Politicians always appear to be in campaign mode, particularly in highly localised systems like Ireland’s, where being attentive to local matters is rewarded and neglect is met with a penalty. However, election preparation isn’t exclusive to politicians; journalists too engage in meticulous planning. Our editorial and tech team members have dedicated countless hours to tweaking a newly developed system at the back-end that enables readers to view polling results as and when they are declared. This system, informally dubbed “Nerd”, is tasked with a mammoth logistical responsibility. Reporters from various counting centres across the nation will feed numbers into this database allowing for real-time graphical representation of results on our app and website.
Preparing for campaign coverage is more than just numbers. Many aspects need consideration: assigning reporters, the pacing of coverage to ensure equal representation, strategizing for sudden developments, leveraging different platforms like our website, app, print media, podcasts, and videos. Furthermore, we need to consider steps to guarantee the safety of our journalists, reflecting today’s societal realities.
As per recent results, three weeks prior to the vote, indication is that the previous dip in Sinn Féin’s popularity continues. It’s now at par with Fine Gael with a share of 23 percent, a drop of 5 points. Fianna Fáil remains steady with 20 percent of popular support, and its leader, Micheál Martin, emerges as the most-liked party leader.
Results from another recent poll, aimed at the European elections, suggest that the dominant three parties can potentially clinch seats across the three constituencies. Meanwhile, far-right and anti-immigration candidates seemingly have a slim chance, given the diffuse nature of their support base. However, with many voters still deciding and others just starting to engage, the election scenario could very well transform by June 7th. As our Political Editor Pat Leahy encapsulates it, “Not only is the game afoot, but it signals the start of an intense, frenzied battle where survival is key.”
“Constructive arguments can only transpire when people commit to participating with sincerity,” says George Stephanopoulos. He is among the slew of interesting choices for election-related coverage suggested for this weekend. There are various narratives to consider, including Political Correspondent Jennifer Bray’s comprehensive rundown on the imminent votes and Jade Wilson’s canvassing experience with local election nominee Ciao Benício, a former Deliveroo driver known for intervening in a dreadful stabbing event on Parnell Square in Dublin. Harry McGee examines the distressing encounters of a Limerick candidate who claims her crew suffered racist hostility during campaigns. Essential aspects of our election spread that hold great significance for politics fanatics include Miriam Lord’s columns and the Inside Politics podcast.
This weekend’s new offerings include a weekly interview, this time with TV presenter and ex-White House consultant George Stephanopoulos, as featured in Keith Duggan’s dialogue; a fresh column by renowned author Sarah Moss; and a weekly reflective essay starting with one on Family, the noteworthy 1994 TV series, by its creator, Roddy Doyle.
There are tales that unexpectedly grab the spotlight. This week saw an unexpected buzz around an art exhibition set up on North Earl Street located in Dublin city centre. Ronan McGreevy’s primer provides insight into this chatter. Fintan O’Toole opines that the erection of the portal was an audacious defiance, signifying one part of the city – prosperous, lively, tech-driven, and optimistic. On the flip side, it also had to face the city’s other aspects – resentment, anger, alienation and chaos.
You can now delve into the enriched Opinion section which features some exceptional commentary from well-regarded columnists including Mark O’Connell, Cliff Taylor, Megan Nolan, David McWilliams, Jennifer O’Connell, and Rachel Moiselle, a student from Trinity College. Moiselle’s columns are particularly poignant as she explores Anti-semitism in Ireland which mirrors the experiences of her forebears.
Colm Tóibín, widely known for his engaging discourse, did not disappoint during his interaction with Keith Duggan in Manhattan. They delved into an interesting conversation about Long Island, his anticipated sequel to the bestseller, Brooklyn.
Shane Lowry was on the brink of etching his name into history at the prestigious US PGA Championship at Valhalla. Despite the outcome at the tournament, the event will forever be noted for the arrest of Scottie Scheffler, the world-renowned golfer on Friday. For a superlative account of the event, we recommend Malachy Clerkin’s piece. In our Sports section, we also feature insightful columns by sports pundits Nicky English, Dean Rock, Matt Williams and Kevin Kilbane.
Additionally, we regretfully relayed the unfortunate news of the demise of renowned businessman Tony O’Reilly last night. Reactions to his passing are included in our news story while our obituary offers a thorough biographic skecth of this man, often considered as “Ireland’s premier business luminary”.
Editor,
Ruadhán Mac Cormaic