Bits & Pieces

Was in town on Sunday mooching around when the sound of badly played flutes punctured the air in the vicinity of O'Connell Street.It turned out to be a procession of no more than about two dozen of National/Independent/Socialist/Republican/Continuity/Real/Army/Gombeens.They were busy making fools of themselves and no one was paying a blind bit of notice. They'll probably be lucky if they get 20 seconds on the last item on RTE News. What a waste of time: Throwing a peanut into the Atlantic ocean would have more of an impact.Irish politics has moved on from this stupid ideology. Obviously our equivalent in Ulster hasn't.No one follows this sort of out-dated creed in the republic. Indeed the cheers that went around O'Connell street were the sounds coming from pubs where a premiership match was being broadcast. Enough said.

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Big up to Andy Burnham MP. The UK's sports minister recently went up to Liverpool FC's home ground, Anfield. It was the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the Hillsborough football disaster. Apologising, (something his government is now getting more accustomed to doing)for the inadequate inquiry into the death of 96 fans, Burnham found himself facing an angry 'Kop'. Manchester United would have had a more welcoming reception. The crowd poured their vitriol and insults down on the Labour minister, at full volume after he finished his speech. Many people bawled at,like that, would recoil or leave the scene. But instead he just bowed his head. Whatever you think about Mr Burnham, or his government,he showed he has balls, without removing his trousers.Btw it's good to see that Liverpudlians are still boycotting the 'Sun' - a disgrace to journalism.

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Gordon Brown's extremely false smiling is making the UK Prime Minister seem silly. Even if he depresses the shit out of viewers, he simply shouldn't pretend. It's most unlikely that Labour will win the upcoming general election (forecast for next year).It's fair to say that David Cameron's Conservatives will be the next British government. Cameron's economic policies will come under intense scrutiny as time goes on. Not enough to just ly back and let Brown wallow in the manure. When he retires, the Labour PM will busy himself with lecture tours.But Gordon, be yourself and stop grinning inanely. It won't win you an election. Instead keep them for intimate moments with your wife and don't share them with us. Politicians that go for fake sincerity do not endear themselves to the public. A lesson for Enda Kenny perhaps.


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Last week I interviewed Councillor Maria Bailey (FG)as part of one of my Print Journalism assignments. I made it clear that her interviewer was non-partisan (I even refused to let her buy me a drink). What's the difference between the parties anyway? None! The theme of my questioning was based on the health service, nationally and locally. She seems genuinely concerned about the health of those she represents and mentions Dr.James Reilly's, her party's speaker on health, carefully drafted policies. The interview went well and I felt healthier than normal afterwards. I left the Councillor to resume her canvassing for the local elections - never keep a politician from their work!
© Ian Callagy 2009

Confessions of a coffee drinker (a Latté starter)

In history people would seek sanctuary in churches. One thinks of Thomas Becket who was fleeing, but ultimately doomed, from Henry II. More recently sancturary, to the UK, was the option taken by Charles De Gaulle (French leader)during World War Two. Similarly Emperor Haille Sallasie (a familiar name for Reggae fans!!) found sanctuary in the quiet English countryside when Mussolini's forces had control of his country.

Thankfully I'm not on the run from Fascist dictators. The pace of life in Ireland allows me to seek refuge,not in churches, but in Cafés. To me these places are a way of re-charging my batteries and a wonderful chance for people-watching to accompany my latté.'Out of my way fat-man', I think to myself 'I want to see the sexy woman behind you.'

Café-going is one of the few affordable luxuries I can allow myself. "What about work?" I hear you say,"what about earning a living, you layabout?" I cannot say I'm not lazy, but smoking, getting pissed at the weekend or taking illegal drugs are not familiar habits for me to indulge. Instead it's coffee and beyond that I,as you can see from my profile, am childless. Less of a burden. So I have,over the last year, turned to writing - probably my only skill.

In Ireland, today, it's not hard to find good quality coffee and it is almost fuel for me. It is, unlike alchohol, a good way of stimulating the mind. Especially when you're not up to it. A few month's ago, whilst working for Totally Dublin magazine, it was my routine to get coffee regularly for myself and my colleagues. Life can be difficult and coffee can give us that much needed boost from time to time without having to have surgery.

Skinny, Latté, Frapucino,Capucino,Americano, White, Black, Mocha... the coffee addict has a diverse range to pick from and,with summer on it's way, the future can only be better for grounded coffee drinkers like me. Despite the reces.....The worst thing is that you end up talking a lot and, as my family know to their misfortune, that can be difficult for others to have to tolerate. The best time to imbibe coffee is in the morning.Just don't drink it at night or you'll never sleep!

