We have wieners

Bobby O'Connor of the none existent website (that is how to use the internet for campaigning, say you have a site and then just don't set it up)

Liz Stack, this surely has to top her time as junior camogie player.

A huge poll of loads and loads means that folks at UL might just be getting into the swing of this voting business. More unbiased information here.

Rumour of a high turnout that we first thought.

800 or more, could even be close to the magic four figure mark.

UL Alumni seats

After our appalling performance when it came to the internal governors you would think we would learn our lesson, but no. We're like a Duracell bunny for election predictions, you can't keep us down. Taking our lead from our previous post, we predict a total poll of 550 which is significantly up on the last election if rather pitiful when compared to the total number of Alumni which is over 40,000 now surely.

So for the UL Governing Authority elections we've got the following tarting their wares and below we've hazarded a guess at some 1st count numbers after that it is down to transfers and them things could go all over the place:

BUGLER, SUZANNE M. - ah yes, she from whom there hasn't been a peep and who hasn't done anything since being elected. Sort of a silent partner. A person addicted to quangos and being a ministerial appointee to boards and bodies. Might actually have done better had she made more of the fact that she is an outgoing govern - Prediction 33

LENNON, MARILYN - Seems like a reasonable sort and has the warmest picture. Some of the others are creepy or so small they could be aliens and we wouldn't be able to tell. Best of the ladies in our view. There again there are only 3. - Prediction 26

STACK, ELIZABETH - gives as an interest "Gaelic games –Member of Dromcollogher Camogie Club 1982-1986" I'm not sure that being a member of Camogie Club twenty years ago should really count as an interest today. She also appears to think it is some back work initiative that is aimed at providing her children with an educational leg up. - Prediction 22


CHRISTIE, KIERAN JOSEPH - wants to "raise any concerns and seek satisfactory resolution of any issues that Graduates, Staff and Students may have at Governing Authority level" dude, you're aiming to be the graduate rep, let the staff and students rely on their own elected reps. - Prediction 18

COLLINS, JAMES GERARD - has actually done some of the things he set out to do. Isn't that the sort of thing that is usual rewarded with repeat business in the real world? This being Ireland and an election being involved, it could be more of a hindrance. - Prediction 67

HALL, ANTHONY MICHAEL PETER - the guy from the Breakfast Club and the Dead Zone? Why can't we get Molly Ringwald and Ally Sheedy to run? - Prediction 21

HORAN, ALAN WILLIAM - is barely a wet week out of the place having graduated in 2005 and already he is plotting his way back in. Needs seasoning, does this one. Throw him back. - Prediction 16

O'CARROLL, SEAN ANTHONY - The peace society candidate, and apparently favours giving rights to human. Another one who is interested in representing students. Newsflash to candidates: students have representation on governing authority, it is graduates you are supposed to represent. - Prediction 25

O’CONNOR, BOBBY - another brash FFer looking to build a profile for a council nomination. Christ almighty it wouldn't have killed him to get the address of his website right in his profile document. He urges us to check him out at www.bobbbyoconnor.net but it doesn't exist and nor does the logical www.bobbyoconnor.net. Indeed perhaps it is meant to be boobyoconnor.net, but we're not risking it. If that is the level of competence we can look forward too then it could be UcL after all. - Prediction 27

O'DONOVAN, DAVID JOSEPH - eightball are running for Governing Authority? Are the college going to outsource all their events, balls and all? - Prediction 38

O'FARRELL, BRIAN - strong FF pedigree, a big wheel in debating society back in the day, used to regale people with his love for CJ Haughey. Not sure that would be vote winner any more. - Prediction 24

PETERS, DAVID - Yet more solicitors (the Law Society get to picking someone anyway so what need has anyone of more of them) wouldn't it be far better to have this David Peters or even this one?. - Prediction 34

We reckon Collins will get the man's seat again and a battle royale for the ladies' chair.

Another poor show on our part.

The results are in and it seems we struck out

Academic Staff/Research Staff : 5 seats

Elected:

Dr Patricia Conlan - fantastic result topping the poll with more than 40 votes

Ms Annette McElligott - we did think/hint that this was a possibility

Dr J J Leahy - Didn't think it was possible

Dr Eoin Devereux - surprised he didn't do better with all the superstar endorsements, there again the fact that some doing endorsing couldn't vote themselves might have been more of a hindrance than anything else.

Dr Seán McGrath - we did think he was in the mix

Non-Academic Staff : 3 seats

Elected:

Mr Pat Rockett

Ms Jackie O'Shaughnessy

Mr John Fox

We're not going to say much about the above three other than were we ever wrong and rest assured that

A young lady of a suitable persuasion has been booked to administer the appropriate admonishment.

Ouch.

UL Governing Authority predictions

So who do we think will get elected? Below is the current lineup

Academic Staff: (elected by such staff)	Dr Patricia Conlan Dr Alan Hegarty Dr Sean McGrath Mr Dermot Shinners-Kennedy Dr Tom Turner
Staff (Non-Academic): (elected by such staff)	Mr Seamus Dolan Mr Michael Chapman Ms Mary Finucane-Ryan

Four members of academic staff who are Professors/Associate Professors, elected by such staff;
Nominees for Super Academic Staff

Burkley, Cyril

Jane Edwards

So we have a result already! and the super folks couldn't find the necessary four to fill their slots.

Five permanent or full-time members of other academic staff/research staff elected by such staff;

Nominees for Regular Academic Staff

Conlan, Patricia - outgoing member and thus very likely to be re-elected easily, but we sense a great disturbance in the force and feel it will be an uphill struggle.

Devereux, Eoin - Christ not since Mary Lou McDonald came on the scene for the 2004 Euro's has a candidate been so touted. If he doesn't get elected beware of bike rage incidents on campus. Electronic Rules! to be elected

Leahy, JJ - not this time out.

McElligott, Annette - might sneak a 2nd seat or even the sole one for the sisterhood if Conlan is as weak as we're suspecting. to be elected

McGrath, Sean - outgoing but was co-opted rather than elected so this is first time running - fighting for the last seat

Shinners-Kennedy, Dermot - likely to be re-elected in our view - to be elected

Taylor, Ann - will poll better than some expect but I think more likely to be the wind beneath someone else's electoral wings. - fighting for the last seat

Thomas, Adrian - a familiar name but is that enough? to be elected

Walsh, Ed - is this Ed the Pres, we're looking for enough, if it is then no he won't get elected, and if not then he won't get elected either.

8 in 5 won't go. So a tight race overall in prospect here.

Three permanent or full-time employees who are not members of the academic staff, elected by the non-academic staff.

Nominees for non-academic staff

Chapman, Michael - didn't he kill John Lennon - to be elected

Finucane-Ryan, Mary - another Cuiv, Eamon O' to be elected

Fox, John - didn't Mildred take his seat?

O'Shaughnessy, Jackie -

Rockett, Pat - sounds like a name more suited to a featherweight boxer

Ryan, Jim - to be elected

Less than 2 weeks left

some members of staff are being accused of laziness or just plain pandering when it comes to their election campaigns. You can get some more information about the employee candidates here though I'm inclined to think we know too much about some of them already. There again I've always being more interested in Johnny Marr's work post the Smiths.

And I have to worry about one or two of the alumni if the things that people are searching for them in google that bring here are any guide, I mean really if someone was searching the Internet for things like "Yourname X" coupled with say sherry, port or fraud you would be worried too or maybe not.

I might do some last minute predictions.