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Fianna Fail Ard Fheis 09

By Simon McGarr ⋅ February 26, 2009 ⋅

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12:12 PM Simon McGarr - And if you’d like to post up the rolling liveblog on your own site just use this bit of code <iframe src=’‘ width=’400′ height=’500′ frameborder=’0′ style=’border: 1px solid #000′></iframe>
12:12 PM Suzy Byrne - The Programme for the Ard Fheis can be found here – I don’t know if anyone is going to be out there tonight?
7:02 PM Suzy Byrne - Good evening? Anyone in City West?
7:44 PM Suzy Byrne - Full text of Cowen’s welcome speech to delgates mainly on internal party matters but note campaign finance reforms and European Parliament Grouping Changes
7:46 PM Stephen Spillane - @suzybie hmm ELDR seems the most likely as FG will veto EPP. End of UEN like I predicted?? #ffaf
10:30 PM lawlessj - @suzybie Are you not too busy watching the AF to watch the LL?! #ffaf
10:30 PM lawlessj - @suzybie I guess the Ard Fheis entertainment won’t be part of the live stream – probably as well! Will look out for you tomorrow.. #ffaf
10:30 PM justinf - side effect of #rospars – now following @ografiannafail and @fiannafailparty will be watching #ffaf no such ting as bad publicity, eh?
10:30 PM justinf - “uncertainty is spreading like a virus in a creche” – david mcwilliams http://tinyurl.com/bsfw4a #creditcrunch #ffaf #ireland
10:31 PM Simon McGarr - Some technical hitches here in the old Tweet-collecting, but hopefully we’re back on track now.
10:53 PM Suzy Byrne - ‘Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit; wisdom is knowing not to put it in a fruit salad’ – Brian O’Driscoll does Satre…
11:14 PM ografiannafail - KF: “The senior party should be getting involved in massive election campaigns” #ffaf
11:14 PM ografiannafail - Kate Feeney is talking now…she’s Senator Ger Feeneys daughter.. #ffaf
11:14 PM lawlessj - @fiannafailparty @ografiannafail ogra debate great example of twitter in action well done guys #ffaf
11:18 PM bosca - Fianna Fail & the Liberals- The love affair is back on!: With a hat-tip to Slugger, it is interesting to see tha.. http://tinyurl.com/cntce2
11:18 PM PoliticsIE - Fianna Fail to join Liberals in Europe http://tinyurl.com/bvatay
11:21 PM the_irish_times - Cowen proposes tighter referendum controls http://tinyurl.com/cjrr6y
11:21 PM IgorTheRed - Cowen is going to use this weekend’s Ard Fheis to “outine the magnitude” of the current economic crisis… What the FUCK? Is he for real?
11:21 PM IgorTheRed - Hey Cowen! I can outline the situation in less than 140 characters: The country is fucked as long as you and Fianna Fail are in charge!
11:23 PM Simon McGarr - From Suzy, a lost observation: “Look at the comfy chairs but otherwise austere stage for hard times”
11:24 PM eoinbannon - #ffaf First time at one of these shindigs in City West and it’s only massive. Crazy security too. A little blogging before hit bar
11:27 PM ElaineByrne - dilemma: go to Ireland v England in Croker or Brian Cowen’s Ard Fheis speech in Citywest? mmmmm…..
11:28 PM ografiannafail - A few words from Joe now: ” This is issue is so divisive that Ogra members will be asked to vote for the first time tomottow” #ffaf
11:28 PM ografiannafail - Jessica Brennan running for election tomorrow: ALL OGRA MEMBERS PLEASE VOTE” #ffaf
11:35 PM dereklande - @ografiannafail I think what she said was that the senior party should get involved in massive recruitment campaigns.
12:20 AM ografiannafail - Ogra will have a stand at the convention village from 10am today….drop by and say hello…also to vote on Ógra 3rd level policy!
12:43 AM justinf - @ografiannafail what is ogra 3rd level policy? no fees?
8:32 AM ografiannafail - Ogra will have a stand at the convention village from 10am today….drop by and say hello…also to vote on Ógra 3rd level policy!
8:46 AM Simon McGarr - And we’re back for Day 2.
8:56 AM lawlessj - Rise and shine campers … It’s AF time! #FFAF
9:12 AM fiannafailparty - Morning all, welcome to the second day of the Ard Fheis. Hello to all our new followers! #ffaf
9:22 AM Simon McGarr - For the attn of Fianna Failers: No discussion of the Poll in this week’s Indo? #ffaf
9:37 AM gavinsblog - Almost at citywest now #ffaf
9:42 AM Simon McGarr - For the benefit of readers (four of you currently) I should explain that we’re collecting info from FF party members attending the Ard Fheis as well as from non-Fianna Fail bloggers who are just going along to blog, report and/or rubberneck. So don’t expect the blog to have a unified editorial view of anything.
9:44 AM ConallMcD - Blogging on Fianna Fail and national government. Would they, could they? http://tinyurl.com/ak39yh
9:44 AM Suzy Byrne - Newlands cross #ffaf
9:53 AM fiannafailparty - Live stream now in operation: http://url.ie/18z2
9:57 AM gavinsblog - In the Swift room I think, power and wifi in abundance #ffaf
10:00 AM damienblake - @gavinsblog Two open wifi networks throughout, not great for plugs outside press room though
10:00 AM finkeegan - @gavinsblog Jonathan Swift was more ahead of his time than I thought. #ffaf
10:01 AM damienblake - By the way, I’m @fiannafailparty today and Kevin is @ografiannafail
10:01 AM gavinsblog - @damienblake thanks, just gonna charge for a bit
10:08 AM MickFealty - @lexia Between nappy changes and feed; we’re also live blogging at Slugger: http://url.ie/18z3 #ffaf
10:08 AM Simon McGarr - Can we have a quick check- Who’s where? I’m live from my couch with a 2 year old chaos engine. #ffaf
10:09 AM gavinsblog - Myself and Suzie in the Swift room on 3rd floor #ffaf
10:12 AM Simon McGarr - I’m actually quite surprised at how powerful these tools are at bringing a mirrorball of views all together. You can get on-the-spot reports, thoughts from couches and who instant TV reviews in one flood.
10:13 AM Suzy Byrne - I’m in with my Fianna Fáil neckband and press pass – now safe from being accosted from people looking for votes for the national executive or whatever
10:13 AM Suzy Byrne - Granted before I got my pass nobody came near me – must be the red jumper…
10:16 AM MickFealty - @Tupp_Ed we first tried them on uup conference… and the tories seem to take off with using the #camdir tag we gave them #ffaf
10:17 AM Suzy Byrne - Other press in press room are looking at the bloggers and wondering who we are… we are looking at the scones.
10:17 AM Simon McGarr - re #ffaf liveblog I feel next week’s @shanehegarty Irish Times column may be writing itself
10:20 AM Simon McGarr - @suzybie What’s the atmosphere in the Press Room like? All charging laptops and business coffees? Or conspiratorial confabs to rig coverage?
10:20 AM MickFealty - Two live blogs on fianna fail ard fheis today; Slugger http://url.ie/18z6; And Tuppenceworth: http://tinyurl.com/djc7ct
10:22 AM brenstrong - Brian Cowen, Homeboy? http://www.rte.ie/news/2009/0227/fiannafail.html
10:22 AM Suzy Byrne - Mark Coughlan arrives in a suit with tie – not a cord in sight.
10:24 AM lexia - @suzybie Loving your embedded commentary!
10:26 AM MickFealty - Anyone twitpicing or flickrising #ffaf?
10:27 AM gavinsblog - Mr Coughlan’s laptop dwarfs myself and Suzie’s – I am suddenly feeling inferior – hehe #ffaf
10:29 AM Suzy Byrne - Being female I don’t have laptop envy. It’s quitened down here – no plots in room. Waiting for news on the big idea of the day..
10:31 AM Simon McGarr - Waiting for delivery of what the big idea of the day will be sounds like exactly the conspiracy I expected. #ffaf
10:32 AM gavinsblog - Pic as requested Mr Coughlan in the aforementioned suit #ffaf http://twitpic.com/1qxhw
10:33 AM Mark_Coughlan - Sorted. Phone twitter set up. Set to do some roaming later. I’ve a contact behind the bar #ffaf hah… (all very serious though really)
10:35 AM lexia - @gavinsblog If you see Willie O’Dea about can you Twitpic him? Looking for a new background. Thanks. #ffaf
10:36 AM Suzy Byrne - So will there be ministerial visits to the press room today? Or do we need to go play hide and seek?