Now that my coffee glass is empty, I'll leave you to contemplate life.But believe me it's better with a drop of the brown, Caffiene containing substance. Now where did I leave my jar of Maxwell House.......
© Ian Callagy 2009

Brendan Gleeson

Brendan Gleeson, now aged 54, is one of many Irish actors to have reached prominence over the last 20 years and can boast of featuring in over 60 films. A former teacher in Belcamp College secondary school, north Co. Dublin, Gleeson came to acting in his thirties. His first major screen credit came in 1995 for his part in Braveheart. To date Gleeson has taken on roles as diverse as a gangland criminal (The General) to a chef (Wild about Harry). He has had starring roles in Studs where he plays the manager of a Dublin Football/Soccer team and in 2006 he acted with his son, Briain, in The Tiger’s Tail.

One of Gleeson’s most renowned roles was in Gangs of New York, recently screened on Channel Four on Saint Patrick’s Day. Of his work on the successful movie he says: “It was fantastic…that amount of people and that amount of talent put together. I was very surprised to work with a cast that fantastic. It was brilliant but very painstaking.”

But Gleeson’s talents are varied. As well as being an established actor of stage and screen, he is an accomplished fiddle player. He has made no secret of his desire to remain living in Ireland, despite his success. The Harry Potter actor has appeared on RTE’s The Late Late Show and has used his time on the top Irish chat show to criticise the Irish health system and also the government’s handling of the economy. On a recent appearance he told Pat Kenny of his wish that a cross-party approach be adopted to get Ireland out of the economic crisis the country is now going through.

The Aston Villa FC fan is married with four sons and lives in Malahide. He’s currently involved with three films which are, at the moment, in pre-production. In one of his most recent roles, In Bruges, he starred alongside Colin Farrell and the well built actor’s voice can be heard playing the character of Abbot Cellach in the newly released animated film, The Secret of Kells.

In 2009 Gleeson won a BAFTA for ‘Best Supporting Actor’ in In Bruges and it looks like the film reel will continue to roll for this busy thespian – arguably one of this country’s finest living actors.
© Ian Callagy 2009

Television Coverage of the Fine Gael Party Conference 2009

Welcome to the weekend’s television coverage of the FG party conference. First to view is FG’s health spokesperson, Dr James Reilly TD. He puffs up his ample chest to face up to the government’s health policies. He wants change: the patient should be focussed on. Dr Reilly proposes a National Body Test to provide healthcare to all and invokes the British NHS as an example of excellence he would like to see replicated here. The tub thumper roars “are you with us” several times towards the end of his speech and earns him a standing ovation.

Gay Mitchell introduces and chairs a panel/forum on the economy. He speaks clearly and is, typically, articulate. “The country is heading for Niagara Falls” he says. Mr Mitchell speaks glowingly of the EU: “Lisbon was lost through lack of leadership from government” he tells his audience with relish. The MEP then goes on to say that Irish people should be able to work here instead of having to go to London or Boston. He is well received at City West.

Continuing the economic theme, Simon Coveney has a concentrated face and tells us that job creation can be achieved “by creating a new economy.” The Cork TD is good at analysing but has no real answers. Indeed he comes across as a rather abstract speaker and is unspecific. The word ‘bland’ springs to mind, as if we didn’t have enough of that in Irish politics already. However maybe I’m being a little harsh for he goes on to mention energy wealth, telecommunications/broadband and investing in technology. Mr Coveney then tells those gathered that €18M would be invested by an incoming FG led government but he doesn’t tell us where the money is going to come from. Too short on detail.

Other speakers continue in the same vein: Cllr. Maria Bailey, Tony Lawlor (a local candidate in Naas), Deirdre Clune TD (daughter of Peter Barry, former Foreign minister) and Senator Paudie Coffey among them. It is a clever idea to have the forum incorporated into the annual conference and I’d imagine viewers would be impressed. Leo Varadkar TD and one of the party’s financial spokesmen, Kieran O’Donnell TD, also get to share their ideas with us.

The middle-class audience clap positively as speaker after speaker try to put distance between FG and FF policy - something Lewis Hamilton would have difficulty achieving. You couldn’t put a cigarette paper between the two main parties in many areas of policy. FF is accused of making ‘jobs for the boys’. Many Labour party viewers are probably, at this moment, ready to vomit up their breakfast. However the idea of this forum may throw up some good ideas. Something Mr Cowen’s supporters shouldn’t ignore.

