Author | Lightnews

Martin Nutty

@nuttyinnyc.com

1K followers 540 following 900 posts

Wannabe polymath and podcaster, cohost of the IrishStewPodcast. Dublin-born New York resident IrishStewPodcast.com

Posts Media Videos Starter Packs

Pinned

Martin Nutty @nuttyinnyc.com · Dec 26

For #journalist folks, who just might happen to read this post, a question:

Are you embedding #Twitter / #X posts in your stories?

And for those who know, love and support #journalists, believe in a strong #FreePress, please discourage this practice

#NewsMedia

www.nuttyinnyc.com/blog/are-you...

Are You Embedding Twitter / X?

Much has been written these past few weeks of the exodus from Twitter/X to BlueSky and other platforms. The victory of Donald Trump in the US election seems to have…

www.nuttyinnyc.com

1 5 29

Reposted by Martin Nutty

Patrick Brannigan @patrickjmb.bsky.social · 4h

At the Hill of Uisneach in Co Westmeat, the sacred centre of Ireland, thousands gathered as Manchán Magan’s ashes were scattered.

Steve Cooney wrote a piece for Magan and had sent it to him - Planxty Manchán Magan, was played....

#SpéirGhorm

www.irishtimes.com/ireland/2025...

At the sacred centre of Ireland, thousands gather as Manchán Magan’s ashes are scattered

Month’s memorial hears world will be a less kind, generous, curious and gentle place with the writer’s passing

www.irishtimes.com

1 7 16

Martin Nutty @nuttyinnyc.com · 6h

LOL amusing that you think I would affiliate on anyway manner or form with Steen. Of course you don’t know me from Adam which. It’s ok that you have a different opinion from me. That is the nature of politics. I think that 12% spoiled votes is an issue that should and can be addressed and you don’t

Martin Nutty @nuttyinnyc.com · 12h

I’m talking about the unprecedented 12% of spoiled votes being leveraged by the #FarRight as a potent talking point that can be used to undermine #IrishPolitics and democracy. The nomination process for the presidency is a problem that should be shut down. We ignore such things at our peril

Martin Nutty @nuttyinnyc.com · 16h

I’m just pointing to a problem in the Presidential nomination system that should be fixed. Ignoring 12% spoiled votes is a mistake. Fortunately this problem only exists in presidential elections. Right niece retrograde #HardRight types are trying to exploit this weakness. Will they succeed?

Martin Nutty @nuttyinnyc.com · 1d

I have no idea whether Steen could or couldn’t have gathered the signatures. That’s not really the point. The point is to block the opportunity to complain about political parties blocking legitimate grassroots candidacies

Martin Nutty @nuttyinnyc.com · 1d

To stop political parties blocking candidates that have a significant and meaningful following

Martin Nutty @nuttyinnyc.com · 1d

Signature option - something like 20,000 signatures from eligible voters

1 1

Martin Nutty @nuttyinnyc.com · 1d

Actually seeing them fail publicly in the polls is what explodes their relevance.

The nomination process does not provide a grassroots opportunity to run. A candidate needs to be approved by a collection of politicians. The lack of an alternative is where the problem lies

#IrishPolitics

1 1

Martin Nutty @nuttyinnyc.com · 1d

Maybe I should revise that to appointed and elected political representatives. Any citizen can declare they are running for President, however to get on the ballot you need to be approved by Oireachtas members or 4 county councils -see image below

#IrishPolitics

Image showing requirements to be nominated as an Irish Presidential candidate

Who can run for President of Ireland?
To be eligible for election as President, you must be an Irish citizen who is 35 or older. You must be nominated either by:

At least 20 members of the Oireachtas
At least 4 local authorities
Former or retiring Presidents can nominate themselves

1 1

Martin Nutty @nuttyinnyc.com · 1d

Focusing there is not advantageous for these folks. They’re trying to turn fringe into a movement. A light needs to be shine on them and what they believe

Martin Nutty @nuttyinnyc.com · 1d

I don’t think you want to get me started on the flaws of the US Presidential process. If you think I’m tedious now, fuhgetaboutit 😜

2 1

Martin Nutty @nuttyinnyc.com · 1d

Well to be nominated for the Presidency, either 20 members of the Oireachtas or four county councils need to sign off. All those folks are elected officials

1 1

Martin Nutty @nuttyinnyc.com · 1d

Tá na préacháin ag bailiú i bhFine Gall agus luí na gréine ag teacht ar Oíche Shamhna

The crows are gathering in Fingal as the sunset brings on Halloween

Thanks to @snutty.bsky.social for the video

#Halloween #Samhain #Gaeilge #SpéirGhorm

2 8

Martin Nutty @nuttyinnyc.com · 1d

No argument as to who won.

