward its own candidate, Fianna Fáil has passed up an opportunity to make a gesture of goodwill to its current and potential supporters and the wider electorate.
Had it allowed its Oireachtas members to support any or all of the above, it may have helped enlarge the pool of candidates, which would in turn have appealed to a more varied and widespread pool of potential voters. – Yours, etc,
Sir, – The system of nomination is antiquated and party political, a disgraceful condescension and patently unfair in its design. For example, Senator Norris polls as a realistic candidate but is realistically excluded by his Independent status. I, like many others, have made no decisions on voting yet, but I do demand the right to choose. – Yours, etc,
Sir, – For the last 74 years as a sovereign Irish nation, we have had, in the main, presidents in whom we could be justly proud.
Am I alone in the view that the group of declared and aspiring contenders have fallen far short of the stature and combination of characteristics which would inspire our nation to greatness in our present distressed state? – Yours, etc,
Sir, – The most we can hope for is that the “best” of an incredibly bad lot is elected and will not embarrass this country while in office. – Yours, etc,
Sir, – Rumour has it that no amount of pleading or cajoling could persuade Gerry Adams to throw his beret into the ring. – Yours, etc,
Sir, – The perfect candidate for the presidency is Michael Ryan from RTÉ’s Nationwide. I don’t know why his name hasn’t come up yet. With some many years of travelling around Ireland, he is the perfect candidate. He is warm, charismatic, articulate and a nice guy. – Yours, etc,
Sir, A new song for Dana:
Candle in the Window. – Yours, etc,
Sir, – Bono, where are you? Your country needs you. – Yours, etc,