Yeah, the tourists are gonna love those dual language road signs, shot full of holes, dodging burning cars driving through Londonderry on a Friday night.

all the road signs in the republic are dual language, no bullet holes but it is a sport of a kind to black out the English portions of the signs in the Irish speaking areas in the west of Ireland

Dual language road signs? No wonder the Irish all live on potatos, and can only afford shoes with holes in them.

Bring back knee capping for spammers

Really though, does Sinn Fein actually think voters from one of Britains poorest regions actually give a fuck about gay marriage, and a virtually defunct language? I expect they’re more concerned about jobs, schools, roads, hospitals and immigration. Like every one else in Britain. Northern Ireland runs out of money at the end of the month, but opponents are already bleating that a Bill to impose a budget there by Parliament amounts to direct rule.

Oh, I expect they’re also a bit concerned about crime too considering the amount of violent former terrorist protection racketeers walking around the place. You know, if things got a bit desperate....

To answer your question, given that the overwhelming majority of the nationalist population voted for Sinn Fein, running on a platform of the issues you described, then yeah,does think that.

That's because it is direct rule, just the first act of it with more to follow.

If a party puts some thing in its manifesto and it wins a majority, then sure, it gives that party a mandate to legislate accordingly. That doesn't necessarily mean that thing is important to the people that voted for that party.

In Sinn Feins case, that mandate is tenuous because it only has a majority amongst the nationalist population, not the entire population. Of course, it could easily be the case that the DUP opposition to gay marriage is unpopular amongst the loyalists, but they are not the ones insisting that it be done.

Wiser heads would find a way, because if you take the shear bloody obstinacy of the situation out of it, gay marriage and dual language road signs are not important. Politically, Sinn Fein are making a huge mistake. They are making exactly the same mistake that forced voters away from Labour in droves, and with the benefit of hindsight they appear to be doing it purposefully, deliberately, just on a very small, unimportant point.

Personally, I'd sack the fucking lot of them. Sinn Fein, DUP, SDLP, and who ever bloody else, but apparently that can't be done. So unless they can come to their senses and realise what are the priorities of the people that put them in their positions, and who pay their wages, ie the people they serve, then there is no real alternative but direct rule and administration from either Westminster or Dublin.

Perhaps it is the case that Sinn Fein actually, quietly and unofficially, want the inevitable violence that will come with that situation?

Direct rule would be if the act that allows devolution of powers to Stormont was reversed. It hasn't. It is simply the case that the good people of Northern Ireland have elected an administration that is unfit to exercise those powers.

Funny thing is, Sinn Fein are still having a strop, even though the DUP have got them an extra £1billion or so to play with!

I guess the Sinn Fein dissapointment is to be expected. They struggled for decades for some kind of power sharing deal, and now it's slipping out of their hands and back into the hands of the British.

Sinn Fein are struggling with democracy, inevitable for a bunch of terrorists I suppose.

Gerry Adams has announced he is to retire from politics, has resigned as Sinn Fein president, and will not contest the next Irish general election.

Good idea, quit while he is at the top and uncontested.

As I've posted earlier, not I've thought much of Adams . A banana republican, start green they turn yellow, then black with rot. But, he was a master politician. Much of Sinn Fein's electoral success has been his doing. Going forward Sinn Fein is in good hands, Michelle and Mary Lou has a fresh younger, fresher face on the party. Gerry Kelly and and some others still give some of the old time provo street cred to the vote.

Do you have any idea who will be the new leader of his party?

The new leader will be chosen at the party conference which Adams has suggested shoukd take place early next year.

My guess would be Mary Lou McDonald.

I Googled her and she is the deputy leader at the moment. Do you think her being from the Republic of Ireland might make her less acceptable as a leader? I get the impression that the shots are still called by Sinn Fein leadership in Northern Ireland.

McDonald being from the south may actually be an advantage. There is very little electoral ground left to gain in the north. The growth opportunities for Sinn Fein are south of the border. They are the third largest party, and growing.

Also McDonald has no IRA ties. A Provo connection is a much easier sell in the north.

Gerry Adams is a member of Irelands parliament, and the purpose of Sinn Fein is to unite the island. I don’t see what difference it makes where in Ireland Sinn Feins leader comes from, or serves.

After the 2010 election when the SNP did rather well, there was speculation of them fielding candidates south of the border.