10:37 AM Suzy Byrne - Joke in Press Room – `Good news for Cowen in opinion polls – he’s twice as popular as government.`
10:39 AM MickFealty - @Tupp_Ed If you’re expecting a conspiracy, I’m sure one will show up sooner or later…
10:45 AM Suzy Byrne - Sconetime…agriculture minister responding to debate. I still don’t remember his name.
10:46 AM gavinsblog - Having a tea, the scones look tasty, Suzy is testing for me #ffaf
10:48 AM Mark_Coughlan - tech meltdown here. Vieo to media room is breaking
up. While personally, my own blog is seriously slow! #ffaf
10:48 AM justinf - @Mark_Coughlan am receiving you via this interweb thingie. #ffaf
10:50 AM gavinsblog - Video feed is working… finally #ffaf
10:52 AM Suzy Byrne - Ok we’re nearly at the stage we’d be better off at home – video feed into press room died. RTE coverage starts shortly.
10:52 AM gavinsblog - oh wait it’s not working… argh #ffaf
10:53 AM Simon McGarr - @suzybie Are you not allowed to wander around in the real world? Must you watch it all on video? #ffaf
10:53 AM justinf - anyone doing qix vid feed today? #ffaf
10:54 AM gavinsblog - No qik feed for me, i accidentally on purpose updated my iPhone to 2.2.2… no more cydia #ffaf
10:56 AM Suzy Byrne - I can wander but no mobility scooter and was planning a stroll at one o’clock if that was ok with you?
10:58 AM Suzy Byrne - 2 minutes to air – RTE coverage about to start. Roll call of election candidates in locals and europeans will start at same time…
10:59 AM Simon McGarr - @suzybie we cheerfully accept all that we are given. I await Gavin’s from-the-floor updates.
11:00 AM Simon McGarr - Incidentally, for the benefit of new readers, could all our intrepid #ffaf contributors link to their own blogs?
11:01 AM justinf - rte live stream http://www.rte.ie/live/ #ffaf
11:01 AM Suzy Byrne - Current Climate – FF ard fheis speak bingo
11:01 AM fiannafailparty - Ard Fheis now live on RTE Television, RTE.ie and on our website at http://url.ie/18z2
11:01 AM gavinsblog - @Tupp_Ed ah my blog is www.gavinsblog.com #ffaf
11:02 AM Suzy Byrne - You will find me on Mamanpoulet.com and I’m about to run a muscial interlude guessing game…
11:06 AM MickFealty - Dan on the Slugger live blog: “the hall looks really sparse!”
11:15 AM justinf - direct link to rte realplayer stream: http://tinyurl.com/abe94c #ffaf
11:16 AM Suzy Byrne - No digital bell systems for these delgates, old fashioned bell being rung by chair. Conference Room remains empty enough until 12 or 12.30. Press room beginning to fill up.
11:16 AM Suzy Byrne - The scrolling bar at the bottom of the internal feed in Citywest invites us to visit the merchandising tent. I may be tempted into #ffaf fashion blogging!
11:18 AM lexia - Is that a bell ringing or is it me? #ffaf
11:18 AM lexia - Councillor-wannabes are setting out their stalls like kittens. Next up, Margaret Connell running for Granard, Longford. #ffaf
11:18 AM kingkane - #ffaf hmmm Margaret has made sure to get the local town name in, and the wonderfulness of the local retailers!
11:19 AM kingkane - Molly Ringwald is running in Longford #ffaf
11:20 AM kingkane - the digital age is still with us but the knowledge economy is in hiding? Hunted out of town by that smart economy. #ffaf
11:21 AM Suzy Byrne - If any of the local councillors/candidates are looking for coverage other than on RTE they are going to be sorely dissappointed. Other media are busy being busy reading, eating scones, and talking about the match.
11:21 AM gavinsblog - God the Longford accent is terrible, ahem (both parents from Longford) #ffaf
11:21 AM MickFealty - Margaret Thatcher ‘we all know where that collection of individuals has got us’ #FFAF
11:22 AM Suzy Byrne - Laughter watch begins as Tanaiste takes to the stage…
11:25 AM Simon McGarr - #ffaf Ah, really. Could the 2nd in command not give a speech without reading it off a sheet of paper? Looks like schools debate methodology.
11:25 AM kingkane - So Mary reckons that unemployment will merely ‘exceed’ 10%, most reckon that’s only half the story #ffaf
11:28 AM Suzy Byrne - Gavin is gone to report from ground zero and finally the internal video works properly in press rom so press types can do some work or feign it anyway.
11:28 AM gavinsblog - View from the crowd #ffaf http://twitpic.com/1qy4h
11:29 AM Suzy Byrne - This speech from Coughlan is being delivered very nervously or is it just me?
11:29 AM gavinsblog - Press area view #ffaf http://twitpic.com/1qy57
11:30 AM Suzy Byrne - Google Yahoo and Ebay making Dublin their home away from home (on the internet).
11:31 AM gavinsblog - 51k? Hmm #ffaf how much will fas need for that?
11:32 AM MickFealty - 51 thousand new fas places #ffaf
11:32 AM MickFealty - Dan on the Slugger blog: FF are typically really good at that element of the presentation, making sure the hall looks packed #FFAF
11:32 AM Simon McGarr - @suzybie I think it is effectively being delivered by the top of her head. It’s one thing to Obama-ify a website, but your people… #ffaf
11:32 AM BrianGreene - Ictu’s Begg calls on Government to adopt three-year plan. I would like to see them try a 3 day plan #ffaf
11:32 AM Suzy Byrne - That 51k is very old news… any new news today?
11:33 AM jamesgallagher - Tanaiste reckons election wouldn’t be in national interest -not in her cushy interest more like http://breakingnews.ie/ireland/eyauaugbidcw/
11:34 AM Suzy Byrne - New survey announced by Tanaiste on weekly shopping – will investigate how competition works? They don’t know yet?
11:35 AM BrianGreene - #ffaf tonights speech. The thing big media do not get. Obama is clean and unlinked to the cause of the mess. Cowen was minister for finance
11:36 AM Suzy Byrne - Snappers arrive into press room – they travel in 3′s seemingly…
11:36 AM gavinsblog - Centre two aisles are full pretty much.. Atmosphere fairly unatmospheric.. Lol #ffaf http://twitpic.com/1qy76
11:36 AM Mark_Coughlan - Mary Coughlan says “the levy is effectively a tax”… well at least she’s saying something.
11:37 AM Suzy Byrne - Martin Mansergh has been let out again.
11:38 AM gavinsblog - Area behind press area #ffaf not a great place to sit though.. http://twitpic.com/1qy89
11:38 AM Simon McGarr - @gavinsblog I thought there would be empty seats when I heard the FF General Secretary was telling journalists that they were swamped.
11:39 AM Suzy Byrne - Niamh Moran bemoans the ‘killing of snowtopia’. Murder in Mulhuddart. Bell rings for funeral.
11:39 AM MickFealty - @gavinsblog Coughlan’s one punchline (‘jobs creation is the bottom line’) met by utter silence… #ffaf
11:40 AM gavinsblog - @primaryposition hehe good few people left after the Coughlan speech #ffaf
11:40 AM gavinsblog - @MickFealty she wasn’t a great speaker.. Atmosphere is pretty staid #ffaf
11:41 AM Suzy Byrne - JFK quote from Mayo candidate ding – and reference to rugby match too! Full house!
11:42 AM Alexia Golez - Oh my! A JFK reference and a nod at the rugby match from the candidate from Mayo.
11:42 AM justinf - is there a radio stream available for the ff ard fheis. RTEs realplayer stream is very choppy #ffaf
11:42 AM micheleneylon - @gavinsblog are any of the Fianna Fail people good speakers? #ffaf
11:43 AM Alexia Golez - * snap *
11:43 AM gavinsblog - That guy michael smith from mayo was good #ffaf
11:44 AM justinf - mark coughlan ff blog entry http://tinyurl.com/a9p9at #ffaf
11:46 AM gavinsblog - Ha lenihan just got up and realized he was on de telly, just handed doc across #ffaf
11:49 AM fiannafailparty - ECONOMY session continues in the Main Hall, on RTE and live online at http://url.ie/190j
11:49 AM Suzy Byrne - Averil Power gets the interest from Press Room but for all the wrong reasons…
11:49 AM justinf - FAIL… just tried the RTE Digital Radio News service. no ard fheis. #ffaf #fail
11:51 AM Suzy Byrne - Averil Power reaches into her USI training – she works for a minister but you wouldn’t know that.
