Cuisle Edition 01 – Winter 2011
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The voice of the members Cuisle Edition 01 – Winter 2011 YOUR PARTY NEEDS The voice of the members – Cuisle Credits Contents The voice of ARE YOU NOW, OR HAVE Editorial Committee: Damien Blake, 4 Lessons From Lemass the members Maria Brosnan, Jane Dignam, Jimmy Cuisle 6 The Dublin West Bye Election YOU EVER BEEN, A Healy and James Lawless. Hello & welcome to Cuisle, the new 7 The Candidate Template Editor: Jimmy Healy magazine for Fianna Fáil members. 8 Encouraging More Women Into MEMBER OF FIANNA FÁIL, Graphic Design: Darragh Kelly Fianna Fáil This publication will be different. It is not the magazine of [email protected] 9 Reorganisation In Party HQ the parliamentary party. It is not the magazine of Fianna THE REPUBLICAN PARTY? www.clickandrush.com Fáil Headquarters. It is your magazine - “The voice of the 10 Crisis / Opportunity Cartoons by: Grant O’Hara. members”. 11 Using Our Resources don’t know about you, but Printing by: Boylan Print 24th October last entitled “Don’t repeat old 12 One Member / One Vote t is you the members who • To keep members informed about what is recently I’ve been having mistakes when casting your vote” which Cuisle would like to thank the following will drive the content of this going on in the party and the issues facing contained perhaps the nastiest cut of the lot 13 Ar An Bhfód us. nightmares – they’re all roughly “... We have to remind ourselves that we gave for helping make this issue possible: publication. Our aim is to I power to Fianna Fáil under Bertie Ahern, three 14 Reform At The Top • To help stimulate debate about the future the same, a knock on the door I Micheál Martin TD, Dr. Bryce Evans, provide a platform for members at three o’clock in the morning, times in succession, making sure to be sure of the party and how we will be organised that he would wreck us... Any democracy 15 Michael FitzPatrick RIP from all over Ireland and abroad into the future. Gillian Hennessy of Collins Press, burly men in black coats and that can do that to itself needs its collective to express their views and help 16 Micheál Martin Q&A • To provide political information to our fedoras dragging me off to a dark political head examining for brain disease or Seán Dorgan, Pat McParland, Adam set the course for the future of members concerning Fianna Fáil and our room, where the Junior Senator brain tumours...” 18 Fianna Fáil & The North Ledwith, Elaine O’Meara, Anne Quinn, the Fianna Fáil party. opponents. for Wisconsin, Joseph McCarthy, Accused of abuse, worthy of branding and 19 What Does FF Mean To Me? • To assist in driving the renewal process, shines a light in my eyes and likened to a brain tumour, nasty stuff isn’t it? Kim Murphy, Paul Sammon, Kevin Cuisle will give members the opportunity And especially upsetting for those committed 20 Forgotten Achievements to share their opinions on party matters, on encouraging our members to take an asks the ominous question “Are members who feel they continually have to Dillon, Aidan O’Gorman, David Burke, everything from the latest policy approach, to active role in the rebuilding of Fianna Fáil. apologise for their membership of the party 22 FF Archives In UCD the efforts to revamp the party. you now, or have you ever been, Darragh McShea, Kevin Judd, Russell • To help bridge some of the whether at work, at home or out socialising. communications gaps which exist within a member of the Fianna Fáil 24 The Big Debate As the party continues to adjust to the fallout Bryce, David Coleman, all the other the party. party?” 26 Cairde Fail Photos from the General Election in February, what Fianna Fáil staff, Padraig Slyne, Darren is becoming clear is that if the party is to be Before I can answer, to say ‘Yes’ obviously, The demonisation 29 Piling Off The Debt revived, the membership will be the driving All these objectives place the member as the I awake in a cold sweat. I don’t know what Lehane, Niamh O’Shea, Ashley Beston, force. We hope that Cuisle will play its part in central focus of our new publication. the cause of these nightmares is, maybe 30 Letters the renewal process that is underway. it’s eating biscuits before I go to bed or the of Fianna Fáil by Joe Byrne, Frank Brannigan, Donnacha So if you have a view on a particular Fianna fact that I watched the movie ‘Good Night 31 FF & The Media There are a lot of great ideas amongst Fáil related issue - tell us. If you disagree with Maguire, Gaibhin McGranaghan, Oonagh