Our columnist Frank on how to deal with anarchy sparked by the ‘far-right’… making a return as a club hurling spectator, reflections on Galway’s loss in the All-Ireland camogie final, some thoughts on a memorable Olympic Games, and a night of thunder and lightning…
As Belfast and other cities across the United Kingdom continue to experience all kinds of anarchy and unrest – much of it fuelled by what are called keyboard racists – it is encouraging to see that the authorities in Britain are, more or less, adopting a zero tolerance attitude towards everyone who stirs up hatred online, as well as those who are inspired to carry out acts of thuggery and violence by the words of the online racists.
People who encouraged disorder by urging others to set fire to and smash places that were housing asylum seekers were treated as seriously as those who actually did the foul deeds, and several of the influencers have now found themselves behind bars.
One of them, company director Tyler Kay, who boasted that he would “categorically not be arrested” after taking to social media and posting vile anti-immigration comments, obviously misjudged the situation and is now serving 38 months in prison for his trouble.
Now there are usually two sides to every story, and there are legitimate concerns everywhere – including here in Ireland – regarding immigration policies. But no matter what those concerns are, violence, rioting, thuggery, and disorder are not the answers to the problem.
As Gardaí apparently anticipate some unified attempts at similar violence in Dublin, with the far-right element that are causing such destruction in the North of Ireland planning to join up with similarly-minded racists in the South, I applaud the manner in which the Brits have shown no mercy to those who have involved themselves in such behaviour across the water – and I hope our Government follows suit if anything untoward happens here.
My hurling comeback
(as a spectator)!
It’s Saturday evening as I write, shortly after I decided it was time to wash my car – as it was looking a bit under the weather.
And so I dug out the power washer that I hadn’t seen for a good few months, but when I went to connect it to my water supply, I found there was a bit missing; when I turned on the tap the water simply gushed harmlessly onto the ground.
I am, however, made of stern stuff, and decided to go ahead and wash it anyway. So, with a basin, a few cloths, and some fairy liquid, I set about my business – and am proud to say that after an hour of intensive labour, I declared that the job was done! The only negative was that the car was now looking even worse and dirtier than it was before I started.
To improve my slightly deflated humour, I then decided to go to see the senior hurling match between St Dominic’s and Tremane which was scheduled for 7 pm on our pitch up in Creggs.
Now I am the first to admit that while I follow the senior inter-county hurling scene quite closely, I do not take the same interest in the local club hurling championships. It must be at least 10 or 15 years since I last attended a Roscommon club hurling game – a county final that Athleague won, I think against Padraig Pearses – and I remember being astounded at the quality of the hurling at the time. I also remember saying to myself that I would from then on become a regular attendee at local hurling matches, but as that match was (I think) in 2007, I obviously didn’t follow through on my intentions.
However, just after seven o’clock on Saturday evening, I took my place behind the St Dominic’s goal, looking forward to a rip-roaring battle between two supposedly evenly matched teams.
Sadly for Tremane, they just didn’t get their game going at all, and as I left (a few minutes early so I would see the 4 x 400 women’s relay team in the Olympics), the score was very much in St Dominic’s’ favour. So unless Tremane produced a Lazarus-like comeback in the last few minutes, the Knockcroghery men would have been worthy winners.
I have no idea what the result meant in terms of their respective future championship hopes, but from what I saw, St Dominic’s will be hard to beat. They swarmed around every ball like hungry bees, never gave the Tremane lads any time or space, and had a real good work ethic.
I have no doubt that Tremane, who have our club footballer Darren Gately playing up front for them, have a lot more to offer, but on Saturday evening they were certainly up against a superior force.
I did however enjoy the game, and it was great to see such a big crowd in Creggs at a hurling match. Hopefully it won’t be another 17 years before I get to another local game – by then I’ll be 90, so I had maybe better go a bit sooner!
More sporting
highs and lows
It’s now Sunday evening as I write, and after spending a few hours at our granddaughter Poppy’s third birthday party (where we had a most enjoyable family get-together), with my revived interest in hurling I sat down to watch the All-Ireland senior camogie final, featuring roaring hot favourites Cork and a very brave and gallant Galway side.
Now I have no doubt that I am biased towards the ladies in maroon and white, but in my opinion the refereeing was atrocious. The number of obvious fouls that Cork committed and that were left unpunished was just simply ridiculous.
At the final whistle, there was just a goal between the teams, and Galway contributed to their own downfall with three or four bad wides towards the end, but I can’t help feeling that the referee played a big part as well.
However, for sports quiz enthusiasts in the far distant future, there will surely be the following question – ‘Name the county that lost three senior All-Ireland finals in consecutive weeks’ – and sadly, Galway will be the answer. Because in case you forgot, the men and women footballers and now the camogie team have all been unable to bring home the trophies. I would love to think that it will all come right next year, but I have my doubts.
Before I leave sport and all that’s gone on in recent weeks, there is no doubt that the performance of our Olympics team in Paris has given a huge lift to our little nation.
I was amused by the experience of the Cork lads – modest gold medal winners Paul O’Donovan and Fintan McCarthy – who, as the world now knows, arrived back in Dublin and were going to take a bus down to Cork, until a Good Samaritan offered them a lift home in his car.
Anyway, Team Ireland certainly did us proud in an Olympics that was probably the best in every way of all time – here’s to Rio in four years time, when Ireland can once again punch way above its weight, and when one or both of the O’Rourke sisters might yet get that elusive Olympic medal!
That, of course, is if boxing hasn’t managed to get itself removed from the competition!
And finally…
In a country where weather has been a topic of conversation since time began (I wasn’t around then, but I’m sure I’m right), Sunday night’s spectacular thunder and lightning storm has to be right up there with the best of them.
As the sky was lit by some of the most amazing lightning flashes, I was reminded of some of the outrageous scenes that one would see in the movies, particularly old westerns.
It shows once again that nature is such a powerful force, and whether it’s rain, wind, or lightning, when it really blows up, it’s time to watch out.
Funnily enough, when I was young I would fly under the bed until the storm passed. Now I am older (and wouldn’t fit under the bed), I find that I am no longer afraid of the lightning – and actually enjoyed Sunday night’s spectacular light show.
However, the rest of my family aren’t quite so enthusiastic, so for their sake I hope we don’t have any more nights like last Sunday night!