11:51 AM MickFealty - Yay, dig at the opposition: cutting and spending…FF in the middle/muddle… #FFAF
11:52 AM MickFealty - There is just Ireland, and we are all inseparale (from FF) #FFAF
11:52 AM gavinsblog - The lady in the pink dress is a certain journalist’s wife #ffaf
11:52 AM Suzy Byrne - Best reaction to speech so far for Averil Power and that includes Tanaiste! #ffaf
11:54 AM gavinsblog - Great response in the crowd to her, I liked the obamaisms #ffaf
11:56 AM Suzy Byrne - Cowen about to arrive – flutter in press room as people leave to doorstep. #ffaf
11:57 AM Suzy Byrne - I’m holding a copy of Brian Lenihans speech – embargo is listed at 11. Surely some mistake. Speedreading commences..
11:59 AM Suzy Byrne - Tallaght South Delegate can speak – amazement in room – must be something in water cf. Charlie O’Connor.
12:02 PM gavinsblog - Here’s Lenihan #ffaf
12:02 PM Suzy Byrne - ‘We Irish are natural sceptics. We tend to wallow in our ills and beat ourselves up.’ Lenihan
12:03 PM gavinsblog - Mr L on the stage http://twitpic.com/1qyj6
12:03 PM Suzy Byrne - Tax increases have to part of the solution to our economic difficulties. But there can be no return to the bad old days of 64% tax rates. – Lenihan
12:04 PM gavinsblog - Ah that old chestnut.. It was the world’s fault! #ffaf
12:05 PM gavinsblog - The past is in the past lads! #ffaf
12:05 PM Suzy Byrne - Sean Lemass and TK Whittaker – Ding
12:06 PM Suzy Byrne - ‘The Fine Gael Constellation of the past’ – coming to an observatory near you!
12:08 PM gavinsblog - Crowd reaction #ffaf http://twitpic.com/1qyl0
12:08 PM kingkane - FG have a constellation? he doesn’t recall a single division where FG supported them? Err..has he forgotten the banking bill already? #ffaf
12:08 PM MarkDennehy - Jaysus, I need to rob a bank quickly so, so that it’ll be in the past and I won’t have to worry about it…. #ffaf
12:09 PM Mark_Coughlan - we have abolished the excessive bonuses paid by bankers to themselves #ffaf
12:10 PM gavinsblog - Definite caps? How long did the report take again? #ffaf
12:10 PM Mark_Coughlan - we have abolished the excessive bonuses paid by bankers to themselves #ffaf
12:10 PM Mark_Coughlan - caps will be placed on senior bankers within the banking system #ffaf
12:10 PM Suzy Byrne - Cowen Doorstep in ten minutes #ffaf
12:11 PM Mark_Coughlan - 4500e must be borrowed for every man woman and child in the state #ffaf
12:11 PM lecraic - Caps on salaries, evil bankers- ooh look , fluffy clouds #ffaf
12:11 PM BrianGreene - we are doomed, they still have not come to grips with the results of their own fallout. Toxic by Spears or Turners cover comes to mind #ffaf
12:12 PM Mark_Coughlan - we harvested money in the pension fund #ffaf
12:12 PM gavinsblog - What have we got to show for the Celtic tiger lads? Roads? #ffaf
12:13 PM Suzy Byrne - Has anyone heard anything new today so far apart from Coughlans study of competition for consumers and the whole north south shopping thing?
12:14 PM fiannafailparty - Minister for Finance now adressing the Ard Fheis – http://url.ie/190j and on RTE television #ffaf
12:14 PM Simon McGarr - Harvested?
12:15 PM gavinsblog - That canary again., what about tax breaks on pensions distorting the figure? #ffaf
12:15 PM Suzy Byrne - Bell ringing for Lenihan? No mercy spared for anyone it seems.
12:16 PM Suzy Byrne - Sangwiches arriving in Press room. #ffaf
12:17 PM gavinsblog - Standing ovation hmm #ffaf
12:18 PM Suzy Byrne - and its a standing ovation and cheers for Lenihan. Gavin can report on the exact nature of it.
12:19 PM gavinsblog - Exodus after Lenihan #ffaf
12:19 PM Suzy Byrne - Sarah Ryan is running for local elections but she has not told us where….ooops
12:19 PM kingkane - oh a foreign man said “the Irish are a great people” hurrah for external validation! #ffaf
12:19 PM gavreilly - A Trichet quote would be more endearing if Trichet hadn’t overseen the biggest meltdown in history, wouldn’t it? #ffaf
12:20 PM lecraic - Lenihans delivery don’t match the words – uninspiring and uninspired #ffaf
12:20 PM lecraic - Top 1% of earners contribute 20% of tax yield #ffaf
12:20 PM Suzy Byrne - Radio people having audio problems getting clips for their packages. #ffaf
12:20 PM gavinsblog - The exodus #ffaf http://twitpic.com/1qyqs
12:21 PM MickFealty - Lenihan: “The top 1% of all earners whose income is over €200,000 contribute 20% of the total income tax yield.” #FFAF
12:21 PM gavreilly - Oh dear. If you have guaranteed national airtime, it might be an idea to tell people where you’re running for. #fiannaFAIL #ffaf
12:24 PM Simon McGarr - I thought Fintin O’Toole had killed off that 1%/20% meme on Questions and Answers two weeks ago. #ffaf
12:25 PM Suzy Byrne - Willie O’Dea’s speech is between one and 2.30 – I will go down to hall for that one…
12:25 PM fiannafailparty - Economy session now continues with delegate motions, online all day and on RTE until 1pm #ffaf
12:25 PM greendanny - FF Ard Fheis: ‘the whole country stands fully behind Lenihan’. LOL
12:26 PM damienblake - @tupp_ed I recently heard top 6.5% pay 50%
12:27 PM MickFealty - 2 live blogs on fianna fail ard fheis today; Slugger http://url.ie/18z6; And Tuppenceworth: http://tinyurl.com/djc7ct Twitter’s the Star
12:27 PM Suzy Byrne - speaker admits to being briefed. Ignores briefing and brings out free travel example – let’s not mention medical cards!
12:30 PM gavinsblog - This is a bit like being at mass.. #ffaf
12:33 PM gavinsblog - No sense of responsibility inthe speeches.. The recession just happened and the last 11 years of FF policy has nothing to do with it. #ffaf
12:33 PM Mark_Coughlan - Just at that Cowen Press conf. it was a bit of a scrum. The token gaelige question and a few decent ones Cowen batted off as expected #ffaf
12:34 PM justinf - via newstalk : ff ard fheis votes for a “review” of the minimum wage. #ffaf fiddle. rome. nero. burning.
12:34 PM wthashtag - #ffaf is now trending http://wthash.com/ffaf
12:34 PM Mark_Coughlan - Lot of talk of that Councillor from Tallaght who spoke earlier “great vocab, super”… In fairness he spoke well… #ffaf
12:36 PM Mark_Coughlan - Bloggers: @suzybie and I in the pressroom writing @gavinsblog in the conf centre listening and getting the pulse. Blog entry ETA 25min #ffaf
12:36 PM Suzy Byrne - No buzz from this mornings speeches in terms of new initiatives? Am I missing something #ffaf
12:39 PM gavinsblog - Ms hanafin! #ffaf
12:41 PM gavinsblog - School teacher giving mass! #ffaf my worst nightmare! Lol
12:43 PM gavinsblog - Banks as a tool of government policy #ffaf
12:44 PM Suzy Byrne - One O’clock radio packages being finished off in press room. I’ll be off downstairs shortly to see if someone wants to spin anything #ffaf
12:44 PM gavinsblog - Subprime? Wha? Don’t you mean ALL the banks? #ffaf
12:46 PM gavinsblog - Shame bank fraud is tolerated.. #ffaf
12:47 PM justinf - live stream on FF site is better than the RTE one http://tinyurl.com/d2orm4 #ffaf
12:48 PM Suzy Byrne - Someone put something in Minister Hanifin’s porridge this morning. Social Welfare Fraud will be tackled. She’s using a teleprompter?
12:52 PM Suzy Byrne - And it’s time to bash the media.
12:52 PM gavinsblog - Mr cowen is in da house, centre of this pic but quite far away http://twitpic.com/1qz4c
12:54 PM Simon McGarr - Abdicating my responsibilities to #ffaf in favour of those to my buggy occupant. @lexia is in charge of the shop.
12:56 PM Suzy Byrne - I’ve never seen Headmistress Hanifin make a speech before #ffaf
12:57 PM Suzy Byrne - Willie O’Dea’s speech arrives in the room…. bit of a dash #ffaf
1:02 PM Mark_Coughlan - Blog entry II, for the Fianna Fail Ard Fheis “G’wan Shelly!” #ffaf
1:03 PM Mark_Coughlan - Blog entry II, for the Fianna Fail Ard Fheis “G’wan Shelly!” #ffaf www.markcoughlan.com
1:10 PM justinf - ff minister of finance being interviewed on rte radio 1 now #ffaf
1:11 PM justinf - cowen interview on rte 1 now #ffaf
1:14 PM Simon McGarr - #ffaf Cowen on Rte radio news sounds squashed. Lackluster banned answers, delivered in a lackluster way.