Deputy leader, Richard Bruton TD, mentions the recent success of Ireland’s rugby players in winning the ‘Grand Slam’. Mr Bruton says, unlike the rugby team, the current government have not faced up to their weaknesses. Ireland needs more diversity in training. However articulate speakers are not enough and FG needs more charismatic figures to come to prominence. In their favour though the other parties, similarly, have little charisma too.

It is delightful to see Benedicta Attoh, a wonderful African member and candidate. She is someone I have come across before and she is warmly received by conference. Benedicta will be a candidate in Dundalk and should be encouraged. It’s good to see that even through the recession that multi-ethnic Ireland continues to develop unabated. The money may not be around right now but multiculturism is a growing, positive development and it should be embraced. Watching the television coverage, it’s clear that FG is becoming a broad church, it will be vital to them if they hope to govern this country. It will also give the party greater credibility in the eyes of the electorate.

Now it’s time for Fergus O’Dowd TD to address the delegates in City West and he harks back to the 1990’s when Ireland was “the envy of the world” and contrasts that with today, “31,000 extra are now on the dole.” He talks of his concern to families experiencing money trouble, “suffocating debts.” Mr O’Dowd seems like a good TD but could he be an effective minister? He does tell us of bad planning. But it may be too late to do anything about that, one suspects the horse has bolted. Despite this ‘spatial planning’ is his mantra.

A good portion of the speakers, this morning, are young and it is clear that FG have wooed many new members ready to thump FF. Most of the core audience are made up of well off, business people and one cannot doubt that some of them have come to the party coinciding with the demise of the PD’s.

But of all those I am watching on the telly it’s Olwyn Enright TD who impresses most. She immediately gets my attention when she turns to the subject of volunteering and carer’s (something close to my heart). She’s a clear, determined speaker whose rightful place, one feels, should be in government. I found it emotional listening to her and she gives voice to those no longer in employment. Ms Enright adds a human angle to these recessionary times and acknowledges how hard it is for people to return to work. The current government’s policy of giving precedence to social welfare rather than getting people back into full-time employment is rightly criticised: “We are governed by people not up to date with change.” She reiterates the importance of re-training. We need to see more of this energetic politician, someone with plenty to contribute to public life in this country.

From the hour or so viewing it’s clear to me that FG are much more ready for government, ready to pounce if Mr Cowen makes a, politically, fatal move.

Enda Kenny is a man of integrity, even if he lacks charisma. But he has transformed his party. In his speech to delegates he stresses that FF are no longer in control of the economy. The fact that there is no Bertie Ahern leading the government has imbued the FG leader with confidence. He probably slaved over his speech but it is well crafted and the viewers, both at City West and at home, can be justifiably impressed. Never has Mr Kenny looked and sounded so determined and his time could be near. But it’s Brian Cowen who is in the driving seat and next week’s budget could be pivotal in Irish politics.

Ps: It seems that Eoghan Harris, in this weekend’s Sunday Independent, completely misses the FG conference. Instead the Munster man is caught up with the trivialities of the latest Red C poll carried in the previous week’s Sunday Business Post. Have you no interest in the forthcoming budget, Mr Harris? Nearly everyone else does.

Rep. Ireland v Bulgaria

To start here are some clichés that football people love:

‘Well at the end of the day…’
‘Early days…’
‘The front two should sit behind the back four…’
‘A bit of unbalance at a high level at a wide area…’
‘Not the dream start, Gabriel…’

Pre-match talk
Now I’m not in Croke Park for the match but I am tuned into RTE radio to try and get a handle on the upcoming match. The excitement starts with the cacophony of THE POGUES, followed by the obligatory THIN LIZZY with ‘The boys are back in town’.

The pressure tonight is resting on Bulgaria and this home tie has everyone in good form. The pundits and fans are upbeat about our chances. If we qualify for the next World Cup the whole of Ireland will be stuffing themselves with pizza and pasta. It is the Italian connection of having Trappatoni as our manager.

On RTE radio they were busy picking over why Trappatoni won’t play Andy Reid. “It’s a personality clash” one of the pundits sagely notes. Kenny Cunningham wants Ireland to “steamroll” over Bulgaria and have the match over by half time (?)… The Bulgarian anthem booms around the GAA stadium like a funeral march. It should be appropriate as Ireland are favourites to win this match. We need to bury Bulgaria tonight.

First Half
With the formalities barely out of the way Ireland are leading, in the first couple of minutes, courtesy of Stephen Hunt. The commentary team are, understandably, thrilled. “They’re gonna have to go after Ireland now” Gabriel Egan tells the listeners. But everyone is busy cheering on the home side to bother paying attention to RTE radio’s top football commentator. The pitch is said to be in fine condition. “No excuses now” a pundit stresses. The Lansdowne Road days are long gone when we could blame the state of the pitch for bad results.

