I addressed post-graduate student teachers last week in UCC. I do this a number of times each year and it makes me focus on the way I use my words. I spoke to them about the need for sensitive communication when dealing with students and families. I talked about communicating with individual students and the need to choose words wisely. At all times, the dignity of the person must be preserved.

Cartoon by Clyde Delaney.

Undignified behaviour towards others is disrespectful and damages self-esteem.

It doesn’t matter what your profession is; society requires a certain level of etiquette when dealing with people. It is critical if you are a politician. My message is always to remember that once the words are out of your mouth you can never take them back.

You can never undo that moment. It is time to soul search and remember the value of pausing before you speak. If there was ever a reason for a pause, we heard it in Waterford last week when David Cullinane, Sinn Féin was elected as a TD.

He ended his speech with: “What we say is, up the Republic, up the Ra, and tiocfaidh ár lá.”

I felt genuine fear rise inside me

It has been widely publicised. “Up the ra” has no place in Irish politics. After the election, I had been thinking “OK, well done Mary Lou. You are a woman. You have an outside chance of becoming An Taoiseach. Maybe this is the change we need after this inconclusive election.”

My thoughts were short lived as news of “Up the Ra” broke. I felt genuine fear rise inside me. This ill-advised rabble rousing was indeed a subtle threat to peace. An apology after the fact does not do it for me.

It is for this reason that I am uneasy

The excuse that it was an emotional day and so on is simply not good enough. That is just the time to be careful and thinking clearly. Leadership is all important and I am shocked that Mary Lou McDonald as leader had not made sure that the acronym IRA would not be part of any victory speech.

There is strategising for every party and effort is put into the team being on message. It is for this reason that I am uneasy.

Now, we are left wondering; did all the people who voted for Sinn Féin expect this? Or do some have a sour taste in their mouths?

Memories

My memories of the atrocities carried out in the name of the IRA and others are a big part of the Ireland I grew up in. Each morning at breakfast during the 70s, my dad would detail the people who were killed overnight in the Troubles. It was a black part of our history. Any comment or act that endorses the loss of life and pain endured on both sides is a mistake and has no part in our future.

One has to wonder at the groundswell of support among young people for Sinn Féin

In my view, this has been a huge backward step for Sinn Féin. It’s akin to the swing gate debacle. One has to wonder at the groundswell of support among young people for Sinn Féin; is it that they are too young to remember the Troubles? To them, it might be just history.

Likewise, many of the Sinn Féin candidates are young; do they not remember either? Or are people just fed up of the status quo and the inaction primarily on housing and health?

The country waits while the deliberations between parties goes on. Three parties with an equal mandate makes it a difficult landscape. It also spells new opportunities.

I am fearful of a government that includes Sinn Féin

There is no doubt but that we are facing a period of instability and yes, I am fearful of a government that includes Sinn Féin. I might not be so fearful only for the throwaway comments of that Waterford TD. I think people were genuinely taken aback and hence social media went crazy. The video link was sent to me several times. Is it any wonder I emphasise that once the words are out of your mouth, you can never take them back.

Whatever the outcome of talks between our elected representatives will be; the country needs a stable government and visionary leadership. We might even be returning to the polling booths.