Dispatch · Government
Dispatch · 24 May 2026

Two by-elections, one verdict: “so much for this vote for change”.

24 May 20266:304.1K views
GovernmentDublin CentralEuropean Union
YouTube
TL;DR
  • Dublin Central — vacated when Paschal Donohoe left for his “lucrative position” at the World Bank in Washington, the man Dooley reminds viewers pushed digital ID and digital currency — goes to the Social Democrats, while in Galway West, vacant since Catherine Connolly’s “inverted commas” election, the final count as he records has Independent Ireland’s Noel Thomas a few hundred votes ahead of former Fine Gael chief whip Seán Kyne.
  • Fianna Fáil pulls 4% in Dublin Central — the worst by-election result in history, Dooley says, echoing the party’s roughly 4.5% in Dublin Bay South in 2021 — with a candidate, John Stevens, probably in his 70s and only a councillor a couple of years; Micheál Martin, party leader for over 15 years, blames an organisation that hasn’t functioned since Bertie Ahern’s day more than two decades ago yet insists he’s going nowhere — “nothing but a branch manager for the European Union”, in Dooley’s telling.
  • The really revealing number is turnout of about 43–44%, Dooley argues — voter apathy and disaffection “completely infused into the system to make people feel powerless” — and in Mary Lou McDonald’s own constituency Sinn Féin failed to win yet again, raising questions he says hang over her future as leader; his alternative is fundamentally restructuring the system so, as the constitution has it, state policy is decided by the people, not careerists.
  • The Social Democrats took over 20% of those who bothered to vote, but Dooley argues Holly Cairns’ self-styled “straight talkers” won’t admit their social democracy is impossible under EU treaties and fiscal rules — or mention taking back sovereignty and control of the currency — while within three weeks, he says, the EU Migration and Asylum Pact is due to be transposed into Irish law, and the “so-called opposition”, he predicts, will say next to nothing about it.
Transcript
00:00

Hello everyone

Hello everyone. Over the last couple of days, two by-elections were held in Ireland. The Dublin Central by-election following the resignation of Paschal Donohoe, who went off to his lucrative position in the World Bank in Washington, D.C. We all know about Paschal pushing digital ID, digital currency. And also following the inverted commas election of Catherine Connolly, it offered up a vacancy in Galway West, which led to the two by-elections. Now, the results are in from both by-elections, and the.

Results aren't really surprising so far. Now, as I'm recording this, the final count is underway in Galway, which leads Noel Thomas of Independent Ireland just ahead by a few hundred votes from a government candidate, Seán Kyne, former Fine Gael Chief Whip. Now, that says it all, doesn't it? And in Dublin Central, the by-election was won by Daniel Ellis of the Social Democrats.

You could not make this up. Absolutely outrageous. More globalist woke agenda pushing through Dublin Central. But what was really revealing with all these by-elections is the poor turnout. The first instance, about 43 to 44% of the electorate voted. Now, so many people have given up on the electoral system. They know it doesn't represent them. They know what really changes. And to be fair perfectly honest, very little does change. So much for this vote for change when you all.

You're offered up is more of the same. Now, but what was interesting in the Dublin Central by-election in terms of the results was the amount of votes that went to Fianna Fáil. 4%, the worst by-election in history. But yet, Micheál Martin says he's going nowhere. Remember back in 2021 where Terrence Conway in Dublin Bay South held about 4.5%. Now, with their new candidate who was probably in his 70s, John Stevens, he was running and he pulled in 4%. He's only a counselor a.

Couple of years. So, um Martin blames the organizational structure in Dublin Central. He said it hasn't been functioning since Bertie Ahern was there over 20 years ago and lost the seat. Or sorry, he was removed from office rather back over 20 years ago. Or resigned or whatever way you want to frame it. We all know what happened. But at the same time, we've seen Micheál Martin being in charge of Fianna Fáil for over 15 years. So, maybe.

02:45

Took his eye off the ball in Dublin Central

Took his eye off the ball in Dublin Central. Nothing but a branch manager for the European Union, Martin. He says sovereignty is a back burner we're looking at here. Now, he fared a little bit better in Galway West uh with a new candidate. But, another message was sent out towards Sinn Féin. This is Mary Lou McDonald's constituency, Dublin Central. And she didn't win this election either, which is really uh surprising for her own uh future as party leader. How many.

More elections has she gone into where she's losing? But, again, where do people see the alternative? And as I stated earlier, more and more people are choosing not to vote. And this is a telltale sign of voter apathy, disaffection, which is completely infused into the system to make people feel powerless. But But we know that many of these parties are all pursuing the same globalist agenda that will make no discernible difference for people's lives despite the rhetoric. In.