Aston Villa’s Petrov and Manchester United’s Berbatov appear to be the main threat from Bulgaria tonight. But early on it’s Richard Dunne who is making the running for the green team. He’s “imposing himself on the match” someone points out. Eoin Hand (Ireland manager in the pre-Charlton era, now a pundit) tells us that the Irish performance, early on, is “predictable”. Bulgaria have all the pressure on them and one suspects they could score at any moment. Like Colin Farrell in a nightclub.

Well Trap is on his feet. He’s “animated” and Ireland are unable to retain the ball. I’m happy to drain my bottle of Czech beer (thankfully it’s not Bulgarian - that would be “treachery”, in the words of a famous Irish republican). The beer accompanies the action from Croke Park that I’ve decided to monitor tonight. The nerves are jangling. Even though we’re 1-nil up, an equaliser may be about to be scored – it always happens to us! Eoin Hand is nearly hoarse from saying how “scrappy” the game has become. You couldn’t disagree with his analysis. Hunt, in the first half, would seem to be our main weapon to hit Bulgaria with.

Will we be going to Italy with a good feeling? Or will Bulgaria spoil things? It’s clear that this Ireland side will have to be an awful lot sharper if we are to get a good result when we play Italy next Wednesday. Even though Ireland are in front at the moment, we ain’t calling the shots. From bitter past memories Irish fans cannot be too jubilant. Just like the Rugby team, last Saturday, concentration is essential. Unfortunately we can’t use the services of a Brian O’Driscoll. Ireland’s national football sides always cause my heart to pound and I’m not the only one. At the end of the first half Gabriel Egan sums up: “Ireland aren’t playing well”. We’re not imposing enough.

Half Time
Over on RTE television the disappointment was just as clear. Giles and Dunphy were rightly critical of the first half. However the pictures of Bernard Dunne walking out onto the Croker turf proudly displaying his boxing belt to the crowd was nice to see. A wonderful man and a battle hardy sportsman. Hopefully the players, tonight, will be more daring and try and show more of the fighting spirit that Dunne, obviously, has in abundance. We need to score in the second half and relieve some of the pressure. Ireland’s lead is “delicate” the angel Gabriel tells the listeners to RTE radio. My arm accidently brushes a china cup near me and I understand exactly what he means. Delicate.

Second Half
The nerves haven’t settled. You’d nearly say that Bulgaria should get a goal; such is the pressure they hit us with. Our lead is slender! The worrying thing is that Ireland, as Hand says are “defending deep”. You can’t help getting the impression that neither side are worthy of playing in the next World Cup. As Gabriel Egan says Ireland are “not able to build on the lead”.

Stephen Hunt and Paul Mac Shane are defending well and are working hard to frustrate Bulgaria but Ireland are not finding their rhythm. We should, as a teacher’s report might say, be doing better. As usual Kevin Kilbane gives 110 per cent - an industrious player. He never gives up and is a good example too any young fellow with any interest in the sport. Contrast that with Celtic’s Aidan McGeady who is at best disappointing, he never gets into his stride which is a real shame as he has potential.

Bulgaria’s goalkeeper is saving them but we should be besieging them. We’re not and it is a mark of weakness on the part of this Irish side. We want them to finish off the eastern Europeans but it’s not happening. Eoin Hand tells us that Ireland should have “a bit of insurance”, but these are recessionary times and the team are unable to capitalise on their lead. We’re ahead, but the manner of Ireland’s play doesn’t auger well. Kevin Doyle is impressive though.

The 60,000 people in Croke Park for this match must be feeling tortuous at this stage. The story of the game is that Ireland cannot keep possession long enough to create chances. In Eoin Hand’s words: “it can be fatal” if we let Bulgaria back into the match.

GOOOALL! Christ my heart sinks as Bulgaria snatch the equaliser. It was expected as they were raining on our goal area. When you lead you go for the second goal, you don’t sit back. Ireland has a track record in this regard and it’s a real pain in the butt that we don’t learn. It’s sickening! The strategy and style of play always meant that a Bulgaria equaliser was looming. There is now speculation if, heaven’s above, Bulgaria will try and go on and win the fixture. But there’s no further scoring and the World Cup qualifier finishes: Rep.Ireland 1 Bulgaria 1.

Full Time
At the end of the match you could say Italy will have nothing to worry about. Eoin Hand angrily states that there were “no star performances” and it’s fair to assume that Ireland won’t be taking three points when we face Mr Lippi’s side in Bari next week.

