THURSDAY
All politics is local
On a human level, politics can certainly be a tough business. Politically, you live and die not by the sword, but by the stroke of a pen.
This week has seen two local politicians lose their Seanad seats. Aisling Dolan and Eugene Murphy both lost out on the highly competitive Agricultural Panel. It was a further significant setback for two public figures who just over a couple of months ago had their sights set on the Dáil.
Both are now at a crossroads in their respective political careers. Since late last year, Dolan and Murphy have both encountered stormy political seas.
Eugene Murphy has been high profile in these parts for 40 years, having been elected to Roscommon County Council for the first time way back in 1985. Today, political discourse is often via social media. Times have changed. In 1985, I remember Eugene in full flow addressing locals leaving Mass from the church in Strokestown.
He insists he is not finished with politics and has pledged to put his name before the people again when local and national elections next come around.
It hasn’t been a good week for our constituency. A fruitless Seanad election for local candidates followed on from Dr Martin Daly (Fianna Fáil) and Frank Feighan (Fine Gael) both being overlooked when that long list of junior ministers was revealed.
Both will be obvious contenders for promotion if and when a mid-term reshuffle takes place.
The assumption that Daly would get a junior ministry was hyped up too much (not by the new TD himself, but by party sources locally, and commentators too). It’s not usual for a first-time TD to get the nod. Taoiseach Micheál Martin is cautious at the best of times. His decision not to appoint Daly certainly put paid to any suggestion that the Ballygar man was promised a junior ministry in return for entering the political fray.
FRIDAY
Welsh woe
I didn’t see tonight’s opening game of the Six Nations Championship, but judging by online reviews, Wales were as poor as their woeful 43-0 defeat to France suggests.
It might be unfair on Wales (a great rugby nation that’s just going through a bad period) for me to draw the comparison, but I am reminded of what the eccentric Len Shackleton said after he scored six goals in Newcastle’s 13-0 win over Newport in a league match in 1946: “They were lucky to get nil”.
SATURDAY
Boyzone documentary
Channel-hopping, I came across a major new documentary on Boyzone (No Matter What, Sky Documentaries).
I wasn’t aware of this three-part series until tonight. Judging by episode one, it’s a raw and revealing no-holds-barred retrospective on the rise to international stardom of the Irish boyband that was formed, and ruthlessly controlled, by Louis Walsh.
I’ve only seen one episode at time of writing, but already it’s clear that there was a lot of turmoil behind the scenes, and that many questions arise about both Louis Walsh’s modus operandi and the conduct of the tabloid press. So many boybands/young pop stars have been victims of exploitation.
Episode one was intriguing, band members interviewed on their own, Walsh an unnervingly Machiavellian-like contributor in the shadows.
Mikey Graham has obviously been badly affected by his experience in the band, while the late Stephen Gately’s turmoil will clearly be a feature of the series.
SUNDAY
Giving everything…
Watching children play can be exhausting (and wonderful). Just now in our house, one of our nephews (aged 3) and our 21-month-old grandchild have embarked on a relentless series of laps of two rooms.
They’ve been running at high speed from living room to kitchen in playful pursuit of one another. Mostly following the same route, they’ve occasionally paused for breath while circling the ‘Island’, a bit like the pit stops which Formula One drivers take.
The energy levels and single-minded focus on display are something else. But even small kids’ energy levels have a limit. Finally, after several laps, they’ve both just plopped to the floor, exhausted.
I know it reminds me of something. But what? Then it comes to me. That night in 1975 when, thrilled to be out of my bed in the early hours of the morning, I watched Muhammad Ali v Joe Frazier live from Manila. When Frazier couldn’t take any more at the start of the 15th round, he sank on to his stool. Ali in turn immediately collapsed to the canvas.
SUNDAY
Rory & Shane
A TV and sporting highlight of this weekend has been the golf on Sky Sports, where Rory McIllroy and Shane Lowry have taken charge at the business end of the Pebble Beach Pro-Am. McIllroy won, Lowry’s birdie on the last ensuring he finished second. Both McIlroy and Lowry hit hole-in-ones during the tournament. Their exploits earned them combined prize money of almost six millions dollars.
MONDAY
Speechless…
Ceann Comhairle Verona Murphy has spoken… so that others may not. The Ceann Comhairle has made it known that she cannot grant Opposition speaking rights to the Regional Independents, because they are already committed to supporting the new Government.
I assume that on hearing tonight’s twist, a suitably unimpressed Michael Lowry and Micheál Martin are both… speechless.
TUESDAY
The late Brian Murphy
What a terrific comedy actor Brian Murphy was. The sitcom star of yore died on Sunday (aged 92), with his passing being announced by his family today. Readers of a certain age may recall him from Man About The House (well, I don’t; when I think of him it’s for his role in George and Mildred). Much later, he was a regular in Last of the Summer Wine, which was perfect for his style, which usually involved playing a bumbling character who was down on his luck or, as the Guardian put it today, “constantly outmanoeuvred by contemptuous and implacable women”.
The (sitcom) woman who kept him on his toes most was Yootha Joyce, Mildred to Murphy’s very ‘hen-pecked’ George in the much-loved George and Mildred (1976-1979). That latter sitcom was a spin-off from Man About The House, which first introduced Murphy and Joyce to TV viewers.
Brian Murphy starred in numerous other popular TV programmes, and had film roles too. He will be fondly remembered.