1:14 PM Suzy Byrne - Wrong time to come out of press room. 4,000 delegates pint and food seeking. #ffaf
1:24 PM gavinsblog - Just got a video of Cowen etc, uploading to YouTube #ffaf
1:32 PM Suzy Byrne - See http://markcoughlan.com/ for more photos and atmosphere from #ffaf
1:38 PM Suzy Byrne - heard from @damienblake that he gave presentation on blogging to fringe meeting at #ffaf. Last minute thing so bloggers missed it!
1:39 PM Mark_Coughlan - Off searching for The Cope Gallagher. Text me if you’ve got any local Councillors you want interviewed. Gimme Q’s too. Phone# on blog #ffaf
1:43 PM gavinsblog - Video of Cowen leaving after Hanafin’s speech, scrum for photos etc, you might here me saying sorry.. Bit of a squeeze! http://url.ie/190y
1:44 PM gavinsblog - Video of Cowen leaving after Hanafin’s speech, scrum for photos etc, you might here me saying sorry… http://url.ie/190y #ffaf
1:45 PM Suzy Byrne - ‘We will not lower out horizons. We will not succumb to defeatism. We will not fail our people. Go Raibh Maith Agaibh’ Dermot Ahern Fighting Em on the Beaches.
1:47 PM eoinbannon - Dermot Ahern uses same Woody Guthrie line as Gerry Adams did last week. Doh!
1:53 PM justinf - irish times poll : 13% support for FF in dublin (via rte radio 1 ) #ffaf
1:55 PM MickFealty - @suzybie I think you got the gist Suzy!! Tory party line ala 1996/7
1:57 PM justinf - “Fury over bank crisis bungling” http://tinyurl.com/cf2bag #ffaf
1:58 PM Mark_Coughlan - ODea’s speech is all over the place.
2:00 PM Mark_Coughlan - There is no doubt, at least there should be no doubt about our neautrality #ffaf
2:02 PM Mark_Coughlan - ODea does some p-pol point scoring then says its not the time for that #ffaf
2:06 PM MickFealty - @fiannafailparty There appears to be no feed from #ffaf What’s happening?
2:08 PM gavinsblog - Ms Byrne working hard #ffaf http://twitpic.com/1r08n
2:08 PM Mark_Coughlan - Odea re neutrality ‘ireland is not for turning’
2:09 PM justinf - Indo today – dublin commuter belt house prices “in freefall” http://tinyurl.com/az6ghv #ffaf #creditcrunch
2:17 PM gavinsblog - Interesting that the Minister for Justice fails to mention white-collar crime once. #ffaf
2:18 PM Suzy Byrne - An awful lot of going off speech today but it would be good if we could hear speeches #ffaf
2:18 PM damienblake - @suzybie @lawlessj that was Kevin Byrne’s canvassmanager.com – really impressive
2:18 PM gavinsblog - Or he does at the start, but sort of… moves along quickly. “No-one is above the law” he says. History says otherwise #ffaf
2:21 PM Suzy Byrne - Photographer asks me what i think of photo of Coughlan – loads of leg – and a bit of nudge nudge. I’m suitably unimpressed. Not sure if it’s the leg or Coughlan that’s effecting me.
2:23 PM gavinsblog - Macs vs PCs in the press room… 5% Macs #ffaf
2:25 PM Suzy Byrne - Bloggers doing a mac count in the room #ffaf
2:27 PM gavinsblog - Sigh. Batt O’Keeffe boasts of spending €640m on school building in 08. €2.1bn was spent buying houses for people. #ffafc
2:30 PM lostexpectation - how much was that temp buildings or buildings ten years late @gavingblogs #ffaf
2:30 PM justinf - @gavinsblog and how much of that went to FF supporting property developers i wonder.. #ffaf
2:31 PM gavinsblog - @justinf i wonder the same thing… #ffaf still buying houses now at inflated prices…
2:31 PM Mark_Coughlan - Blog Post IV #ffaf O’Dea and the lads in the bar www.markcoughlan.com
2:33 PM gavinsblog - Second Cowen video is up http://url.ie/1917 #ffaf
2:37 PM gavinsblog - That last video has Cowen embracing Johnny Ronan of Treasury Holdings http://url.ie/1917
2:43 PM Simon McGarr - @gavinsblog you might have caught an iconic image there.
2:45 PM gavinsblog - @Tupp_Ed perhaps, Mr Ronan has… coloured… interests in the property market. #ffaf
2:46 PM Suzy Byrne - Dermot Ahern is going to brief journalists about the bank raid #ffaf
2:51 PM Suzy Byrne - Instead of spinning to journalists and bloggers it is believed that feeding them is the answer? #ffaf
2:53 PM damienblake - @gavinsblog That;s not Johnny Ronan, he’s an FF Councillor. Will try to track him down
2:54 PM Suzy Byrne - Culinary report from Press room – pics to follow. Scones first, then sambos, now onion bhajis, spring rolls, volauvents. #ffaf
2:54 PM damienblake - @gavinsblog Just did a google images search for Johnny Ronan, I see where the difficulty arises
2:55 PM Mark_Coughlan - Ahern will have ‘something to say to the press room’ at 4PM.
2:55 PM damienblake - @gavinsblog The guy in the video is Johnny Foley, an FF Councillor from Co Offaly – http://tinyurl.com/ajombc
2:55 PM damienblake - @gavinsblog The guy in the video is Johnny Foley, an FF Councillor from Co Offaly – http://tinyurl.com/ajombc #ffaf
2:55 PM gavinsblog - @damienblake jaysus he’s the spit off Johnny Ronan! lol
2:56 PM gavinsblog - @damienblake thanks for crrction…! jaysus cant get over the resemblance!
2:56 PM damienblake - @gavinsblog It’s uncanny, I’ve never seen Johnny Ronan before but I met Johnny Foley at a conference before
2:57 PM Suzy Byrne - No spinning, briefing, minding, guiding – just feeding at #ffaf
3:01 PM Mark_Coughlan - Guaruntee the people following bloggers at #ffaf will be informed quicker than anyone watching RTE/IT.com re: Ahern @ 4PM and I’m a journo
3:04 PM gavinsblog - Ive discovered there’s a FF cllr who is the spit off Johnny Ronan. He is also Johnny. how odd. #ffaf crrction to previous tweet
3:04 PM justinf - thanks to everyone doing the #ffaf thing. very informative.
3:05 PM MickFealty - @damienblake where’s the live stream? as a dweller in a ‘foreign state’ am I barred or something?
3:10 PM justinf - is it just me, but anytime i see the #ffaf tag my brain reads “faff”
3:10 PM gavinsblog - O’Keeffe speaking now #ffaf have speech in print already… not sure why they moved event upstairs.
3:12 PM Mark_Coughlan - Okeefe re primary. We will lose just 200 of 31k teachers.
3:13 PM Suzy Byrne - @MickFealty @lexia reading afternoon speeches here and nothing new being announced anywhere that can i see #ffaf
3:14 PM Suzy Byrne - Journalists talking about blogging – someone says they must learn how to blog #ffaf
3:14 PM justinf - livestream down? http://tinyurl.com/d2orm4 #ffaf
3:16 PM MickFealty - @suzybie yeah, it’s all pretty turgid stuff… Dukes words came back to me ‘no hard policy instruments in there’ No mini budget, because…
3:16 PM Mark_Coughlan - O’keefe appears to have gone off script. May even be reading diff one.
3:19 PM Mark_Coughlan - Okeefe heavily criticises the way uni heads spend funding
3:25 PM Mark_Coughlan - #ffaf Okeefe to restore the summer works scheme wit extra water+energy conserv scheme
3:26 PM Suzy Byrne - @Mark_Coughlan lots of Ministers went off speech today – especially Lenihan who admitted that public expenditure went too far…
3:26 PM Mark_Coughlan - Okeefe/Bono We’ll have to suffer in short term to save the kids in the long #ffaf
3:29 PM MickFealty - @suzybie just got Cullen’s speech. Pretty dull; lot of bullet dodging.. when you have nothing good 2 say keep quiet is today’s theme #ffaf
3:31 PM Suzy Byrne - cheers in press room for tea and coffee arrival – not a lot more going on #ffaf
3:33 PM Mark_Coughlan - Young Naas cumann member steps up to podium to oppose 3rd level fees.
