October, 2011

I had two emails inside the last twenty-four hours. (Actually I had an awful lot more than two but it’s just these two I want to write about.)  One was from a former classmate, in response to a link I’d sent him, urging people living outside the twenty-six (or is it twenty-two?) counties who haven’t […]

I had two emails inside the last twenty-four hours. (Actually I had an awful lot more than two but it’s just these two I want to write about.)  One was from a former classmate, in response to a link I’d sent him, urging people living outside the twenty-six (or is it twenty-two?) counties who haven’t […]

The Americans do things differently from us.  They have pancakes for breakfast, they ask God to bless America when they’re doing something they know they shouldn’t be doing, and they elect their president differently.  You think  the Irish presidential election has been going on for a long time? In the States the candidates take a […]

The Americans do things differently from us.  They have pancakes for breakfast, they ask God to bless America when they’re doing something they know they shouldn’t be doing, and they elect their president differently.  You think  the Irish presidential election has been going on for a long time? In the States the candidates take a […]

In the hours leading up to last night’s RTÉ news, I was watching a movie featuring Bill Murray : ‘The Man Who Knew Too Little’. It was a daft plot – American visits London, stumbles into what he thinks is a street theatre event but is in fact a real-life conspiracy to re-start the Cold […]

In the hours leading up to last night’s RTÉ news, I was watching a movie featuring Bill Murray : ‘The Man Who Knew Too Little’. It was a daft plot – American visits London, stumbles into what he thinks is a street theatre event but is in fact a real-life conspiracy to re-start the Cold […]

Wasn’t last night’s presidential debate a gas? The main reason, of course, was Vincent Browne.  He was at UCD in my time – a big man in UCD’s Fine Gael – and although we moved on different planes (he got involved, I stood with the Derry crowd, our arses against the  corner radiator, over-awed), I […]

Wasn’t last night’s presidential debate a gas? The main reason, of course, was Vincent Browne.  He was at UCD in my time – a big man in UCD’s Fine Gael – and although we moved on different planes (he got involved, I stood with the Derry crowd, our arses against the  corner radiator, over-awed), I […]

When I heard politicians say they felt humbled, I used  want to kick them. Since last night, I’m scrapping that one. No more did-he-say-‘humbled’?/swift boot in bum. Changed man. My conversion came as I emceed a meeting in Omagh,  addressed by Martin McGuinness and a range of other people.  It was a splendid evening except […]

When I heard politicians say they felt humbled, I used  want to kick them. Since last night, I’m scrapping that one. No more did-he-say-‘humbled’?/swift boot in bum. Changed man. My conversion came as I emceed a meeting in Omagh,  addressed by Martin McGuinness and a range of other people.  It was a splendid evening except […]