Pooka I think the guest's comment was aimed at McGrath's dismissive attitude to the results in the south.

To me the SF result does come as a surprise, I must admit - I really thought the Colombia fiasco would have done them some damage if not the other hyped up nonsense. Just a hunch, but I wouldn't be surprised if some of SF's success was down to the personal qualities of Martin McGuinness, who has taken up the responsibilities of government impressively (and I wouldn't be surprised to see Trimble or whoever succeeds him being ready to do business with McGuinness some time soon).

The gain for the Greens is impressive and may have been fuelled by increasing anxieties among a few, at least, that Ireland is selling its soul in its determination to cling on to what might be a short-lived boom.

If I'd been around 80 years ago, I like to think I'd have been with Collins's free staters, so the sight of FF(the party of Dev, who set back Ireland's cause so tragically by forcing the civil war) regaining its parliamentary strength seems ironic to me. But then the modern-day parties seem to have shed most of their past associations. Overall I think what we've got is a great outcome for Ireland, and much more significant than McGrath seems to imply. In an ideal world I suppose I'd always like to see Labour doing better at the expense of both FG and FF.