One Senator reportedly said: “I wouldn’t even nominate him to wash the dishes.”
Several senators and TDs have said they would not back a bid from MMA fighter Conor McGregor to become President of Ireland, according to a new report.
Earlier this week, McGregor – who is reportedly being investigated by the Gardaí for alleged incitement of hatred following the Dublin riots last month – signalled his intention to run for the Irish Presidency in 2025.
In a post on X, he mentioned Gerry Adams, Bertie Ahern and Enda Kenny as his competition for the role, which will be vacated in 2025 after Michael D Higgins’ second term ends.
McGregor wrote: “Potential competition if I run. Gerry, 78. Bertie. 75. Enda, 74. Each with unbreakable ties to their individual parties politics. Regardless of what the public outside of their parties feel. These parties govern themselves vs govern the people.
“Or me, 35. Young, active, passionate, fresh skin in the game. I listen. I support. I adapt. I have no affiliation/bias/favoritism toward any party. They would genuinely be held to account regarding the current sway of public feeling.
“I’d even put it all to vote. There’d be votes every week to make sure. I can fund. It would not be me in power as President, people of Ireland. It would be me and you.”
Commenting on posts by McGregor, X owner Elon Musk wrote: “I think you could take them all single-handed. Not even fair,” and “I hope you are at least nominated. That would shake things up!”
I think you could take them all single-handed. Not even fair ?
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 5, 2023
Several senators and TDs say they wouldn’t back Conor McGregor’s presidential bid
In order to stand in a presidential election, McGregor would need to be nominated by either 20 Oireachtas members or four local authorities.
And The Irish Sun states that, as the main political parties will most likely back their own candidates, McGregor would have to depend heavily on independents to score a nomination via the Oireachtas.
As such, the paper surveyed the current Independent senators and TDs “to gauge the level of support McGregor might get if he sought their nomination”.
The Irish Sun says that, out of the 33 independents, it received 12 responses – none of which offered support to McGregor.
“I wouldn’t even nominate him to wash the dishes,” Senator Eileen Flynn told the outlet. “That’s the straight, honest truth of it. End of story.”
TD Thomas Pringle also commented to the paper: “I wouldn’t nominate him to lace my shoes,” while Michael Healy-Rae said: “No, I wouldn’t support him. Leave the politics to the politicians and the boxing to the boxers.”
Senator Ger Craughwell and TDs Marian Harkin, Michael Fitzmaurice and Sean Canney also said they would not back McGregor.
‘I never met Conor McGregor’
That said, five politicians did not immediately rule out backing the MMA fighter – Senators Ronan Mullen and Sharon Keoghan and TDs Danny Healy-Rae, Mattie McGrath and Michael McNamara.
Danny Healy-Rae told The Irish Sun: “I’d tell him to run for the local authority first and see how he gets on,” while McGrath said: “I will consider the field when I see it. I never met Conor McGregor. I never watched any of his MMA or boxing and I don’t know anything about it to be honest.
“I would have to meet him and talk to him and consider who else is looking for a nomination.”
According to the outlet, this is not a major blow to the MMA fighter’s presidential ambitions as the group of senators and TDs after the next election – who may not be those that the paper canvassed – could have different opinions.
You can read The Irish Sun’s report in full right here.
Main images via Leah Farrell and Sam Boal/Rolling News
Read more:
- Conor McGregor lays out shock plan to run for President of Ireland
- Shane MacGowan’s family confirm funeral procession will end at quirky Dublin landmark
- Dublin City twinned with Ramallah in Palestine in new ‘friendship agreement’
LISTEN: You Must Be Jokin’ with Aideen McQueen – Faith healers, Coolock craic and Gigging as Gaeilge
