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Wednesday, 25 November 2009

McGuinness is Slugger politician of the year

Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness has been named Politician of the Year at the second annual Slugger O'Toole Political Awards in Belfast.

The ceremony organised by the Slugger O'Toole website took place at the Black Box in the city's Cathedral Quarter on Tuesday night.

The blog is a news and research portal and a forum where people share their views and dialogue on controversial issues. Its awards aim at rewarding good local governance at all levels.

"It was a way of looking at the political game and trying to give some due respect to people who work very hard but often take the sharp end of the stick from the public," blog founder and editor Mick Fealty explained.

Slugger O'Toole was founded in 2002 and has already become something of an institution.

"It started as a research tool and within a year we had around 1,000 users. Now there are about 30,000 to 40,000 users a month," Fealty said.

DUP MLA Simon Hamilton won the award for Up-and-Coming Politician of the year.

Sinn Fein's Cara McShane was named Councillor of the Year, while PUP leader Dawn Purvis won MLA of the Year.

"Some people think politics is very boring and often it is very boring and our assembly can be, but it's very important in a democratic society to share views", said comedian Tim Garry who compered the event.

Winners were voted for by a panel of judges including senior politicians, academics, political analysts and journalists from Britain and Ireland.

They received a caricature of themselves drawn by Guardian cartoonist Martin Rowson.

Slugger O'Toole political awards 2009:

Up-and-Coming Politician of the Year: Simon Hamilton MLA
Local Newspaper of the Year: Dungannon News and Tyrone Courier
Local Council of the Year: Down District Council
Local Councillor of the Year: Cllr Cara McShane
MLA of the Year: Dawn Purvis MLA
Campaign of the Year: Employers for Childcare Vouchers campaign
Participation and Involvement Award: Public Achievement
Journalist of the Year: Julia Paul
Political Blogger of the Year: Alan Meban (Alan in Belfast)
Committee Chair of the Year: Fred Cobain MLA
Politician of the Year: Martin McGuinness MP MLA

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3 Comments

At 10:02 on 26 November 2009, maggie wrote:

The real reason why the RUC was not supported by the minority (not all catholics) was because they were members of the crown force and it did not go down to well with those who thought there should be a United Ireland. The RUC tried to please but as I heard one saying "can't do right for doing wrong "

At 12:06 on 25 November 2009, maggie wrote:

Slug ! more like. North of Ireland people have memory of a gold fish, not remember... Now he is voted politician of the year... well maybe.. he did condemn the Real IRA.. enough to give him an award...It shows how False this country has become.

At 11:04 on 25 November 2009, lorna wrote:

From guns to government, good for some.