UCDSU Elections- Election Campaigns Start

dublin | politics / elections | opinion/analysis

Friday February 06, 2004 18:07

by Sean Phillips - UCD Student

Now that nominations close the campaigns are going to get started 'officially' tomorrow afternoon. Many on IMC would be interested in what's going on in these elections. Here is my honest analysis of the 5 different races. (Note to Editors: delete any trolls, please don't let this turn into last one!)

-PRESIDENT-

There are 4 candidates. Fergal Scully (2nd Year Social Science), Séamus Ó Maonaigh (2nd Year Arts), Greg Park (3rd Year Commerce) and Richard Waghorne (2nd Year Arts).

Fergal Scully could well be a winner, however he has tough competition with Séamus Ó Maonaigh. Scully has much on his side. His maturity will help as will being on the left of the spectrum with the election machine of the left behind him. One big handicap that Scully has is that he has not got the charisma of Dillon or Murphy- the left candidates of last year. Charisma is something that Ó Maonaigh is not short of. He is known for attending all society events and for his regular article in the Tribune "Seamus in the City". He is seen as a joke, a bit of a laugh. However he may also be seen as experienced as he is, on paper, the Chiar of Council and was last years Welfare Officer. Seamus is to the right. If Scully's team get his views on Women's rights out there it will damage Ó Maonaigh. badly. Park is unlikely to win as he has not got much of a team behind him. He sees the President as a shop manager, with no campaigning role whatsoever- except to get more services under SU control. Waghorne is known for his opposition to the Coke ban and was elected, narrowly, to the Academic Council. Waghorne is unlikely to win but will have many fresh ideas that may win him a respectable vote.

-EDUCATION-

There are 2 candidates, Darren Cogavin (2nd Year Social Science) and James Carroll (2nd Year Law).

This is a straight left v right divide, just like last year. Both candidates are presentable and electable. It's likely to be a tough contest for both sides. James Carroll is a member of Fianna Fáil, which he sees as damaging for him so has said he has resigned. Cogavin is a member of the Socialist Party. Carroll has damaged himself among many by stating that the Union's Anti Deportation Campaign was a waste of time. Carroll will try to play on the opposition that exists among some to the issues that the current executive took up. On the other hand Cogavin will claim that protests do work and can point to the Library. This is too close to call- it will be tight and a classic left v right vote.

-ENTS-

There are 2 candidates, Ciara Davey (Sports Management) and Gearóid Cashman ()

Cashman is the 'Craic Soc' candidate. This group have been involved in breaking the college alcohol policy by drinking on-campus in Belfield's 'moonlight tavern'. This may be popular among many students as the College policy is seen as oppressive by many on Res who cannot even bring cans home without being stopped by security. Davey is unknown, however she may well be a 'dark horse'. If she puts in a good campaign she can become the first female Ents Officer in living memory. Davey may play on being responsible may play on not being up for silly booze filled events. Cashman's Craic Soc affilliations will work for him, but also against him.

-DEPUTY PRESIDENT and WELFARE-

In these elections there are one candidate for each position. Ciarán Weafer (2nd Arts) is running for Deputy President. Shane Hennelly (2nd Social Science) is running for Welfare. In all elections there is an option "Re-open nominations" that is an additional 'candidate'.

Ciarán Weafer is a dead cert to win. He has a record throughout the year. Weafer was prominant in the Chernobyl campaign which raised €20k for charity. This seems to have now fallen under the DP's brief. Weafer is also prominant on the SU Council and has been active in Library sit-ins and in supporting jailed class rep David Murphy. There is highly unlikely to be any organised 'vote RON' campaign.

In the Welfare race this is not the case, Shane Hennelly has been opposing much of what the left have done throughout the year. He has also been criticised for not knowing what a Welfare Officer does. One candidate in the election even described him as an opportunist. His manifesto is likely to outline what the welfare officer does and he may not stray into original ideas. Although there may be a RON campaing against him it's still unlikely that he will not win.

This is a serious piece, please don't turn the comments into trolls and electioneering PLEASE!

