"A possible future president steps out of the car in Dublin's North East Inner City. "My son takes her by the hand and invites her outside to play ball." Niamh McDonald writes about canvassing for Catherine Connolly and how to turn fear into hope. jrnl.ie/6863532

Excellent letter from Wendy Lyon in today's Irish Times.

Beckett stage props found on Mullaghmore.

"Maybe Peadar Tóibín should ask himself why young members sending racist messages were drawn to Aontú in the first place." I rest my case.

Sunday Independent...

Among dozens of character references submitted to the court were those written by nurses, primary schoolteachers and members of religious congregations, and Crosbie’s fellow Dublin firefighters. For a rapist.

So much talk about spoiled votes, but virtually zero about the 900,000+ Irish citizens who voted for Connolly and the 15,000 volunteers who campaigned for her - nothing about what they want and represent and hope for. No, Irish media and politics insist you engage with those who can't be bothered.

“I don’t see any protests for us – the thousands of women who are assaulted by Irish men”

Fun fact - Did you know that Mammies for Trans Rights have been to Áras an Uachtaráin more than Saint Maria of the Holy Handbag? #Aras25

I'm reluctant to humour the "I don't feel represented by the choice on this ballot" line. Two of the six Áras elections that have happened in my lifetime have had unopposed incumbents, and it was merciful. Frankly it's a shame that MDH wasn't unopposed in 2018. That whole election was a disaster.

“We have a zero-tolerance policy to any forms of discrimination,” said Mr P Tóibín, who set up the party because he believes women have too many rights.

Just Conor McGr*gor's boxing coach there, calling for the ethnic cleansing of the Roma people. "Legitimate concerns", my hole. Fascists to a man.

She looks like she's about to pay my legal fees after I defaced a rainbow crossing

Narratives that underpin racial hate by scapegoating foreign men only serve to continue the historical gender relations in Irish society that have shamed and abused women. When patriarchy, sexism, and misogyny are racialised, we all lose. www.irishexaminer.com/opinion/comm...

Pay it forward.

The Youth Defence Newsletter reaching another new low, reporting an alleged assault as fact, to allow its "editor" to embark on a rant containing every far-right, racist trope you can imagine. These awful people seem almost delighted by the events of the last few days.

This "Connolly will upset the EU" stuff is also ridiculous btw. The EU can deal with Meloni, Orban, Fico etc etc on a day to day basis. The idea that a figurehead's words might somehow meaningfully damage Ireland's standing is genuinely deluded.

“I abhors animal cruelty in cities. But rural animal cruelty, I support.” This is a bad position, yes. But also just a completely incoherent one.

And now it's over to the Library of the great house at Moyne Park in Abbeyknockmoy for an update on the grassroots Spoil Your Vote campaign. #Aras25

A letter from Brendan Conroy in today's Irish Independent says he will vote No 1 for Jim Gavin and then stop. The same tactic is advised by Breda O'Brien in the Irish Times. Brendan is Breda's husband. Who knew? Is this daftness an official Iona strategy? #Aras25 #FeckOffIona

I heard Catherine Connolly believes that Leitrim actually exists #SmearTheBejaysis

When this notorious Twitter arsewipe is jumping to your defence, you know you're definitely wrong.

CASE has also published today a useful explainer on the background to the case, in which O'Malley's action has resulted in suppression for the last 9 months of the entire LGBTQI+ special edition of the Journal of Irish Counsellors & Psychotherapists. www.the-case.eu/latest/slapp...

Guess who's been added to the Gallery of Shame at the Campaign Against Slapps in Europe (CASE.) "Professional critique and informed discussion about health, psychology, and human rights must not be obstructed by abusive legal threats." #SLAPPStella

Aside from anything else I think this election will show us how badly legacy media's influence has deteriorated. The IT, Indo and now Newstalk are throwing everything at Connolly but nothing has gotten the same traction as a short-form video of her playing ball with some kids. #SpeirGorm #áras25

Irish Examiner... #FeckOffIona

Westlife reunion looks a bit shite. #rtept

1/2 Recently I was diagnosed with breast cancer. Today marks the start of Breast Cancer Awareness Month so PLEASE check yourself. And if you find anything no matter how small, please go to get a referral. I wrote about my experience in @irishtimesnews yesterday 👉 www.irishtimes.com/health/your-...

This looks very interesting...G'Wan @izzykamikaze.bsky.social ! (Today's Leitrim Observer)

Hazel, just want to send my love to you x @hazelchu.bsky.social

It turns out that Maria Steen's path to the presidential race was derailed by far-right religious fanatics trying to intimidate democratically-elected politicians. Who knew those politicians would tell the religious far right to fuck off? Apparently, it's not the 1950s after all.

As one of the owners of Grift Media announces, theatrically, that you can #SpoilYourVote by writing any message you please on your ballot paper, an idea begins to form... #Aras25

Shhh let them cook

You know, the people moaning about democracy being destroyed over a nomination process not turning out the way they wanted were also moaning that democracy had been destroyed seven years ago because a referendum hadn't turned out the way they wanted. #Aras25 #FeckOffIona

Just putting it out there: if a candidate really had the unprecedented and ENORMOUS groundswell of support some are claiming, surely they'd have no problem getting onto a ballot paper? #Aras25 #FeckOffIona

Anyone have number for Maria Steen handy? Like, in case a complete randomer wanted to give her a call? #Aras25 #FeckOffIona

1. Fuck these guys. 2. "people of Ireland who feel ignored" - you're not talking about sexual assault victims, children on waiting lists for disability services, emigrants and renters. You're talking about Fergal! Fergal is cross because he saw an ad for broadband on TV with a mixed race couple.

Keith Mills will be furious when he finds out that Steen has found a better "as a gay man..." attention-seeking mudguard gobshite to wheel out for the next month.

Odd that there have been very few attempts to exert significant pressure on councillors or legislators on behalf of Gareth Sheridan. I guess democracy is only threatened when the fundamentalist Catholics aren't getting their way. #Aras25 #FeckoffIona

💫 Fun fact: The abortion pill mifepristone is so safe that it is actually safer than taking Tylenol.💫

A very odd narrative is developing around the election. The idea of a nomination as some kind of participation trophy and that if certain people whinge enough, well then they should get on the ballot.

Adult Human Female hockey star kicked out of women’s restroom by ‘gender police’ who thought she was a man - www.outsports.com/2025/5/21/24...

It is so damn obvious the trans sports issue is a drummed up nonsense moral panic masquerading as “common sense” - but if you look deeper for two seconds you see how the whole point of sex segregated sports is to defund women athletics & to build and propagandize the western idea of women as weak.

“No you see, I have a letter showing that these were the orders I was only Following!”

If transgenders were "violent extremists", then why is Iceland still one of the most peaceful countries in the world with some of the best legislation promoting gender equality (including transgenders). Other countries that have decent gender equality don't have the problem either. Interesting that.

The @irishtimes.com is carrying another piece on the business activities of Gareth Sheridan's business associates. I do hope they'll also be looking into the funding of Maria Steen's Iona "Institute" - particularly the Russian-Azerbaijani "laundromat." #Aras25

Another typical morning in town after Culture Night, sean-nós singers left strewn around the footpaths, poets carelessly stuffed under park benches, a lone interpretive dancer being gently blown around the square