Category: POLITICS
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Healy-Rae cute hoor-ism cods nobody but themselves
Earlier this week in the Irish Independent, Fionnan Sheehan – who I would have always counted as ridiculously anti Fianna Fail (at best) recounted a tale which Bertie Ahern told me himself at a wedding many moons ago now. It related to a time when the late, great Jackie Healy-Rae was supporting an FF led…
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Come on Ireland – must do better
If you were to stick to the rudiments of teams and individuals representing the nation in major sporting events, with the exceptions of Katie Taylor, Kellie Harrington, Rory McIlroy, Shane Lowry and the horse racing set, the above headline remains wholly applicable. Admittedly, the idea of sports persons being ‘role models’ has always been hogwash…
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Political satire hits the jackpot
Political satirist and comedian Oliver Callan openly admitted during the week that he would have to put both his writing and thinking caps on following Paschal Donohue’s defection to an even bigger, better paid talking shop in Washington. Lord Dimples of Inchicore has long been a central tenet of the Monaghan performer and broadcaster’s long…
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A picture paints a thousand words but may need more to repair
I’m a sucker for pomp and ceremony. Whether it be something like a Royal wedding or funeral over the water – or the trials and tribulations of Andy MW – or a Presidential Inauguration here or in the States. Add being a bit of a political junkie to that mix and Catherine Connolly receiving her…
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Democracy might be desirable but it’s not always right
At the outset here, let it be made abundantly clear – I am not anti development. That could hardly be the case when – admittedly tediously slowly – the manner in which disabled access to places has improved tenfold over the last couple of decades. Is it perfect? Not by a long shot – Croke…
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Gavin realises he’s too much the gentleman for dirty wars
MICHEAL MARTIN MAY RECITE THE COLLINS LINE The individual who many describe as the Father Of Our Nation, Michael Collins, famously or infamously, depending on what way you look at it, proclaimed “I may have just signed my own death warrant there” upon agreement of the Treaty which led to the construction of Ireland as…
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Why would you do it?
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 –…
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Gavin’s genius wasted behind the trees in the Park
My late father seemed to have a saying and/or one liner for nearly every scenario in life, and in my mind’s ear I could almost hear him muse “It’s very easy to be a busy fool” when news emerged that Fianna Fail were considering asking former Dublin football Messiah Jim Gavin to be their nominee…
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Doing it in such a way that people cannot but notice
In honour of International Womens Day, we here and BTS head office look at some of those who have made sporting strides on the local, national and international stage… NINA CARBERRY (WALSH) MEP: The only possible place this celebratory journey could begin. Enshrined her name in Irish sporting history when becoming the first lady rider…
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Caffeine, a calculator, a cart load of nostalgia and a catastrophic lack of sleep
That, ladies and gents, is an armchair view of and a survival kit for the rigors of an Irish General Election. He says as he begins keyboarding this piece at 2:28am on a Monday night/Tuesday morning. All a guilty pleasure. In one of life’s great contradictions, you’d have thought the introduction of E-Voting machines would’ve…