Presidents and Heirs.

My last post on the Election of Michael D Higgins as the 9th Prisident of Ireland ( Uachtarán na hÉireann) didn't leave me any space to add any Information. But Michael D rocking in the Dail was written in 1994 so it seems he had the unique opportunity of having a campaign song 17 years before his campaign for the Presidency.

I am delighted with Michael D election he will be a brilliant and Progressive President and although it would not be my place to tell the Irish Electorate who to vote for he would have been my choice.

There have been some in commentators on the Welsh Blogasphere who seem to have lent to Sinn Fein's Martin McGuinness during the election and believe his  13.7% of the  first preference  vote was some how a major advance . Though in fact  the number of transfers seem low for MCGuiness  seem to point to his vote being polarised..

Irish presidential election, 2011[193][194]
Party		Candidate	Nominated by	% 1st Pref	Count 1	Count 2	Count 3	Count 4
	Labour Party	Michael D. Higgins	Oireachtas: Labour Party	39.6	701,101	730,480	793,128	1,007,104
	Independent	Seán Gallagher	County and City Councils	28.5	504,964	529,401	548,373	628,114
	Sinn Féin	Martin McGuinness	Oireachtas: Sinn Féin & Independents	13.7	243,030	252,611	265,196
	Fine Gael	Gay Mitchell	Oireachtas: Fine Gael	6.4	113,321	127,357	136,309
	Independent	David Norris	County and City Councils	6.2	109,469	116,526
	Independent	Dana Rosemary Scallon	County and City Councils	2.9	51,220
	Independent	Mary Davis	County and City Councils	2.7	48,657
Electorate: 3,191,157   Valid: 1,771,762   Spoilt: 18,676 (1.0%)   Quota: 885,882   Turnout: 1,790,438 (56.1%)

The position of President is largely ceremonial rather the head of state in the UK and there was some campaign in the Republic to abolish it . But this largely faded under the last two Presidents Mary Robinson and  Mary McAleese, who both rose the profile on the world Stage with their commitment to Humanitarianism throughout the World

It is  somewhat Ironic that at almost the same time as the Presedential Election the British Establishment were enthusing over  the decision the change the rules over succession to the head of State of the UK and claiming this was "Democratic and Modern"

What a non-story this was. Taking into account that the current heir to the throne  William should live till he's at least 80. It will be 2062 before any heir succeeds him. So I'll be long gone by them but hopefully Wales will be a Republic.


The biggest joke was Cameron et al portraying this as some kind of democratic coup and modernisation. No change can make the idea of an hereditary head of state either democratic and modern.

And today we have news that Prince Charles has been offered a veto over 12 government bills since 2005 Ministers sought prince's consent under secretive constitutional loophole on bills covering issues from gambling to the OlympicSo the Republic of Ireland so often portrayed as narrow minded conservative country elect a progressive humanitarian as they President and have the opportunity in 7 years time to change him if it they disaprove.. Whilst we are told we are being democratic and modern because the first born will be heir to throne regardless of sex and will not be dis bared if they marry a Catholics. Which of these two states is really demcratic and modern?