THURSDAY
Merton mirth
On Have I Got News for You? (BBC 1, recorded) the presenter mused that (US) President-elect Trump will likely impose tariffs on certain goods, including popular ones such as “bourbon whiskey, Levi’s jeans, Harley-Davidson motorbikes”.
Quick as a flash, Paul Merton (addressing rival team captain, the rather ‘steady’ Ian Hislop): “That’ll hit you hard, Ian”.
When the initial audience laughter ended, Paul followed up with: “That’s your weekend ruined!”
FRIDAY
Dickie Rock
Dickie Rock, who died today at the age of 88, has been a legend on the Irish music scene since the 1960s. I never saw him perform, other than on TV in latter decades (when his voice still sounded top class).
One of the greats of the showband era, he would certainly have performed in the Cloudland Ballroom in Rooskey, where crowds of up to 1,500 people often gathered at weekends.
When my family purchased the Crew’s Inn bar in the village in 1974 (moving there from the Kon Tiki) we were just a couple of doors down from The Cloudland, by then hosting more sedate crowds of several hundred bingo-goers on a Saturday night, the frenetic showband era having been replaced by discos in exotic places such as Longford and Mohill.
(As it happens, I had a good chat about the Cloudland Ballroom and that whole era with Cllr Paddy O’Rourke, Cathaoirleach of Leitrim of County Council before we both went on air with Joe Finnegan on Shannonside today).
Dickie Rock was a superstar of the entertainment business. The (slightly) older folk spoke of him in reverential terms. He brought a lot of joy to people. May he rest in peace. (See also Frank Brandon’s column on page 12).
FRIDAY/SATURDAY
Storm Darragh
Storm Darragh fairly raged from after midnight. Our dog snored throughout it all; good for her. On Saturday morning, word began to filter through of multiple fallen trees.
We couldn’t get that information online, because our power went for a few hours (it was back early enough on Saturday). Hundreds of other householders have not been so lucky. See our reports on pages 1 & 10.
SATURDAY
Trump and Macron
He’s back alright… several weeks before he is due to be inaugurated as US President again, Donald Trump is wasting no time in letting the world know that it’s really happening.
If anything, he seems to have more energy now than four years ago. In just about all his public appearances/media interviews since winning November’s election, Trump has oozed confidence… and quite a degree of gravitas, it must be said.
That was really in evidence in Paris today when Trump commanded all the media attention as he rubbed shoulders with world leaders and other dignitaries at the reopening of the famous Notre-Dame cathedral. Actually, he didn’t just rub shoulders with other guests; he effectively stood head and shoulders above them.
France’s President Macron certainly knew his old ‘sparring partner’ was back, Trump ‘treating’ him to another of their now famous ‘handshake battles’!
Le Monde’s report alluded to the fact that other leaders (Royals too) were queuing to greet Trump: “Having just returned from political purgatory – into which the assault on the Capitol had plunged him on January 6, 2021 – and freshly freed from federal prosecution, the soon-to-be 47th president of the United States symbolically carried out his first foreign trip since his redemptive election, arriving in Paris on Saturday. Having become a pariah nearly four years ago, he is now more courted than ever…”
Joe Biden, who is the current President of America, wasn’t even in Paris. Trump has the stage now – and he’s strutting it. He’s some showman. Of course he still has to govern, and there are legitimate concerns about how he might choose to do that, about his erratic nature too.
It will be fascinating to see how this return of Trump as the ultimate political ‘alpha male’ evolves over his next term in office. Right now, to use sporting parlance, he’s in the form of his life.
SUNDAY
Christmas Festival
The atmosphere at Loughnaneane Park in Roscommon Town this evening was fantastic, as a huge crowd gathered for the finale to the weekend’s Christmas Festival.
What a wonderful occasion this was for the massive crowd of perhaps 2,500 or so. Young and not quite so young alike enjoyed the Enchanted Christmas Trail (complete with cartoon characters), a performance by the Roscommon Men’s Choir, and to top it all off, a totally mesmerising fireworks display.
I think I made the point last year that few if any other county towns have a communal Christmas celebration of this magnificence. As last year, it was a wonderful evening, truly memorable for all who attended, with a magical family atmosphere prevailing.
Congratulations to Roscommon County Council, Roscommon Town Team, Roscommon LEADER Partnership, Roscommon Lights Committee, and all who volunteered over the course of the festival weekend. Today was a day to remember, one that warmed hearts… and put smiles on thousands of faces.
MONDAY-WEDNESDAY
Phones down…
Unfortunately, the phone lines at the Roscommon People have been down for most of what are the busiest days of the week at our office. Apparently it’s related to Storm Darragh.
Apologies to members of the public who have been trying to contact the office, but it has been beyond our control. From time to time, the ‘phones came back’ for a while over recent days, but for the most part it’s been a highly frustrating situation for the public (and us). Hopefully normal service will resume on Thursday.
Finally, a word of acknowledgement and thanks to all ESB Networks crews and partner contractors, Roscommon County Council staff, Uisce Éireann staff and all others involved in picking up the pieces since Storm Damage – sorry, Storm Darragh – struck.
