Does Sinn Féin really understand the Republic?

This was supposed to be a defining, if not critically important, year for Sinn Féin.

Because of clever planning - and to the chagrin of Fianna Fáil - the party was first in the republican queue to get hold of the Mansion House back in January to celebrate the 90th anniversary of the first Dáil.

As the party headed into this year, it seemed that there was much to look forward to, not ...