What I'm concerned about is #HardRight types attempting to leverage the #SpoiledVote statistics. They're exploiting a seam that is only available in the Presidential vote because of a nomination process which is confined to elected officials.

#IrishPolitics

1 1

Martin Nutty @nuttyinnyc.com · 1d

Yeah its an ugly precedent and only likely in a Presidential contest since the nomination process is limited to the political class.

I think a signature nomination process as an alternative would be good. The threshold would have to be meaningful though. Maybe 10-20k signatures?

#IrishPolitics

Martin Nutty @nuttyinnyc.com · 1d

Thanks for the permission to plough on 😜

I think it's important to have an accounting for extremists. What the 12% of spoiled votes represents is now unknown to us. Would they have voted for Maria Steen or Gareth Sheridan or some other retrograde type? That's not great for democracy

#IrishPolitics

Reposted by Martin Nutty

Áine Keenan @ainekeenan.bsky.social · 12d

I met my love
by the gas works wall
Dreamed a dream
by the old canal
I kissed my girl
by the factory wall

Dirty old town
Dirty old town

Ewan MacColl, 20th century

#Photography #Wisdom #Poetry #SpeirGorm #Ireland #StreetPhotography #PhotographersOfBlueSky #ArtOfBlueSky #ImageAndVerse #EastCoastKin

Cubist-style mural of Irish writer James Joyce on a lane off Grafton Street, Dublin and inspired by his collection of short stories, Dubliners, set in the city. September 2025.

3 16 150

Martin Nutty @nuttyinnyc.com · 1d

There has never been an election with more than 12% of the ballots spoiled. That’s why I think the nomination process is a matter of concern

Diarmuid Ferriter had a good piece in the IT today and I think he’s likely correct

#IrishPolitics

www.irishtimes.com/opinion/2025...

Diarmaid Ferriter: Three reasons why talk of reforming presidential nomination process is likely to fizzle out

Spoiled votes and lack of candidates has renewed focus on the presidential nomination process

www.irishtimes.com

Martin Nutty @nuttyinnyc.com · 1d

I read somewhere and I’ll paraphrase here that Manchán Magan may prove to be the most import cultural Irish figure of the first half of the 21st century. I think that’s likely true. He’s missed by all who had the good fortune to cross paths with him

1 2 3

Martin Nutty @nuttyinnyc.com · 1d

I’ll track that one down

I had the pleasure of taking with Manchán a couple of years back. His loss is immense. I believe his ashes are being scattered at Uisneach tomorrow.

Glad I had the opportunity to capture something of his story

#Gaeilge #SpéirGhorm

www.irishstewpodcast.com/ManchanMagan/

S5E3: Manchán Magan - Deep Rooted In Irish Culture

For over 25 years Manachán Magan has been at the forefront of Irish cultural affairs. He first rose to public attention with the 1996 launch of Irish language telev…

www.irishstewpodcast.com

1 1 3

Martin Nutty @nuttyinnyc.com · 1d

Well at the rate things are changing on the housing front, I would say that’s far from assured

1 1

Martin Nutty @nuttyinnyc.com · 2d

Compared to America, the answer to that is no. Sadly living in #NYC has given me a good sense of what media looks like when compromised by the #HardRight. RTÉ, the Irish Times, the Examiner just ain’t quacking like that kind of duck

#NewsMedua #IrishPolitics #SpéirGhorm

1 1

Martin Nutty @nuttyinnyc.com · 2d

I’ll have to watch the series when I get a chance

I think we forget that De Valera’s name must have been a political hurdle as he emerged on the political scene. I’d imagine that a tag of “illegitimacy” might well be fatal

#SpéirGhorm

2 2

Martin Nutty @nuttyinnyc.com · 2d

I think that is very much disputed today. De Valera’s economic isolationism is much scorned these days as is his perceived fealty to the Catholic Church

I for one prefer the Ireland which has emerged from a reversion of De Valera’s rule despite its shortcomings

#IrishHistory #IrishPolitics

1 1

Martin Nutty @nuttyinnyc.com · 2d

2) In modern Ireland, that controversy would now be viewed as an absurdity.

During the first half of the 20th century, in a country dominated by regressive Catholicism, the specter of “illegitimacy” would likely have been a barrier to political success

#IrishHistory

1 1 1