Neither of the teams, tonight, could claim to be worthy of making the cut for the World Cup in South Africa. We’re simply, judging from this match, not up to qualifying. Indeed it would be unfair to the revered competition for these two sides to participate at that level. All we can do is compete. We always do things the hard way. At the end of the match all we hear on the radio is angry, argumentative Dublinese voices showing their disgust at the outcome. Can we ever transcend the depths of being second best? The ecstasy of Euro ’88 and Italia 1990 are as far away as ever.

Ronnie Whelan on RTE television says “over here in Croker you’re always gonna get chances”, in reference to the performance we have witnessed. Does he think the grass has come out to support Ireland??? One thing is certain: we’ve got to do better. Italy will surely whip us next Wednesday. The criticism levelled at this Ireland team is proper. A terrible, terrible performance.© Ian Callagy 2009

A nation of equals

http://www.metroeireann.com/

In a recent interview, Mr Mbemba Jabbi (Project Officer,the Africa Centre) told me that hopefully there will be more black and or African people in the media in Ireland. Let's hope he's right.I certainly don't want Ireland to be viewed as, in the words of former Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble,:"mono-cultural."

To me it is a mark of how we have developed as a nation that many African, Poles, Chinese, Spanish, Italian, Indian....now call Ireland home. Indeed would we be in a worse recession now,if these people never came to Ireland? Almost certainly. All one has to do is travel to a place like London to see the progress and the cultural diversity that exists in that great city.

Why can't that vibe be felt in the Irish capital too? It can. But first we need to make the people who come here, honestly and wanting to suceed, welcome: The wonderful African music and tradition, the Poles here working in building/construction, Chinese health stores,not to mention all the international cuisine now available. This has been made possible only by multiculturism and we should be grateful.

The mentioned countries and many not mentioned have made,and continue to make, a huge difference to the way we live and it cannot be emphasised enough.So next time you get annoyed at the Indian shopkeeper behind the counter at Spar or the African driving your bus remember - we wouldn't have what we have without foreigners coming to our shores. If we get out of recession it'll be these sort of people that will bring us out of it.

Tomorrow (Tuesday, 24th March 2009) at 10.30am there will be a meeting in the Africa Centre in Abbey Street, Dublin and it will be about supporting those who experience racism. We must never avoid giving those who come here from abroad, in this case Africans, our full co-operation and they must be treated the way anyone from Ireland be treated: with dignity and respect. It's the least that they deserve for coming to The Emerald Isle. We should remember that in 2009.
© Ian Callagy 2009

Getting jiggy in the centre of Dublin

Following a tip off on Darragh Doyle’s blog site (www.darraghdoyle.blogspot.com) I decided to get involved in a spontaneous performance in Dublin. The event was scheduled to happen on 16th March and it initially required texting a code to a number on the above blog site. Over the weekend I received, by text, further instructions and directing me to be at Temple Bar’s Meeting House Square for 3.45pm that day and to wait for further directions.

Once I arrived, quite nervously at the square, a small crowd of about 20 people had assembled and we were ushered down into a basement in central Temple Bar where we were told to get some chairs and wait until the crowd had increased to a Critical Mass (as it was referred to by one of the organisers).

But what was going to happen? Last year the people organising today’s event held a spontaneous performance in the Ilac Centre which a group of participants suddenly started kissing each other, among the hustle and bustle of shoppers, and it wasn’t a peck on the cheek. A video was made of it and there was some serious necking going on. While we were in the basement a video of that event was shown to us on a big screen. After what seemed like half an hour, when the crowd had swelled, we were told precisely the nature of today’s art performance. The idea was that we would all be involved in spontaneous Irish Dancing in the Central Bank Plaza, Dame Street.

But first we would have to be trained in Irish dancing. Following the training, in which I was convinced I’d lost weight, we were taken outside the basement up to the plaza where we would be spontaneously performing in the full glare of the passing public. The intense practice session in the basement was preparing us for the public display and there was plenty of opportunity for accidents to happen. I was particularly concerned of getting a knee in the nuts from all the intense activity, but thankfully that didn’t happen.

My partner for the dancing was Michelle; she was studious in her efforts to understand what was required. I must have been an annoyance to some degree, but Michelle was very patient. Soon we were ready to hop and when the dancing started, in front of the passersby and accompanied by a band of musicians, the on looking public were bemused at the sight of us jigging away. After about 10 minutes of the Irish dancing we dispersed and I can say the whole event was a joy to participate in.

Everyone, I’m certain, felt the same way. I would urge anyone interested to get involved in this form of performance art if the chance comes along and I myself would jump at the chance of getting involved again in such exciting activity.

My thanks go to Dublin’s Performance Corporation and also to Darragh for posting the info on his blog site.
© Ian Callagy 2009