“What kind of party will Sinn Féin be as it becomes a leading player?”

Jude Collins thinks its only matter of time until Sinn Fein becomes the largest party in the Republic, but he has some concerns about what that will mean when they get they get there…

I’d prefer to think that Sinn Féin are working for those suffering most in southern society not for political advantage but because they believe it’s a core feature of what they are as a party. They’ve shown in the recent elections that their appeal is wide and deep across Ireland. What is now crucial is that they maintain their focus on a united Ireland of equals.

The danger is that, in its concern for electoral success, it could water down key features of its political philosophy. There are those who say Sinn Féin, in its eagerness to be in power by 2016, will make all sorts of compromises. I’d like to think Gerry Adams’s Bodenstown speech made clear those things that are crucial to its life and success as a party.

As I’ve been saying over on Cedar Lounge Revolution, I have my doubts that what gets said now is intended as any kind of guarantee of future purpose…

Mick Fealty

Mick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers on the impacts of the Internet on politics and the wider media and is a regular guest and speaking events across Ireland, the UK and Europe. Twitter: @MickFealty