and Good Luck’ a couple of weeks ago but the membership on how we can move something published, let us know. If you’d certain elements of 32 Whatever Happened To The I’ve a sneaking suspicion that it may have Doyle, Kevin Doyle, Derek Mooney, forward however there are too few ways of like to submit an article or a letter, then get something to do with the fact that, at least 5-Point-Plan? communicating them. We want Cuisle to be in touch. This is your newsletter, so we need according to certain elements of the media, the commentariat is Seamus Helfarty in UCD, Mark Bates, one vehicle for bringing these ideas and other your content and ideas if it is to be a success. I’m the worst kind of criminal — a card issues to the attention of the approximately carrying member of the Fianna Fáil party. nothing new... Conor McGarry, Tim Ralph, David 50,000+ people who are registered members We hope that you will see from this issue, that of Fianna Fáil. Cuisle will help to generate we are not afraid to do things differently. We The demonisation of Fianna Fáil by certain Scallon of Custodian Consultancy as debate and keep members informed about are not afraid of publishing strong opinions elements of the commentariat is nothing new, I’m not saying that Fianna Fáil is perfect and activity within the party. and articles of interest. We will not shy away well as everyone else who contributed but what is new, is the frequency and virulent hasn’t made mistakes, no-one reading this from publishing articles that are critical of nature of the attacks not only against the party article would, and the very fact that Cuisle towards the publication of this magazine. We want this newsletter to be thought aspects of the party when the criticism can be as a whole but also the ordinary rank and file. exists, shows that steps are being taken by provoking and represent the issues that are justified. Two recent examples of this stuck in my mind. the ordinary membership to voice their views being talked about by members up and down on the past, present and future conditions of the country. In order for the Fianna Fáil party So why is it named Cuisle? Well, the direct The first was a piece entitled “Does it really the party. We might never be able to persuade to progress we must accept the challenges translation of Cuisle is pulse. The membership matter if Gallagher is a de facto FF candidate? people like the authors of those articles of facing us and recognise that it can only be by has always been the life blood of Fianna Fáil. Yes, it does” which was published in the Irish the value of our party and its membership but the hard work and dedication of our members This newsletter aims to take the pulse of the Examiner on the 19th of October last. Having through this process I have no doubt that if that the party can again reclaim a place at the membership on a regular basis. devoted half her article to attacking Sean we engage with people and hold our heads heart of Irish society. Gallagher over his Fianna Fáil links, the author high, we will be able to persuade the public as We hope you enjoy this newsletter and that then goes on to have a go at the ordinary a whole. Whilst we need to face up to the mistakes you will help make Cuisle a success by party member with such gems as “... after of the past, we cannot continue to allow our engaging with the ideas raised. All the articles all the abuse this country has suffered at the And that’s the one thing that people need detractors to define us by them. Fianna Fáil will be posted on the Fianna Fáil discussion hands of Fianna Fáil...” and “... I know this is to remember about McCarthyism whether has a proud history. We need to celebrate and forum if you would like to debate the points a predominantly Christian country but haven’t in the 1950s America or in the Ireland of retain the positive aspects of our party and mentioned. You can also contact us directly we turned the cheek one too many times 2011, its popularity fades when people are embrace this opportunity to redefine our core if you have any views. You can email us at when it comes to Fianna Fáil...” and “... I’m confronted with the truth – the only question values and principles. [email protected] or write to: Cuisle PO Box, not suggesting its party members should be is when they make a movie about modern c/o Fianna Fáil Headquarters, 65/ 66 Lower permanently branded, or kept in 21st century Irish McCarthyism who’ll be played by George The objectives of this publication can be Mount Street, Dublin 2.