More than a quarter century ago, I tentatively rolled my wheels into organised politics for the first time. Primarily because the Local and European elections of 1999 were literally one month after my 18th birthday and thus my first opportunity to vote.
Four years before that, the late John Bruton took over as Taoiseach – Prime Minister of Ireland for overseas readers. Now, the Bruton family were considered to be local aristocracy (by a large number of folk anyway) so I would have felt having one of our own as leader of the country would’ve been a very big deal.
Again, of course, to those of similar mindset it absolutely was. I can still see the late Paddy ‘Chic’ Smith and John Poleon (RIP) among those almost bowing as An Taoiseach alighted from the black Merc and scampered into his favourite ale house, what was then Ned Slevin’s, for a night/early the next morning cap.
However, very quickly what struck this young observer was the indifference, apathy, bordering on begrudgery (as I saw it) among the masses. To this impressionable 15-year-old me, this was a big deal, and so, though the following revelation might knock some people out of their standing in view of how life has panned out since, yours truly made very strong and genuine overtures about joining Fine Gael at the time. But the fact is I never even got a reply, never mind encouragement, from anybody within the party locally.
So, when the time came for me to cast my first vote, I went to only other person I knew to be involved in politics at the time, Noel Leonard of Fianna Fail. The rest, as they say, is history. But it is also the reason for production of what you are reading. Not only did I want to be able to vote, I wanted to actually become involved in politics.
Which at the time meant canvassing for Noel in the lead up to the local elections. Which was an absolutely brilliant experience for me. With one exception. When a known local crank – who from memory was aligned with the Labour Party (Remember them?) – who piped up on the occasion Bertie Ahern – who happens to be a long standing personal friend away from politics – was out visiting the locality “Typical Fianna Fail, bring the lad in the wheelchair out to get the sympathy vote”. That erroneous narrative being ably assisted by the fact that it pelting snow at the time!
But f*ck that for a game of cowboys. I informed the auld dung stirrer that ‘The lad in the wheelchair’ (a) had a name, which he knew damn well, and (b) was very much there of his own volition. As was the case in following elections with the late Damien O’Reilly and his cousin Caroline in subsequent elections and, God willing, will be for many years to come.
But here’s the thing that’s sure to put a few heads in a tailspin, though highly unlikely, if the occasion ever arose to be of assistance to Helen McEntee TD it would be jumped at in an instant, just as it was with her late father, Shane, Lord rest him. Not only because the same was the case the other way around.
Mostly due to an unshakable belief that party politics essentially boils down to differing opinions on how to do the same thing. Anyone that goes into politics does so with the intention of improving the circumstances of those who elected them. Debate and rancour are an essential part of what make politics work, but, in the words of an even more inept Irish soccer manager than the current one “There’s a line you don’t cross”!
The problem is, on an all too regular basis, what we are supposed to let pass as ‘part of the job’ goes across said fateful line. Which is why you are often left wondering why anybody would want to get involved in politics at all. Well, because, at a very basic level, because somebody has to do it.
But when your line of work becomes dangerous and you are neither working with livestock, in law enforcement or at heights, somebody must surely cry halt. As if seeing the lives of An Tainaiste – Irish for Deputy Prime Minister – his wife and two children being openly threatened wasn’t sickening enough, leave it to the Americans to let things go too far. Yet again.
It will be openly admitted that, in this seat at least, Charlie Kirk had never been heard tell of prior to his undoubtedly politically motivated assassination on Wednesday night (Irish time). Having read some of his public pronouncements, perhaps it’s just as well.
However, therein lies the crux of the evil currently engulfing the world. Because, fundamentally, having a different opinion to somebody is never, ever reason enough to kill somebody. Yet that is exactly the fate which befell Mr Kirk. Utter lunacy and wrong on every level.
But saying that in Kirk’s case gets a whole lot more mucky when it’s considered that the now deceased proclaimed that small children being murdered was “Worth it” as it underlined the need to preserve their rights under the second amendment of the American Constitution – the right to bare arms. You reap what you sow. Or get reaped.
Apart from the obvious tragedy and loss Kirk’s murder is for his family, colleagues, other loved ones and followers, it stands as yet another tragic illustration of what should now be called the Disunited States of America.
Moreover, it, yet again, lays bare how dangerous Donald J. Trump’s America is and how, equally so, those who follow the pasty, bloated yellow gasbag are.
What’s more, though there are some – maybe many – who wouldn’t like to admit as such – Trump’s presence in the White House is bad and dangerous news for Ireland.
President-in-waiting (hopefully) Jim Gavin was recently quoted as saying he would be in favour of removing Triple Lock mechanism from Irish law, which pertained to Irish military neutrality.
Naturally, those who have nothing to offer bar negativity and who also obviously forgot the one about people in glass houses throwing stones lit on the Fianna Fail candidate’s credibility.
But here’s the thing, (a) Jim Gavin is possibly the most militarily experienced person in the country and (b) talk of Irish neutrality has long been a fad.
How could anybody earnestly speak of neutrality when they facilitated one side’s refuelling in a so called ‘war on terror’ started under what we now know were false pretences which, as well as civilian and military fatalities also led to the death of British Government scientist Dr David Kelly.
At some point, does all that not add up and make somebody in government here take a step back and conclude that constant kissing of Trumpian American ass bequeaths more baggage and hassle than it may in fact be worth.
No secret will be made of the fact that in no way would I agree with all Leo Varadkar’s political views or pronouncements, but I will always exemplify and applaud him for being a person and formerly a politician of immence personal and political courage.
The examples of this are numerous, from the same sex marriage referendum to his handling of the Covid-19 Pandemic (in conjunction with Micheal Martin it has to be said) but the one for which I believe he deserves utmost credit was the strength of character he displayed in giving Donald Trump the cold shoulder shortly after he assumed the office of Taoiseach.
The onus is on Micheal now to grow a pair of balls politically for the first time in his career and do likewise.
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