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Comments (21 of 21)

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Same Old Same Old

by IMC Dalek

Fri Feb 06, 2004 18:12

Rehash of comments on old thread. Yawn! Grrrr!

Exterminate! Exterminate! Delete! Bzzzttt!

It's not

by Sean Phillips

Fri Feb 06, 2004 18:27

This is fresh analysis.

It's not related to a previous thread. Previous thread was idle speculation about who was running. We now know who is running and there should be analysis allowed.

I think that the editors should be strict on this thread so that it does not degenerate.

Stale

Fri Feb 06, 2004 18:29

This is the same old turgid stuff. Your days are numbered!
Exterminate! Exterminate! BZZZZZZZTTTTTTTT!

Polls needed

by Richard Sinnott - UCD

Fri Feb 06, 2004 19:26

I think that we need to see polls for these posts. As an election pundit I always take an interest in elections, even SU elections here in UCD. I'd like to see polls. However SU polls are traditionally not reliable. Given the nature of the elections the voter can change his mind very quickly. The polls are not always done in a reliable manner. I may actually contact the Observer or Tribune to get my 3rd year students to do the poll for them. Good look to all involved!

Richard.

Two birds, one stone.... (hmm sounds like a night in the old bar)

by Donal O'Liathain - Labour

Fri Feb 06, 2004 23:57

ZeDonaldo at elvis dot com

Can I just drunkenly suggest as a user of Indymedia as well as a UCD student (not for too much longer thank gawd) that we leave the beautiful Indymedia heads alone and have what no doubt will be a thrilling discussion about college politics on the UCD boards. This will not only use a service the Unions trying to promote (and a damn fine service at that) but will also free up the Indymedia server for news that affects more then 1% of the population

Whoever put these computers in the bar was a genius………

Anyway can we carry this on (but only if we really must) at

http://ucdsu.proboards20.com/

What?

by SM

Sat Feb 07, 2004 14:51

This thread is one of the very few intresting ones that now appear on indymedia, its real Irish news which is in the mainstream. I am not a UCD student.

correction

by sm

Sat Feb 07, 2004 14:53

This thread is one of the very few intresting ones that now appear on indymedia, its real Irish news which is in the not covered in the mainstream media. I am not a UCD student.

add your comments

Campaigns start

by Sean

Sat Feb 07, 2004 18:52

Was at the Poster Race today. All Presidential candidates had respectable campaign teams out. Waghorne and Park have great posters. Having seen the Manifestos I'd say both of those guys will do much better than expected. Scully's poster is awful, so is O maonaighs, and their manifesto's are a rehash of the old left/right divide neither of which contain anything new. Park will suffer for some crazy ideas though.

Cogavin will be up agianst the old KBC election machine. Carroll had at least 40 people out today.

More later.

SP Organisation

by Education Watcher

Mon Feb 09, 2004 16:20

It seems that the SP out-foxed the so-called "KBC machine" on poster day. Reports from the Outlying Faculties say that Carroll's team didn't even know their way around Earlsfort Terrace. Carroll also looks like an asshole on his poster.

Carroll is using all of the ideas of Cogavin. For example on the Campus Book Shop. Carroll is also cynically playing into the "no politics" mantra. This looks very dodgy coming from a member of Fianna Fail: of course he wants "no politics". But so far it looks like the SP have the edge. Early days yet.

On the other races: Scully has tougher opposition than excepted. O Maonaigh is coming accross as a gobshite, and his manifesto is full of innaccuracies about the SU. I'd have expected more from a former Welfare Officer. Park and Waghorne are doing better than I originally thought they would. Both right wing candidates, Park is more right than Waghorne.

In Ents Cashman is off the blocks first. His posters make him look like a git- but lets face it he is running for Ents. Have not seen Ciara Davey all day. Her posters state "Vote Ciara No. 1"

DAY 1: Early Days but. Presidential race is closer than expectected but Scully is doing well. Cogavin is doing better than Carroll- but early days. Cashman looks good to win Ents. Weafer and Hennelly will also win their races.