Particular, in the Social Democrat Party, who uh know it flies in the face of the whole European Union agenda and the neoliberal agenda in terms of social democracy. Uh the stuff they talk about is not possible under the current frameworks and the treaties of the European Union. But, they play on regardless. And their leader, Holly Cairns, says that they're straight talkers. So, maybe if they were straight talkers, they would explain why they can't challenge the fiscal rules, the.

Fiscal space, and all these issues as well in the European Union. And they won't mention the next taking back our sovereignty, taking back control of our currency, or these issues either. But, this is more of the same nonsense that they have pushed along with. And they're very much signed up to the European Union project. So, they pulled over 20% 80% of the vote of those who uh bothered to go out and vote in the by-election on Friday, which is really a.

Start and result. But, if you if you compare so many of the so-called anti-establishment votes in that those elections, in that election, which was about 20% in Dublin Central, which was split again between a number of candidates. But, at the same time, we've seen the Galway West by-election continue as well. And this has it all. If Shawn Collins can get elected to government today, he's elected in Galway West. But, it says all about the Irish electorate, doesn't it?

And those who vote with their own class interest never serves the interest of working class people. Never has and never will the current system. Unless we go about fundamentally restructuring the whole system where people are empowered and people have a right to understand the process in terms of having a say in the process. This comes under the constitution where the policy of the state should be decided from the people of the state. But, not these careerists who are only interested in.

05:42

Nothing down to Europe and say only so much

Nothing down to Europe and say only so much we can do. So, so much for a vote for a change and so much for the same nonsense. What will change in people's lives? Next to absolutely nothing. More of the same talking shop and for the uh solutions come from Brussels. And in the next 3 weeks the European Union migration and the asylum pact will be transposed into Irish legislation and acted under the immigration protection bill. So, they won't say anything much.

About this, will they? The so-called opposition. So, let's see how the other by-election pans out and the result pans out in Galway West as well. So, thanks so much for supporting my videos. Really appreciate them and thanks so much for sharing them far and wide as well. So, I'm doubling the saving. Slán go fóill. See you soon. Bye-bye.

“Really appreciate them and thanks so much for sharing them far and wide as well”

Discussed in this video
Dublin CentralEuropean UnionGalway WestFianna FáilMicheál MartinNothingIrish
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Dispatch
24 May 2026 · Government · 6:30

Two by-elections, one verdict: “so much for this vote for change”.

Results come in from the Dublin Central and Galway West by-elections — the seats vacated by Paschal Donohoe’s departure to the World Bank and Catherine Connolly’s election — with the Social Democrats taking Dublin Central, Fianna Fáil collapsing to 4% and turnout at just 43–44%. Dooley argues the numbers expose an electoral system offering only “more of the same”: parties all signed up to the same EU-directed agenda, with next to nothing set to change in people’s lives.

GovernmentDublin CentralEuropean UnionGalway WestFianna Fáil
4.1K views Discussion
TL;DR
01
Dublin Central — vacated when Paschal Donohoe left for his “lucrative position” at the World Bank in Washington, the man Dooley reminds viewers pushed digital ID and digital currency — goes to the Social Democrats, while in Galway West, vacant since Catherine Connolly’s “inverted commas” election, the final count as he records has Independent Ireland’s Noel Thomas a few hundred votes ahead of former Fine Gael chief whip Seán Kyne.
02
Fianna Fáil pulls 4% in Dublin Central — the worst by-election result in history, Dooley says, echoing the party’s roughly 4.5% in Dublin Bay South in 2021 — with a candidate, John Stevens, probably in his 70s and only a councillor a couple of years; Micheál Martin, party leader for over 15 years, blames an organisation that hasn’t functioned since Bertie Ahern’s day more than two decades ago yet insists he’s going nowhere — “nothing but a branch manager for the European Union”, in Dooley’s telling.
03
The really revealing number is turnout of about 43–44%, Dooley argues — voter apathy and disaffection “completely infused into the system to make people feel powerless” — and in Mary Lou McDonald’s own constituency Sinn Féin failed to win yet again, raising questions he says hang over her future as leader; his alternative is fundamentally restructuring the system so, as the constitution has it, state policy is decided by the people, not careerists.
04
The Social Democrats took over 20% of those who bothered to vote, but Dooley argues Holly Cairns’ self-styled “straight talkers” won’t admit their social democracy is impossible under EU treaties and fiscal rules — or mention taking back sovereignty and control of the currency — while within three weeks, he says, the EU Migration and Asylum Pact is due to be transposed into Irish law, and the “so-called opposition”, he predicts, will say next to nothing about it.
Prefer to watch? The full video is on YouTube →
6:30
Transcript · auto-captions, polish pending

Hello everyone

Hello everyone. Over the last couple of days, two by-elections were held in Ireland. The Dublin Central by-election following the resignation of Paschal Donohoe, who went off to his lucrative position in the World Bank in Washington, D.C. We all know about Paschal pushing digital ID, digital currency. And also following the inverted commas election of Catherine Connolly, it offered up a vacancy in Galway West, which led to the two by-elections. Now, the results are in from both by-elections, and the.

