WHO’LL BE CHOSEN FOR PARK RUN?

The power couple option

LYNN BOYLAN SINN FÉIN MEP FOR DUBLIN She was elected in 2014 and would have been due to stand for election again in 2019. A substantial female politician from Tallaght she and her partner, uber trendy left Sinn Féin TD Eoin Ó Broin are known to be sensitive to their recognition as Sinn Féin’s power couple. Ms Boylan was a relative political unknown when she ran for the party in 2014 but after the voting on May 23, she won 23.6% of the first preference votes, and was elected on the third count. She had contested the 2007 general election and the 2009 local election in South Kerry. She recently hit headlines when she liked an offensive tweet about DUP leader Arlene Foster – which she insisted was an accident. The tweet compared Mrs Foster to US president Donald Trump and labelled her ‘hateful, racist, bigoted’ and ‘an orange c***’. Paddy Power odds: 3/1

The current favourite

LIADH Ní RIADA MUNSTER MEP The current favourite to obtain the Sinn Féin candicacy for the presidential election. She would bring a family heritage that would certainly challenge Michael D’s supremacy as a mystical, artist President. Ms Ní Riada is the youngest daughter of the iconic composer and musician, Seán Ó Riada. She has over 20 years’ experience as a producer and director with RTÉ and TG4. She was a member of the board that set up TG4 and developed its philosophy and financial structures. Fluent in Irish and French, she is a vocal advocate for Irish language rights. Paddy Power odds: 6/1

The cross-border candidate

MICHELLE GILDERNEW MP FOR FERMANAGH AND SOUTH TYRONE The seat once held by the late hunger striker and Republican icon Bobby Sands. She was elected to the seat in 2001, on the 20th anniversary of Bobby Sands’s death on hunger strike in the Maze Prison. Her position in this constituency would make her an interesting cross-border, all-Ireland candidate, with an evocative link to the period that brought Sinn Féin, as the Provisional IRA’s political wing, into electoral politics. She is from The Brantry, Co Tyrone, is married with two sons and comes from a large Republican family. Paddy Power odds: 9/1

The party’s longest-serving TD

CAOIMGHíN Ó CAOLÁIN, SINN FÉIN’S CAVAN-MONAGHAN DEPUTY AND LONGEST SERVING TD. He was elected to the Dáil for the party in 1997, when he was Sinn Féin’s only TD. He recently announced he was retiring from the Dáil, which may be why his name is so prominent. However a party source said last night: ‘I’d be surprised if Caoimghín succumbed to pressure within the party to run for the Park. He’s been looking forward to getting his life back when he leaves the Dáil.’ Paddy Power odds: 9/4

Other odds from Paddy Power: Artist Robert Ballagh 7/4; Patricia Mac Bride 6/1; Solictor John Finucane 8/1; Peter Canavan 8/1; Gerry Adams 10/1; Martin Ferris 50/1; Christy Burke 125/1.