I'm going to Win Welfare

by RON

Mon Feb 09, 2004 16:51

I would like to thank all those doing the great work in my campaign for the position of Welfare Officer. Mr Hennelly is a great campaign manager for me. Shane masterminded an excellant manifesto and poster for my campaign. Thanks to him it looks like I could be heading for the Welfare Office of UCD Students' Union.

Yours,

RON

Poor Shane Hennelly

by The Fonz

Mon Feb 09, 2004 17:06

The poor sap. His poster looks like it was designed by a 5-year-old. His manifesto looks like a pile of shite. It's also full of shite.

Therefore I have this message:

For Welfare-

Vote RON Number 1.

Vótáil RON Uimhir 1.

su elections

by ELECTIONLOOK

Mon Feb 09, 2004 19:23

I have been in UCD for fours year now and have seen my fair share of candidates come and go. I have been worked with successfull and not so successfull in the past.

What the hell is going on in the welfare campaign, all I see is a dodgy poster of an idiot running for an extremely important office.

I have never had to visit the welfare office but if i did ,and this idiot opened the door, i would have to leave.

PLEASE Vote RON and give someone a chance who actually want to help students, not someone who is merely concerned with collecting a pay-cheque every Thursday.

RON RON RON RON RON

Another socialist for Welfare?

by Belfield gossip

Mon Feb 09, 2004 19:33

Olivia?
Dave Murphy?
Joe Carolan?

GOOD GRAVY!

by SHIT FOR SALE

Tue Feb 10, 2004 00:33

leave indymedia alone!
get your rosey red asses to ucdsu.net cause thats were the real election speculation is at, and leave the nice people to things that actually matter out side the all important bubble of UCD.

Darren & Expenses

by Sam Pepys

Wed Feb 11, 2004 13:57

"4. No to excessive expenses of SU Officers. They should all be accounted for to the student body. Darren will publish any expenses every quarter."

Darren Cogvain makes a big thing about expenses in his manifesto. Is he claiming that some officers are fiddling their expenses? Less of the trot innuendo Darren if you have accusations to make then state them openly.

Oisin could reveal his expenses for a start.

expenses

by Oisin

Wed Feb 11, 2004 15:28

sueducation at ucd dot ie

"Oisin could reveal his expenses for a start."

My expenses are published in detail to the SU Council and are avaiulable to all members of the SU, if you email me I'll send you on the deatails.

Earlsfort Terrace

by Dougal

Wed Feb 11, 2004 16:11

The KBC know the Terrace better than anyone, it seems. James Carroll has all the best poster positions on the Earlsfort Terrace concourse. The KBC machine is in working order in the Terrace!

Oisin

Fri Feb 13, 2004 11:07

Your party comrade Darren has made this a public issue outside of UCD by publishing his demands on expenses on the SY website. Are you happy that no existing officer is abusing their expenses and if so why has Darren put this strange demand on a party website?

Psters?!

by UCD Hackette

Mon Feb 16, 2004 09:33

Can you order his election posters via the Socialist Party website? Mmm. he's tasty!

Darren Rockin' the Medicine vote

by Vote Rocker

Mon Feb 16, 2004 12:39

I just saw Darren get a very very good reaction in a lecture full of Nursing, Radiography, Medicine and Physio students. Once he mentioned the demand of payment for clinical placements and the victory on travel and living expenses for Physio students he got a big cheer.

Next up was Carroll who mentioned weak demands around the Belfield library (nothing on Earlsfort Terrace) and then just attacked protests (even though these students were engaged in protests and won!). He only got a polite clap.

Looks like Cogavin and the SP will romp home in the Outlying Faculties, in particular the Faculty of Medicine!

Stupid Commies

by Go Jim Go

Thu Mar 25, 2004 17:53

Just stumbled across this thread. It's bloody hillarious! Cogavin got whipped in Earlsfort Terrace, and Carroll won every important outlying faculty by a country mile. In spite of Cogavin making up shite about how he was going to get meds and nurses paid for their placements, he still got trounced.

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UCDSU Elections- Election Campaigns Start

Comments (21 of 21)