3:37 PM lostexpectation - @suzybie are the journalist not doing their magic, that only years of training allows them to do, i mean omg, don’t dis em #faff
3:37 PM justinf - have all the FFers run away from twitter? #ffaf
3:42 PM Mark_Coughlan - Third-level fees issue seems fairly definite to return after that speech by O’Keefe. Just depends on how it’ll be implemented now. #ffaf
3:42 PM Suzy Byrne - pondering on waiting for Dermot Ahern to come into the press room for a chat. Crime vs.Equality, Human RIghts, Same Sex partnerships? #ffaf
4:12 PM lostexpectation - i thought the fees decisions was taken ages ago and we would see the type of fee structure this weekend #ffaf
4:12 PM lostexpectation - crime vs equality? #ffaf
4:12 PM lostexpectation - 3.45-4.30pm: New Directions on the Economy
Key ministers present:

* Minister for Transport
* Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources #ffaf
4:12 PM lostexpectation - wheres ryan? #ffaf
4:12 PM Mark Dennehy - If they reintroduce 3rd level fees, a lot of folks are never going to vote for them again.
4:15 PM Suzy Byrne - RT @EoinRyanMEP: Bad poll for us tomorrow but difficult decisions have to me made to turn things around
4:19 PM justinf - any word on that Ahern press conference that was supposed to start at 4pm? #ffaf
4:21 PM Suzy Byrne - tv cameras tripod being set up into Press room – must be a Minister due soon #ffaf
4:21 PM Mark_Coughlan - #ffaf Fianna Fail Ard Fheis Entry V “Motion Passed” www.markcoughlan.comc
4:22 PM Suzy Byrne - bet only thing that Dermot Ahern will be talking about will be the raid…get the spake in before anyone is charged…
4:23 PM Suzy Byrne - Ahern enters room – @gavinsblog is up with camera – race begins to get him first online – gaggle forms – I can’t hear a word #ffaf
4:23 PM Mark_Coughlan - Minister for Justice speaking on Bank robbery
4:26 PM Suzy Byrne - nobody not sitting on ministers nose can really hear a word Ahern’s saying…#ffaf
4:26 PM Suzy Byrne - Ahern asked question about people eating in fancy restaurants soon eating porridge – re white collar crime #ffaf
4:27 PM Suzy Byrne - @gavinsblog is getting Ahern’s gaggle on tape – loads of laughter – and it’s over #ffaf
4:28 PM justinf - poll http://tinyurl.com/dfhbnj fg 30 , ff 23 , lab 22, sf 11 #ffaf
4:28 PM Mark_Coughlan - “minister what were the name of the files taken from Anglo by Gardai?” Thats not for me to answer”… “Ah g’wan!”
4:32 PM Suzy Byrne - i’m telling journalists news on sunday biz post poll from irishelection.com #ffaf
4:33 PM Suzy Byrne - and my work here in CIty West Hotel is done… back tonight for Cowen’s speech #ffaf
4:35 PM justinf - latest poll is dreadful for ff. #ffaf meltdown territory. any sign of positioning to succeed cowen yet?
4:44 PM justinf - considering that latest poll + the RTE voxpop of FF grassroots, Cowen will have to do the speech of his life tonight. else he’s toast #ffaf
4:48 PM justinf - http://tinyurl.com/cb5qzq tribune last week. history of ff corruption. #ffaf
4:48 PM eoinbannon - FF party democracy, free fees, etc #ffaf
4:49 PM gavinsblog - At the bar among the FF faithful before the match #ffaf http://twitpic.com/1r3jt
4:56 PM MickFealty - Slugger’s live blog still chuntering on, courtesy of Twitter and a few blog clips… http://url.ie/191n See youse all after THE game #FFAF
5:05 PM MickFealty - Just added the #6nations tag to Slugger’s #ffaf live blog to keep things interesting and continue the theme of id-ing FF with Ireland.
5:08 PM fiannafailparty - Social Capital session finishing up; doors open in the Convention Centre for Foreign Affairs and Taoiseach’s address #ffaf
5:14 PM gavinsblog - Dermot Ahern video up now: http://url.ie/191r some good questions in there about white collar crime #ffaf
5:16 PM gavinsblog - Sorry the sound quality isnt the best at the start #ffaf might have to turn the volume up
5:17 PM justinf - @gavinsblog the vids are great. thanks for all the work.
5:33 PM Mark_Coughlan - Press room has ground to a halt here for game #ffaf
6:28 PM justinf - indo report on THAT poll http://tinyurl.com/cxys7z of course, if you were following #ffaf you would have heard about it hours ago.
6:30 PM Suzy Byrne - @justinf a good few journos learnt about poll from listening to #ffaf read it out from our sources
6:42 PM Simon McGarr - How do people feel the #ffaf liveblogging has been going. I’d like to extend special thanks to @gavinsblog @Suzybie and @mark_coughlan
7:03 PM Mark_Coughlan - #ffaf running their superdraw. Enthralling stuff. Rugby on the the press room.
7:05 PM justinf - @suzybie thats so awesome. #ffaf getting the info out to the dead tree press…
7:27 PM justinf - rte radio 1 news just reported on that poll #ffaf
7:42 PM Mark_Coughlan - Bertie due in the next 10 mins. Flew in from US earlier.
7:44 PM Suzy Byrne - Retweeting @Mark_Coughlan: Bertie due in the next 10 mins. Flew in from US earlier. #ffaf
7:45 PM fiannafailparty - An Tanaiste Mary Coughlan TD now addressing delegates – online at http://tinyurl.com/d2orm4
7:48 PM justinf - right. off to get some beers in before BIFFO does his thing. i’ll more than likely need them.. #ffaf
7:48 PM gavinsblog - Settled in with the lads for Cowen’s speech @eoinbannon @mark_coughlan #ffaf
7:50 PM gavinsblog - The view from the press area #ffaf http://twitpic.com/1r8hh
7:51 PM Suzy Byrne - @gavinsblog waves at lads I miss yis
7:51 PM justinf - bertie on now #ffaf
7:52 PM Mark_Coughlan - In press area. Awful view. Battery dodgey. Basic points of Cowens speech scheduled at www.markcoughlan.com #ffaf
7:52 PM Mark_Coughlan - Raucous cheering for Bertie arrival. #ffaf
7:54 PM justinf - hmm.. not a smart move to have bertie on. will only further undermine cowen, imho. unless bertie is going to come back? #ffaf
7:55 PM fiannafailparty - An Taoiseach will address delegates at 8:30pm, live on RTE tv and radio, and online at http://tinyurl.com/d2orm4
7:56 PM fiannafailparty - An Taoiseach will address delegates at 8:30pm, live on RTE tv and radio, and online at http://tinyurl.com/d2orm4 #ffaf
7:56 PM justinf - what the… irish tenors? #ffaf
7:56 PM eoinbannon - short Bertie love-in video being shown. the man is in the house #ffaf
7:56 PM justinf - ff live stream here : http://tinyurl.com/d2orm4 #ffaf
7:56 PM Suzy Byrne - de tree tenors or a version of are singing at #ffaf – Dublin in rare old times.
7:58 PM gavinsblog - Irish tenors singing some songs… #ffaf http://twitpic.com/1r8q0
7:58 PM Suzy Byrne - singing about redundancy and trade being a memory not a good idea @ #ffaf
7:58 PM damienblake - Yes, @lawlessj is tweeting live from on the stage at #ffaf
8:01 PM Mark_Coughlan - Sitting in the press area of the Ard Fheis listening to the Celtic Tenors. Does this constitute music or political journalism? #ffaf
8:08 PM Ian McGahon - Is it me – or the microphones giving a buzz?
8:08 PM eoinbannon - short Bertie love-in video being shown. the man is in the house #ffaf
8:08 PM MickFealty - Yay, The town I loved so well, for Derry FF no doubt!! You know who you are!!! #ffaf
8:14 PM Suzy Byrne - Any Alliance party members of note from Derry now that FF have said they’ll join the liberals?