Results aren't really surprising so far. Now, as I'm recording this, the final count is underway in Galway, which leads Noel Thomas of Independent Ireland just ahead by a few hundred votes from a government candidate, Seán Kyne, former Fine Gael Chief Whip. Now, that says it all, doesn't it? And in Dublin Central, the by-election was won by Daniel Ellis of the Social Democrats.

You could not make this up. Absolutely outrageous. More globalist woke agenda pushing through Dublin Central. But what was really revealing with all these by-elections is the poor turnout. The first instance, about 43 to 44% of the electorate voted. Now, so many people have given up on the electoral system. They know it doesn't represent them. They know what really changes. And to be fair perfectly honest, very little does change. So much for this vote for change when you all.

You're offered up is more of the same. Now, but what was interesting in the Dublin Central by-election in terms of the results was the amount of votes that went to Fianna Fáil. 4%, the worst by-election in history. But yet, Micheál Martin says he's going nowhere. Remember back in 2021 where Terrence Conway in Dublin Bay South held about 4.5%. Now, with their new candidate who was probably in his 70s, John Stevens, he was running and he pulled in 4%. He's only a counselor a.

Couple of years. So, um Martin blames the organizational structure in Dublin Central. He said it hasn't been functioning since Bertie Ahern was there over 20 years ago and lost the seat. Or sorry, he was removed from office rather back over 20 years ago. Or resigned or whatever way you want to frame it. We all know what happened. But at the same time, we've seen Micheál Martin being in charge of Fianna Fáil for over 15 years. So, maybe.

Took his eye off the ball in Dublin Central

Took his eye off the ball in Dublin Central. Nothing but a branch manager for the European Union, Martin. He says sovereignty is a back burner we're looking at here. Now, he fared a little bit better in Galway West uh with a new candidate. But, another message was sent out towards Sinn Féin. This is Mary Lou McDonald's constituency, Dublin Central. And she didn't win this election either, which is really uh surprising for her own uh future as party leader. How many.

More elections has she gone into where she's losing? But, again, where do people see the alternative? And as I stated earlier, more and more people are choosing not to vote. And this is a telltale sign of voter apathy, disaffection, which is completely infused into the system to make people feel powerless. But But we know that many of these parties are all pursuing the same globalist agenda that will make no discernible difference for people's lives despite the rhetoric. In.

Particular, in the Social Democrat Party, who uh know it flies in the face of the whole European Union agenda and the neoliberal agenda in terms of social democracy. Uh the stuff they talk about is not possible under the current frameworks and the treaties of the European Union. But, they play on regardless. And their leader, Holly Cairns, says that they're straight talkers. So, maybe if they were straight talkers, they would explain why they can't challenge the fiscal rules, the.

Fiscal space, and all these issues as well in the European Union. And they won't mention the next taking back our sovereignty, taking back control of our currency, or these issues either. But, this is more of the same nonsense that they have pushed along with. And they're very much signed up to the European Union project. So, they pulled over 20% 80% of the vote of those who uh bothered to go out and vote in the by-election on Friday, which is really a.

Start and result. But, if you if you compare so many of the so-called anti-establishment votes in that those elections, in that election, which was about 20% in Dublin Central, which was split again between a number of candidates. But, at the same time, we've seen the Galway West by-election continue as well. And this has it all. If Shawn Collins can get elected to government today, he's elected in Galway West. But, it says all about the Irish electorate, doesn't it?

And those who vote with their own class interest never serves the interest of working class people. Never has and never will the current system. Unless we go about fundamentally restructuring the whole system where people are empowered and people have a right to understand the process in terms of having a say in the process. This comes under the constitution where the policy of the state should be decided from the people of the state. But, not these careerists who are only interested in.

Nothing down to Europe and say only so much

Nothing down to Europe and say only so much we can do. So, so much for a vote for a change and so much for the same nonsense. What will change in people's lives? Next to absolutely nothing. More of the same talking shop and for the uh solutions come from Brussels. And in the next 3 weeks the European Union migration and the asylum pact will be transposed into Irish legislation and acted under the immigration protection bill. So, they won't say anything much.

About this, will they? The so-called opposition. So, let's see how the other by-election pans out and the result pans out in Galway West as well. So, thanks so much for supporting my videos. Really appreciate them and thanks so much for sharing them far and wide as well. So, I'm doubling the saving. Slán go fóill. See you soon. Bye-bye.

“Really appreciate them and thanks so much for sharing them far and wide as well”

Transcript generated from the video’s captions and lightly segmented — watch the original on YouTube →