February, 2010

For the first time in ages, I watched RTE’s ‘Late Late Show’ last night. I knew Gerry Adams would be on, so I persevered through appalling rubbish to get to him. At one point presenter Ryan Tubridy asked the guest how she felt about her mother dying. WHA’? In fact several of the interviews seemed […]

For the first time in ages, I watched RTE’s ‘Late Late Show’ last night. I knew Gerry Adams would be on, so I persevered through appalling rubbish to get to him. At one point presenter Ryan Tubridy asked the guest how she felt about her mother dying. WHA’? In fact several of the interviews seemed […]

I’m not sure I should feel the way I do about Bill Clinton. The news that he’s been hospitalized and had two pieces of stainless steel inserted into his body ( surely an uncomfortable procedure no matter what route is taken) should provide me and millions of others with a grim satisfaction. After all, this […]

I’m not sure I should feel the way I do about Bill Clinton. The news that he’s been hospitalized and had two pieces of stainless steel inserted into his body ( surely an uncomfortable procedure no matter what route is taken) should provide me and millions of others with a grim satisfaction. After all, this […]

I remember about eight years ago seeing a Martin McDonagh play – ‘The Beauty Queen of Lenane’ – in London and thinking at the time how energetic and amusing his use of language was but how old-fashioned and caricature-ish his presentation of life in the west of Ireland was. A good laugh if you secretly […]

I remember about eight years ago seeing a Martin McDonagh play – ‘The Beauty Queen of Lenane’ – in London and thinking at the time how energetic and amusing his use of language was but how old-fashioned and caricature-ish his presentation of life in the west of Ireland was. A good laugh if you secretly […]

Last night’s ‘The Boys of St Columb’s’ on RTE television: let’s get the vested interest out of the way first. I’ve completed twenty-four interviews with former classmates and staff from St Columb’s during the 1950s and am hoping to publish them in book form sometime this year, to mark the fiftieth anniversary of our escape […]

Last night’s ‘The Boys of St Columb’s’ on RTE television: let’s get the vested interest out of the way first. I’ve completed twenty-four interviews with former classmates and staff from St Columb’s during the 1950s and am hoping to publish them in book form sometime this year, to mark the fiftieth anniversary of our escape […]

Is it catching? I’m beginning to think it might be. First there was the DUP practically self-combusting in the heat of Iris’s passion and the payment of £25,000 cheques to teenage boys, then Sinn Fein and the Liam Adams affair and strenuous efforts to make it seem as if Gerry Adams was going soft on […]

Is it catching? I’m beginning to think it might be. First there was the DUP practically self-combusting in the heat of Iris’s passion and the payment of £25,000 cheques to teenage boys, then Sinn Fein and the Liam Adams affair and strenuous efforts to make it seem as if Gerry Adams was going soft on […]