McG. - I've been out-of-touch lately -- is a NI Assembly election now *scheduled*?? Certainly that will be a biggie, whenever it happens. Clearly SF is still much stronger in the North than in Eire, probably now eclipsing SDLP within the republican NI community. Even as Paisley's party bids to surpass Trimble's, on that side.

SF's northern strength seems to leach across the Border, into Cavan, Monaghan and now Louth. But not Donegal. Weak there. (Why? Innate conservatism?) But come to think of it, the personnel & materiel of SF's other "wing" ---y'know, the one from which they are totally distinct, as they so often explain---used to slide back & forth across the Border too, didn't they? (& the past tense is correct---*isn't* it??)

In the Republic, I gather that Bertie will definitely need coalition partners (above & beyond the FF "coalition" that is), if only 3 or 4 to reach a bare majority. FF's actual net gain, though solid, wasn't really spectacular either in TDs or in popular-vote percentage. What was spectacular was the crash of FG in number of seats held. Ah 'twas a turrible slaughter.