There are more than two shades of Green

Chris has provided a very useful analysis of what he sees as the main electoral battleground between the two forms of constitutional nationalism. One of the main areas of growth he suggested for SF was at council level. However, he overlooked that at this election SF will be facing numerous challenges across multiple councils from Republicans of various hues.

In January I suggested 22 Council seats that dissenting Republicans could consider running in. While I didn’t get them all right, republicans will have a non-SF option in 17 areas (if I’ve missed anyone please let me know and worse if anyone is on the list that shouldn’t be advise me ASAP): 

Dungannon: 

Torrent – Patricia Campbell

Dungannon Town – Barry Monteith 

Fermanagh: 

Enniskillen – Pat Cox 

Erne East – Gerry McHugh 

Erne West – Bernice Swift 

Omagh: 

Mid Tyrone – Paul Grogan 

Strabane:

Mourne  – Paul Gallager (IRSP) 

Derry:

Shantallow -Martin McMonagle (IRSP) 

Northland – Lucy Callaghan (IRSP) 

Magherafelt: 

Moyola – Oliver Hughes

Sperrin – Patrick Groogan

 Moyle: 

Ballycastle – Padraig McShane (????) 

Belfast: 

Oldpark – Paul Little (IRSP)

Lower Falls – Jim Gorman (IRSP)

Lower Falls – John McCusker (éirígí)

Upper Falls – Padraic Mac Coitir (éirígí) 

Newry:

Newry Town – Davy Hyland 

It seems that dissenting republicans have learnt a lesson from the humiliation of the anti-PSNI Assembly election campaign of 2007 and this time have set themselves slightly more realistic targets.

Any success for these candidates would impact on what Chris Donnelly highlights as SF’s main target growth area – Council elections they underperformed in in 2005.