8:15 PM Suzy Byrne - Irelands call now being sung at #ffaf
8:16 PM Mark_Coughlan - Irelands Call being sung by Celtic Tenors here. The audience are getting into it, clapping along. You can tell they’ve seen Bertie #ffaf
8:16 PM MickFealty - seven minutes… that’s got to be a record… oh, Ireland’s Call I wonder why? #ffaf
8:20 PM gavinsblog - Jesus… i feel sick… lol #ffaf Rolling Stones being killed here…brings me back to the launch of Windows 95, and Cowen is Gates
8:20 PM Suzy Byrne - Brian Cowen Motivational/inspitational video now being shown to delegates #ffaf
8:20 PM fiannafailparty - Introduction for An Taoiseach will address delegates at 8:30pm, live on RTE tv and radio, and online at http://tinyurl.com/d2orm4 #ffaf
8:20 PM Mark_Coughlan - Cowen warm up video accompanied by Start me Up by… five stars for anyone who guesses correctly #ffaf
8:21 PM gavinsblog - Our illustrious leader still speaks business speak.. going forward #ffaf
8:22 PM Mark_Coughlan - Noel Dempsey on stage to intro An Taoiseach
8:23 PM brogenhayes - @Mark_Coughlan Rolling Stones? #ffaf
8:23 PM gavinsblog - I don’t get it, I just don’t get the enthusiasm.. ?? puzzled #ffaf
8:23 PM squidlimerick - Feeling like cinterella having ff request for accreditation ignored, for any event, not just #ffaf Could be all that gilmore stuff on site
8:23 PM eoinbannon - Showing a Cowen pep video now.’Start me up’ is the soundtrack.Can someone start Ireland up again please? #ffaf
8:23 PM Mark_Coughlan - Citizens cant believe what has happened and it fills them with anger. Much of it directed at us… #ffaf – Dempsey
8:24 PM Suzy Byrne - Noel Dempsey bounds up onto stage to do warm up speech for Cowen #ffaf
8:24 PM gavinsblog - ‘Economic treason’ from Dempsey again #ffaf IMHO the treason came from B Ahern.
8:24 PM Suzy Byrne - Welcomes action taken by Gardai against people who’ve used Ireland as own personal piggybank #ffaf
8:24 PM gavinsblog - FF can’t see the connection between the Anglo problem, the building boom and FF’s policies #ffaf
8:24 PM Mark_Coughlan - Dempsey, in fairness to him, is speaking fairly frankly. Pity he’s not shouldering blame. Compares bankers to Cromwell #ffaf
8:25 PM eoinbannon - Showing a Cowen pep video now.’Start me up’ is the soundtrack.Can someone start Ireland up again please? #ffaf
8:25 PM Ian McGahon - Noel Dempsey is goddamn right for once – Of course Irish people are angry at FF
8:25 PM Suzy Byrne - Cromwell was better then these people who robbed country (Paraphrasing mad here…) #ffaf
8:25 PM Ian McGahon - FF condemns all the bankers!
8:26 PM Mark_Coughlan - Bankers dealing with FF throughout the years does not amount to guilt by assoc. – Dempsey #ffaf
8:27 PM Suzy Byrne - Noel fed up with cheap assumptions about FF and bankers and developers… categorically refutes smears #ffafc
8:27 PM Mark_Coughlan - Standing ovation for Dempseys speech re ITS ALL THE BANKERS we didnt do nowt! #ffaf
8:27 PM gavinsblog - Crowd going mad over the ‘smears’ by E Kenny, supporting Dempsey #ffaf
8:28 PM gavinsblog - Stands up to vested interests?? Ya wha? #ffaf
8:28 PM Mark_Coughlan - Is this live on RTE TV (as opposed to RTE.ie) ATM? #ffaf
8:29 PM gavinsblog - Feckin hell, FF are in complete denial about who is responsible for the state of the economy. It wasn’t us, we swear #ffaf
8:29 PM Suzy Byrne - @Mark_Coughlan not live on RTE yet #ffaf – video needs to be released of Dempsey’s speech
8:29 PM Simon McGarr - Dempsey telling me Black is White. A fantasy world of FF as strangers to builders and bankers, friend to the weak. #ffaf
8:29 PM eoinbannon - Good thing for FF that Dempsey’s speech is not on TV. No sense of responsibility shown. The faithful love it though #ffaf
8:29 PM Ian McGahon - Dempsey FF “stands up to vested interests”
8:30 PM Mark_Coughlan - @suzybie not surprised, such a party-targeted speech it’s ridic #ffaf
8:30 PM gavinsblog - FF = I didn’t do it, nobody saw me do it, you can’t prove anything. #ffaf
8:30 PM MickFealty - Dempsey being greeted like a ballsy bishop talking to a bunch of ‘put upon’ priests… #ffaf
8:30 PM eoinbannon - Oh wait, is this bit on tv? #ffaf
8:31 PM cianflah - any chance of Noel dempsey video?
8:31 PM rdelevan - #ffaf some authenticity from ND. Better.
8:31 PM annie_gil - @gavinsblog Typical FF response #ffaf
8:31 PM Suzy Byrne - Dempsey now on RTE #ffaf
8:32 PM Mark_Coughlan - FG and Labour will, regret the day they danced around a wounded economy. #ffaf Dempsey
8:32 PM justinf - “fine gael and labour danced around our wounded economy” #ffaf
8:32 PM gavinsblog - ND is on another planet. #ffaf
8:33 PM Simon McGarr - WOW! Opposition don’t love Ireland like FF do. Had wondered what happened to all Bush’s scriptwriters. Now I know where they ended up #ffaf
8:33 PM justinf - cowen on now #ffaf
8:33 PM Suzy Byrne - Local election candidates are behind Brian Cowen as he takes stage
8:34 PM justinf - jesus.. he looks shaken…and worried #ffaf
8:34 PM Mark_Coughlan - Right, three minutes to blog post. Round up of Cowen’s speech #ffaf
8:34 PM gavinsblog - Men in tears in front of me on the entrance of Cowen #ffaf
8:34 PM gavinsblog - It’s the world economy what did it #ffaf
8:35 PM eoinbannon - #ffaf Arcade Fire ‘No Cars Go’ the entrance tune
8:35 PM Suzy Byrne - The lighting is kind to Cowen’s hair on the television.
8:36 PM gavinsblog - Some of my comments on the new Central Banking Commission, down the bottom of post http://url.ie/192w #ffaf
8:36 PM gavinsblog - Recession just happened, we didn’t do it #ffaf
8:36 PM Mark_Coughlan - word for word on script so far. WORD FOR WORD. For… anyway… #ffaf
8:37 PM gavinsblog - Anger over lack of regulation? #ffaf
8:37 PM MickFealty - Getting and spending, we lay waste our powers; Little we see in Nature that is ours; We have given our hearts away, a sordid boon! #ffaf
8:38 PM Ian McGahon - bankers won’t be forgiven!
8:38 PM Mark_Coughlan - @rdevelan Jon Favreau. Sure, didn’t it work with the shiney new website…
8:38 PM MickFealty - Huge anger and huge disgust at the banks… fraud squad will look after that…
8:38 PM gavinsblog - Have we learned nothing as a people from DIRT/Ansbacher? Nothing at all? #ffaf
8:39 PM cianflah - banking commission sounds a bit like bolting stable door no?
8:39 PM swearimnotpaul - Cowen’s speech is decent enough so far. But only if he does what he promises. #fiannafail #ffaf
8:39 PM Mark_Coughlan - Random groups of people are standing to applaud every pause. #faff
8:39 PM rdelevan - #ffaf which is more unlikely? Nixon in China or FF attacking bankers and developers?
8:39 PM Suzy Byrne - New head of banking regulation, financial services consumer agency – radical reform of system
8:39 PM TheMikeKelly - @gavinsblog wft who did then Homer Simpson? #ffaf
8:39 PM justinf - “radical” reform of financial regulation in ireland coming – cowen #ffaf
8:40 PM TheMikeKelly - @BrianGreene I cant even bring myself to listen to the nonsense #ffaf
8:40 PM MickFealty - New standards of regulation. new central banking commission… on Canadian model (that dirver of international capitalism). #FFAF
8:40 PM Simon McGarr - To be fair, the Regulator did exactly the job intended for it. A Mickey Mouse one, by design.
8:40 PM rdelevan - #ffaf “There will be a cap on the salaries of bank CEOs receiving govt aid’ gets the biggest spontaneous applause.
8:40 PM justinf - looks as if the Germans have finally said “enough” to him. #ffaf he does look very worried…
8:41 PM JL_Pagano - says sorry Brian…the only thing that will end this sorry chapter in Irish history is a general election #ffaf
8:41 PM gavinsblog - Who made that gap lads? Who went nuts with stamp duty money? #ffaf
8:41 PM chrismehigan - Cowen is passing all blame to the banks, again no responsibility from the Taoiseach. So much for leading by example. #ffaf
8:41 PM AllanCavanagh - #ffaf Cowen’s face is like a string of sausages having an orgy.
