6 February 2018
New Sinn Féin leader, same old media
Sinn Féin President-elect Mary Lou McDonald with Vice President-elect Michelle O'Neill.
"Yep, Sinn Féin has new leaders, who will face the same old media bias." - Robbie Smyth
By February 10th Sinn Féin will have set a unique double first in Irish politics. The party President and Vice President will be women, another astounding step in the development of Ireland’s most dynamic political party, and yes this is my bit of spin on February’s historic Ard Fheis.
It is understandable that many news media outlets don’t see it this way and some strain for a negative angle in the coverage on the generational change underway in Sinn Féin’s public leadership. Though I was surprised at the good grace of Brynmor Pattison in the Daily Mirror. He wrote of Mary Lou McDonald that, “The popular Sinn Féin TD’s polished public speaking skills and common touch have won her the admiration of many in the political world”.
The Financial Times of January, 20th couldn’t leave a military reference out of their article which was headlined “Sinn Féin breaks from old guard with selection of new leader”. The Irish Examiner like many other news outlets just reported the simple facts with a “Mary Lou McDonald confirmed as Sinn Féin president-elect”.
• Sinn Féin President from 1937 to 1950, Margaret Buckley
The Guardian’s Henry McDonald article was headlined “Sinn Féin to be led by a woman for the first time in its modern history”. While this is inaccurate for a start, McDonald still found time to include the negative speculations of Ed Moloney, described as “a leading authority on Irish republicanism”. Indeed though he quoted Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams in his article there was no space for a quote from Mary Lou. Henry doesn’t seem to understand that politics is changing and maybe we need to move from male only sources!
In the ‘no change coming soon’ coverage you will find the Irish Times and Independent news sites. The Irish Times editorial on Monday, January 22nd was titled “Old problems for new leader”. From the opening words you can sense a bitterness. Mary Lou has not been nominated or participated in an electoral process to become leader of Sinn Féin. No according to the Times there has been an “accession”, later it is described as an “elevation”.
A quick google search will leave one in no doubt as to the monarchical implications in this terminology. Even the Sunday Times just had a simple “Sinn Féin chooses McDonald” headline and they mentioned that McDonald was nominated by 290 cumainn. Only 10 are needed for a nomination. The Irish Times coverage couldn’t find space for this fact.
The Irish Times have decided that “McDonald has been the party’s outstanding performer in the Dail”, and that “Her forceful contributions made her the logical successor to Adams”. The real kick in the Times editorial is in the closing lines where they request “a real effort” in the Stormont talks “would be a positive way for McDonald to start her leadership”.
So, Sinn Féin have not made a real effort to resolve the crisis in the Stormont Assembly? The last year has been some other exercise. This comment again came from the paper that resolutely refuse to recognise the equality and human rights issues at the heart of the Sinn Féin withdrawal from the power sharing executive.
The talks on restoring power sharing were also a topic for Stephen Collins in the Irish Times on January 25th. Collins, it seems can foretell the future! Sinn Féin face “a defining moment”, and if Sinn Féin does a deal with the DUP it can enter government the Dail after the next election. You heard it here first.
Sinn Fein have “lost direction” according to Collins, the party should abandon Westminster abstentionism and if Mary Lou fails to get an agreement with the DUP it will be as “sign that Sinn Féin is still under the thumb of the IRA Army council”. I really should read Collins more regularly. This is great stuff!
Also in the negative coverage camp was the Independent News and Media papers. Kevin Doyle writing on January 29th declared that, “Sinn Féin’s special conference to elect a new leadership will be little more than a coronation for Mary Lou McDonald and Michelle O’Neill”.
On February 3rd in an article titled “Unionist anger as McDonald commemorates IRA bomber”, Wayne O’Connor wrote that Sinn Féin president-elect Mary Lou McDonald has been told to spend her time dealing with "dark and sinister elements" in her party rather than attending commemoration events linked to the IRA.
Yep, Sinn Féin has new leaders, who will face the same old media bias.