A Sinn Fein Leaflet from the 1998 Assembly Elections. The referendum on the Good Friday Agreement had been passed a month earlier.
We have pictures of Gerry Adams with Bill Clinton and with Bertie Ahern. There is a confidence in the wording.
Amongst the items in the leaflet, Sinn Fein were ….
‘working to ensure … the right of Irish citizens in the north to:-
-Send representatives to Leinster House.
-Vote in Presidential elections.
-Vote in Referendums.’
many thanks to the donor
From Jim Allisters Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV) a leaflet entitled ‘Towards Good Government’ , which translates as No Terrorists in Government. The other theme ‘aren’t the DUP delighted with themselves being in Office with Sinn Fein’.
I got sent this (many thanks) and whilst its full of words it’s the pictures that tell the story.
We have Ian Paisley snr whispering into the ears of an amused Martin McGuinness. Peter Robinson laughing with Martin McGuinness.
Jeffrey Donaldson having a laugh with Gerry Kelly. Ian Paisley Junior with both Kelly and McGuinness. The best though must be Ian Paisley Junior ‘joyriding’
with ‘convicted terrorist’ Conor Murphy.
Finally we have pictures of Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness, Adams with Alex Maskey up against Riot Police (not unlike Unionists at Drumcree) and Martin McGuinness at an Republican Funeral.
A fairly glossy and detailed newsletter for Sinn Fein Cabra Glasnevin candidates Nicky Kehoe and Aine Ni Ghabhann for the 2004 local Elections.
Lots of local issues covered as well as a message from Gerry Adams, profiles of the candidates and a profile of European Elections Candidate Mary Lou McDonald.
Sinn Feins Proposals For Dublin are also there, abliet as ‘PProposals’.
Many thanks to the donor who writes…..
Sean Downey ran for Sinn Féin in the 2009 local elections for Newbridge Town Council and Kildare County Council. He was the first SF candidate in over 20 years in the town and recieved 662 votes in the county and 245 in the town, Sean was not elected.
Also included are the Sinn Fein European Election candidates Kathleen Funchion and Tomas Sharkey.
From the 1987 General Election, Christy Dunne and John Noonan running for Sinn Fein in Dulin South West. Christy Dunne got 378 votes whilst John Noonan got 1001 votes. Neither were elected.
The Leaflet gives mention of the issues of the time, Unemployment , housing and the establishment of a 32 county Socialist Republic.
From the 1970s a selection of images of Republican Clubs and Sinn Fein posters kindly sent to me by a donor.
An Anti EEC poster presumably from the 1973 Referendum (with the Slogan Fight your corner – Don’t Emigrate), a poster criticising The Cosgrave Government , a Republican Clubs poster and one also for the Freeing of all Political Prisoners.
This version of Sinn Fein / Republican Clubs was the precursor of Sinn Fein The Workers Party which became The Workers Party although I’m not 100% sure they all are.
I got sent these images and many thanks to the donor. A Sinn Fein poster with The ‘People Before Profit’ Slogan. The other posters being ‘Join Sinn Fein for a United Socialist Ireland’ , ‘ Eire Nua- Socialist Federal Republic’ , ‘ End Unemployment – Nationalise the Banks….’
This version of Sinn Fein / Republican Clubs was the precursor of Sinn Fein The Workers Party which became The Workers Party ….
From April 2004 in the run up to the 2004 local and European Elections, a Donaghmede Sinn Fein special Bulletin on Donaghmede Probation Office.
Then Sinn Fein candidate Killian Forde writes of the true costs of the project and the link between prominent Fianna Fail donors and the location of the office.
Other concerns include the fact that other sites weren’t inspected, the cost overruns, waste of public money and only a part of the offices capacity being used.
Is the office fully occupied now?
From the 2009 European Election campaign, a letter to female voters from Sinn Fein candidate Mary Lou McDonald.
In 2004 Sinn Fein candidate Robert Sargent was easily elected to Dublin Corporation for the Crumlin Kimmage LEA. He polled over 3200 votes.
He resigned his seat (handing it back to Sinn Fein) just over two years later.
Esther Uzzell standing for Justice for her brother Joe Rafferty in the 2007 General Election in Dublin South East.
Full details of the Campaign at justice for joe campaign
Esther on her campaign is pictured with then US President Georgr Bush and also with Hilary Clinton.
Sinn Fein candidates Pat Doherty, Dermot Guy and ‘gifted orator’ Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin from the 1989 European Elections Connaught-Ulster constituency. (The result from electionsireland.org). Pat Doherty is now an MP whilst Caoimhghin O Caolain is the Senior figure for Sinn Fein in the Dail having been first elected in 1997.
Sinn Fein at the time were anti EC (EU) , the issues covered in related to Connaught-Ulster indicate the state of the country at the time.
This is what went through the letterbox of the voters in Munster in 1999. It is unusual as it tell you nothing about the candidate, despite the fact that Ferris wasn’t a TD yet.
Martin Ferris polled 6.5% of the vote.
From the 2007 General election. The Progressive Democrats quote Labour, Sinn Fein and Green Politicians to illustrate what they would do if a Rainbow Left Coalition got in.
Amongst the quotes
Pat Rabbitte – “It’s my job to comfort the afflicted and to afflict the comfortable”
Gerry Adams- “We are actively looking to be in government after the election”
Green Party Policy on housing -“The Green Party wants to apply commercial rates to second homes and to investment properties”
Killian Forde from the 2004 LE in Donaghmede where he topped the poll and got in on the first count. He was re-elected in 2009 although his vote fell.
From the 2004 European Elections, a leaflet from Sinn Fein candidate Mary Lou McDonald, where she won a seat in Dublin.
Martin Christie was elected in the 2004 Local Elctions for Mulhuddart. However he later resigned his seats under controversial circumstances.
This Poster was sent in by a kind reader , who writes …..
It is about as early as you will find from modern day Sinn Féin. It’s from one of the initiatives I think it’s 1982 but it’s definitely the Jim Prior organised one for a Stormont Assembley/Forum which SF fought on an abstenion policy. I think the SDLP ended up the same too.
The candidate is Benny (Benedict) Mcelwee from Bellaghy, the brother of Hunger Striker, Thomas and cousin of Francis Hughes. Second on the paper is Danny Morrison of Ballot box and Armalite fame.
It was for the mid-ulster constituency and this one was the South Derry version. Up until this election, most full on Republicans had stood on a H-Blocks ticket and for the short lived Irish Independence Party so it’s as early a PSF poster as you’ll find.
Ironic indeed the ‘Smash Stormont’ legend at the top, I think the DUP ran with ‘Smash Sinn Féin’ in the same campaign.
Irish Election Literature 
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