8:41 PM justinf - “cutting spending and raising taxes” – cowen #ffaf
8:41 PM MickFealty - RT @ConallMcDCowen makes rational arguments but there is no connection with the public #ffaf
8:42 PM fiannafailparty - An Taoiseach now live on fiannafail.ie #ffaf
8:42 PM JL_Pagano - @AllanCavanagh well sausages are off the menu for our Sunday brekkie now!!! #ffaf
8:43 PM AllanCavanagh - #ffaf that signer just made the sign for bullshit. She couldn’t help herself. #ffaf
8:43 PM Suzy Byrne - ‘Unfortunately we are not a thriving economy at the moment. ‘
8:43 PM justinf - “need to adapt our tax system… everyone will need to pay more” #ffaf
8:43 PM cianflah - the all must pay some tax refrain again
8:43 PM MickFealty - Pro cyclical tax system… when we have loads, you get loads back
8:43 PM Mark_Coughlan - Public finances restored by 2013
8:43 PM Simon McGarr - That is unfortunate.
8:43 PM chrismehigan - a fairer and more progressive tax system? We ended up with the widest gap between rich and poor in the history of the state! #ffaf
8:43 PM MickFealty - When we have nothing you pay through the nose…
8:44 PM Suzy Byrne - Thousand here, hundreds there…
8:44 PM Mark_Coughlan - Thanks for doing everything you can Brian. I only expected a 70% effort. #ffaf What is €100m? Nothing.
8:44 PM Suzy Byrne - Enterprise Stabilisation Fund – Announcement number two in speech
8:44 PM MickFealty - Pro cyclical tax system… when we have loads, you get loads back… When we have nothing you pay through the nose… #ffaf
8:45 PM gavinsblog - I finally understand FF groupthink. WE were just innocently running the country and then those evil bankers came along… #ffaf
8:45 PM justinf - enterprise stabilisation fund to be set up. 100 million funding #ffaf
8:46 PM AllanCavanagh - The glassy eyes of the hammered. That must have been a liquid dinner #ffaf
8:46 PM lecraic - Good ideas don’t stop in a recession #ffaf
8:46 PM Suzy Byrne - Demand is down Orders are full? I’m trying to get it…
8:46 PM rdelevan - #ffaf €20 says the bank salary cap will remain the biggest applause line of the speech bar the coda. Any takers?
8:46 PM Simon McGarr - Hall is falling asleep. #ffaf
8:46 PM rdelevan - #ffaf Mary Coughlan looks uncomfortable.
8:47 PM MickFealty - Good ideas always exist even thro a recession. competing in export markets.. competitive edge. reduce costs and increase productivity #FFAF
8:47 PM Suzy Byrne - ‘My government’ – here come the 51k places in FAS and graduate placement schemes. Green Economy ding.
8:47 PM justinf - horses stables bolt door #ffaf
8:47 PM MickFealty - 50,00o places are short term; the recession isn’t (2013?)… #ffaf
8:48 PM Simon McGarr - I think Brian may have a Nobel Prize for Economics coming. He’s come up with a whole new theory. Naming suggestions? #faff
8:48 PM chrismehigan - We need to work harder? I worked myself to the bone for years and still lost my job in the recession. #ffaf
8:48 PM BrianGreene - Constantin Gurdgiev (NCB) has a great take on Ireland NOT being a knowledge economy. this speech is tanking.. #ffaf go off script Brian.
8:48 PM Suzy Byrne - A bit hesitant on teleprompting
8:48 PM Mark_Coughlan - The second he finishes speaking. Basic run-down blog post on www.markcoughlan.com #ffaf
8:48 PM rdelevan - #ffaf “We will do whatever we can”. Not exactly “the only thing we have to fear” or “the stormy present”, is it?
8:48 PM justinf - “too much at stake for this country” #ffaf
8:48 PM Suzy Byrne - This time will pass – Ireland will rise again.
8:49 PM justinf - “ireland will rise again” #ffaf
8:49 PM justinf - ff stream: http://tinyurl.com/d2orm4 #ffaf
8:49 PM Mark_Coughlan - I couldnt get the bus here today. I live in Dublin. #ffaf
8:49 PM justinf - ff stream: http://tinyurl.com/d2orm4 #ffaf
8:49 PM swearimnotpaul - Brian Cowen just promised us graduates a job. Yeah… #ffaf #fiannafail
8:50 PM Ian McGahon - We have numbers
8:50 PM cianflah - watching the telly it looks like he is pleading with me to believe it is all ok
8:50 PM Simon McGarr - How’s the Tuppenceworth PrePacked Review getting on?
8:51 PM AllanCavanagh - Who’s behind Dempsey checking their watch?! #ffaf
8:51 PM BrianGreene - goodbye Dell, Waterford Crystal, SR Technics #ffaf is this guy for real.
8:51 PM Ian McGahon - Obligatory Obama mention
8:51 PM Suzy Byrne - We could set bits of this to music…
8:51 PM justinf - unbelievable.. the property bubble never happened so brian? #ffaf remember?
8:51 PM Mark_Coughlan - Obama. Check… Kennedy – waaaait for iiiiiittt… wait for iiiiiiitttttt… #ffaf
8:51 PM rdelevan - #ffaf Ireland is vital to Europe and Europe is vital to Ireland. hear hear.
8:51 PM JL_Pagano - can’t wait to hear what Gormley thinks of this speech. #ffaf
8:51 PM justinf - unbelievable.. the property bubble never happened so brian? #ffaf remember?
8:52 PM AllanCavanagh - Lisbon plug #ffaf
8:52 PM Simon McGarr - Kennedy! Hooray!
8:52 PM Alexia Golez - JFK reference! DING!
8:52 PM Mark_Coughlan - THERE! #ffaf
8:52 PM justinf - “continuing support of the european central bank” i.e. the germans are bailing us out.. #ffaf
8:52 PM Ian McGahon - Europe matters
8:52 PM rdelevan - #ffaf – Ah. Kennedy.
8:52 PM BrianGreene - ireland is not vital to Europe, they wanted to go ahead with out us post Lisbon#1 (EUC#2) #ffaf
8:52 PM TheMikeKelly - Resisting watching the #ffaf wouldn’t do my blood pressure any good
8:53 PM cianflah - what? no apple pie?
8:53 PM Alexia Golez - Coughlan is moving from nervous to plain bored on the spin of coin
8:53 PM Suzy Byrne - Waiting for ‘family values’ mention as Irish Rugby team passes by my window…
8:53 PM MickFealty - He’s on a winner with European theme. people feelin isolation ths year more than last.. Libertas off the boil; shinners all over place #ffaf
8:54 PM justinf - “ireland is a brand… people know us” – well, after anglo they certainly do know us brian.. and not in a good way. #ffaf
8:54 PM Suzy Byrne - It’s the cynics fault – next it’ll be the bloggers…
8:54 PM Mark_Coughlan - That I agree with, pulling together. But what does it mean. #ffaf it’s vague and uninspiring.
8:54 PM Simon McGarr - A wall of sleep is washing across the nation, from Citywest. We are deaf to the words from people who we cannot bear to hear. #ffaf
8:54 PM chrismehigan - Obama mentioned and there is Kennedy #ffaf
8:54 PM Alexia Golez - Oh, we’re all in it together.
8:55 PM MickFealty - People know us now for the ijits who went our of its own with a hasty bank guarantee loan scheme that may have scuppered the country #ffaf
8:55 PM Simon McGarr - Showing us Eamonn O’Cuiv while Cowen is speaking Irish. Error. #ffaf
8:55 PM Suzy Byrne - Meitheal and cue shot of Minister O’Cuiv. Ni neart le cur le cheile… and shouting..
8:55 PM MickFealty - He speaks much better Irish than English… is that normal for Offaly? #ffaf?
8:56 PM Simon McGarr - He’s going to tell us what he means! #ffaf
8:56 PM Mark_Coughlan - … Tom Keane… jayzuz. #ffaf
8:56 PM Suzy Byrne - And Meitheal is the new buzz word and we’re getting into the soft story – Brian visits breast cancer suffers in Port Laoise. `New Thinking` is buzz word number 2.
8:57 PM Alexia Golez - This feels like a Hallmark moment. WTF have FF via Govt been doing for the Health system for decades?
8:57 PM Ian McGahon - Mna na heireann inspired him
8:57 PM Suzy Byrne - We’re all going to be sent on change management courses… I’m joking but I’m waiting for it …
8:57 PM Mark_Coughlan - … argghhh… People have been saying that for years. In reference to FF. #ffaf
8:57 PM Simon McGarr - AGOG! He’s decided to co-opt women misdiagnosed as paragons of FF virtues. #ffaf
8:57 PM Ian McGahon - @Alexia – nothing they left it to Harney
8:58 PM Mark_Coughlan - … Tom Keane… jayzuz. #ffaf
8:58 PM rdelevan - #ffaf playin with fire with the breast cancer stuff, Big Bri.
