Is 2024 destined to be a year of dramatic political change? There will certainly be plenty of chances to dump unpopular governments. This time next year, Labour’s Keir Starmer will probably be Britain’s prime minister; Mary Lou McDonald could be Ireland’s taoiseach; Michelle O’Neill is poised to be Northern Ireland’s first minister; Donald Trump may return as president of the United States. And following another “election”, Russian-style, Vladimir Putin will certainly be restored as president of Russia.
There was some surprise when Sinn Féin’s Imelda Munster announced her intention not to contest the general election, but Wigmore was not that surprised.
It’s certainly a positive sign of the times to have Sinn Féin condemning the sickening behaviour in Dublin city centre. Nobody would disagree with David Cullinane’s sentiments that those involved in attacking gardaí “do not and never will represent the decent majority in Ireland”. It’s worth remembering that not so long ago, the party was the cheerleaders for the Provisional IRA, who were murdering gardaí, and also didn’t represent “the decent majority”. But Sinn Féin has moved on now.