8:58 PM BrianGreene - “state can not replace people” #ffaf
8:58 PM Simon McGarr - He’s going to tell us what he means! #ffaf
8:58 PM Suzy Byrne - ‘Our hearts are in the right place’.
8:58 PM BrianGreene - reform means focus on people? #ffaf
8:58 PM MickFealty - Look at the ‘outcomes’ we can achieve? if in doubt, resort to managerialist jargon… Cowen as David Brent? #FFAF
8:59 PM justinf - “common good must be everyones priority” – cowen. #ffaf
8:59 PM MickFealty - Personal responsibility to contribute to the common good…
8:59 PM Suzy Byrne - Referring to predecessors not a good idea surely?
9:00 PM Ian McGahon - He will “manange us through this crisis”
9:00 PM justinf - weak ending #ffaf
9:00 PM Simon McGarr - Nope. Sorry. This isn’t up to scratch. Almost nothing imaginable could have saved FF here. And they couldn’t imagine it. #ffaf
9:00 PM Alexia Golez - I wonder what Bertie’s really thinking.
9:00 PM MickFealty - her flag and you her people… was that the tv audience or the hall he was talking to? Ah, no difer…
9:00 PM lecraic - New thinking, new realities, new solutions – NEW is the word #ffaf
9:00 PM chrismehigan - a call for everyone to take “personal responsibility”, how about the Fianna Fail party start us off? #ffaf
9:00 PM justinf - weak ending #ffaf
9:00 PM DaraghLally - I might take his speech seriously if he sacks his cabinet and appoints talented people #ffaf
9:00 PM AllanCavanagh - Yes we can do as much as we can which isn’t very much #ffaf
9:00 PM Mark_Coughlan - Blog post up. www.markcoughlan.com Basic run down of Cowens speech. Add your own comment if you wish #ffaf
9:00 PM Suzy Byrne - TV picture cut so quickly on purpose? No triumphalism?
9:01 PM w8f - “ireland is a brand”-Cowen. Oh shit – morketing shitetalk -now i know we’re forked #ffaf
9:01 PM Ian McGahon - Dempsey was MUCH MUCH better in his speech
9:01 PM ciaralnorton - I will grudgingly admit I almost liked Cowen’s speech. #ffaf
9:02 PM Suzy Byrne - Listening to Brian – still miked up on stage – telling people round him not to go over top…c
9:03 PM Suzy Byrne - Cowen tells people round him not to go over top at end of speech #ffaf
9:03 PM Simon McGarr - @suzybie That’s a great little extra.
9:03 PM RealTimeTrends - #ffaf – is now the #5 trend on twitter.
9:03 PM Suzy Byrne - Livestream pictures and sound cut… #ffaf
9:04 PM justinf - uninspiring. and no mea culpa whatsoever. in a downturn ,socialism is ok for FF. in an upturn , its all “me fein” #ffaf
9:05 PM Suzy Byrne - @Tupp_Ed and we got cut before anymore could be seen
9:05 PM Simon McGarr - News overlaying pictures of bank robbing criminals going into courtrooms with Cowen’s soundbites on how terrible Bankers are. Comedy moment. #ffaf
9:06 PM MickFealty - Sharon on Fine Gael: http://url.ie/1930
9:06 PM Suzy Byrne - RTE News failing 2 nights in a row? Cowen’s speech goes on over main news stories intros including bankrobbers..
9:07 PM Simon McGarr - Everyone crammed around David Davin-Power to get on telly should be disqualified from election. They are all morons.#ffaf

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9:07 PM justinf - uninspiring. and no mea culpa whatsoever. in a downturn ,socialism is ok for FF. in an upturn , its all “me fein” #ffaf
9:07 PM Suzy Byrne - Young man in red tie to left of Davin Power – he’s got to be a candidate!
9:09 PM MickFealty - Meitheal interesting. relates 2 the GAA, and modern notions of social capital, etc. but where is the strategy for rolling that out #FFAF
9:09 PM cianflah - insta-pundit on the speech http://url.ie/1932 #ffaf
9:09 PM Alexia Golez - @Suzy Yer man to the right in the yellow tie looks like he’s doing his Communion
9:10 PM cianflah - Offaly hair behind Davin Power
9:12 PM Simon McGarr - Heads on these idiots! Bottom left smells of drink through my screen.#ffaf
9:12 PM kevinpeyton - Lots of muppet like creatures over david davin powers shoulder #ffaf #rte
9:12 PM jonathangrimes - Guys surrounding David Davin Power look like political dead beats. #ffaf
9:12 PM rdelevan - #ffaf is one of those guys holding a gun to David Davin-Power’s back.
9:12 PM lawlessj - Sorry couldn’t get much out there respectful observance for Taoiseach speech! Dempsey one hell of a warm up! #FFAF
9:12 PM lawlessj - Bit of scrum at end.. Podium full house…Sms has its limitations #FFAF
9:13 PM Dublinbynumbers - new thinking? so inspired by breast cancer patients, cowen massively cuts health spending! #ffaf
9:13 PM Suzy Byrne - and email arrives in from Brian Cowen..he want’s to hear from me…
9:13 PM Alexia Golez - Did John Foley just drop something or was he pinching someone?
9:14 PM melaniemorris - Marvelling at the remarkable, non-ironic hairdos on all attendees of the Fianna Fail Ard Fheis. They never fail to disappoint….
9:14 PM chrismehigan - As someone who lost my career, I can’t articulate my disgust with Fianna Fail shirking responsibility continually #ffaf
9:14 PM krayZpaving - if only this fianna fail crowd had been in charge for the last ten years, everything would be okay now #ffaf
9:15 PM justinf - basically that was the “we’re fucked and we dont know what to do about it and it was nothing to do with us” speech #ffaf
9:17 PM fiannafailparty - The formal sessions of the 2009 Ard Fheis have now completed. Stay tuned to fiannafail.ie for further updates #ffaf
9:18 PM justinf - cowen badly needed the irish version of the obama stimulus idea. trouble is , i guess the Germans said no and he buckled. weak. #ffaf
9:22 PM MickFealty - @justinf Ah but, it’s their money the country has been spending, private more than public. Does Gilmore have a credible answer 2 that? #ffaf
9:23 PM justinf - i guess a collective “wtf” has gone up over ireland after that speech. FF for meltdown. #ffaf
9:26 PM MickFealty - Now, Brian says, ask me anything; anything at all: http://www.fiannafail.com/askthetaoiseach #ffaf
9:28 PM eoinbannon - #ffaf Bloggers just received text of Dempsey’s speech. Priceless stuff
9:29 PM justinf - @MickFealty @TheMikeKelly doubtful if Gilmore has an answer either. but the mere threat of a Labour government might sharpen FF minds..
9:40 PM justinf - cowens speech – thats the sound of a nation that has lost its independence cos of its own fuckups. here come the ECB and the Germans #ffaf
9:44 PM Simon McGarr - Well, the Ard Fheis curtain has fallen. Reaction can continue on blogs, twitter and who knows maybe a few newspapers will react eventually. But for this little corner of the Web the show is over. Many thanks again to Suzy, Gavin,and Mark for their on the spot work. To Alexia for her onerous administrative duties and to all the commenters and contributors throughout the last two days. I’ve had great fun reading all your stuff. I hope you had fun making it.

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3 comments for “Fianna Fail Ard Fheis 09”

[...] Posted by admin on 28 Feb 2009 at 01:09 pm | Tagged as: Uncategorized Yes they let me in. I made it past the canvassing outside – internal party elections require many canvassers, pieces of paper, stickers and badges. Must have been spotted a mile off because nobody accosted me. I’m wearing a press badge and have a Fianna Fail neck thing to hang it off. Merchandising tent will be visited later. Live blogging over here. [...]

Posted by Maman Poulet » Live from City West | February 28, 2009, 12:10 pm
[...] The ScribbleLive based liveblog of the Fianna Fail Ard Fheis had been a fantastic success- with no advance coverage beyond a post on tuppenceworth and some (few) twitter posts it attracted quite large audiences. The #ffaf hashtag was, for a while, the fifth most popular topic on twitter as a whole. Gavin, who was reporting from Citywest on the day, found that the photographs he posted were attracting around a thousand views each very quickly. [...]

Posted by Irish Election » The UnOfficial Green Party Liveblog | March 4, 2009, 4:24 pm
[...] that need after newspapers. That was a greater success than I’d even hoped for. Check out the coverage of the Party Conferences last Summer, or the Local Election counts to see the ‘mirror ball [...]

Posted by Tuppenceworth.ie blog » My Liveblogged Year, Part One | February 10, 2010, 5:13 pm

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Fianna Fail Ard Fheis 09

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