A Rural View with Peter Brady
The EU, the clann and Paddy O'Reilly...
Casting around for something suitable for this column as Christmas week approaches my first decision was to at least try to ignore the dreary and persistent negativity of our national media as they survey the European scene. Despite this good resolution I feel that there are a couple of points that can be made without going too far from my new-found principle.
The first must be that among all the hectares of space and kilometres of columns given to the subject there is not a single voice which distinguishes itself from the over-arching anti-European onslaught which dominates comment and what passes for news on a daily basis. Let us take one example: Over and over again we are informed, in what has become a worn out cliche, that "confidence must be restored in the European financial system", but at the same time through daily carping, criticism and outright abuse of the two countries working hardest to solve the problem - France and Germany - the media are doing everything in their power to damage the very confidence, which they so loudly promote.
And as if the media on their own cannot do sufficient damage we have had ill-advised interventions from political and industry spokespeople. Both Micheál Martin and Mattie McGrath of Fianna Fáil have both jumped in with doomsday predictions with Martin opining that the rift with Britain could threaten the survival of the EU and McGrath entering the fray with the statement that if Britain pulled out and Ireland stayed in, 33,000 jobs would be lost in the financial services sector. Luckily, this contention was rubbished by an industry source who doubted if a tax proposed would have any significant effect on Irish interests.
While it can be readily accepted that Fianna Fáil is now in opposition and must act accordingly the sight of the party of Eamon de Valera sheltering under the Union Jack is sure to cause unease in the ranks. Also causing some heart-searching will be the fact that it was Fine Gael - in the person of Lucinda Creighton - which came out boldly and in a blunt statement contended that it was time that "Ireland stopped clinging to the coat-tails of the UK."
However in the present rush of our media to support Britain at all costs surely the greatest foot-in-mouth blunder (intended or otherwise) must belong to David McWilliams who told us in the Business Post on last week that "our main export markets are the US and Britain". This is sheer nonsense. The official figures for the year to August 2011 show that 43% of our exports go to the EU - excluding Britain - 24% to the US and 15% to Britain. If McWilliams and Co wish to assist the oul' country in its difficulties they will have to stop aligning themselves with a colonial nation still fighting the battles of Waterloo and Trafalgar.
And now a lighter interlude
Given that that photograph of John Tully and Clann Na Poblachta created such a stir in 2011 it might be opportune to conclude the year with a couple of relevant anecdotes. The first goes back to the era of home childbirths and Dr Plunkett who related this story after a Clann meeting. The good doctor was attending a woman in Coolkill who was close to giving birth. As the distance from doctor to patient was short he instructed the husband to come for him if anything looked like happening. Sure enough at 2am the following morning the doctor's doorbell rang long and loud. "Who's there?" shouted Plunkett. "It's me" said the husband, "you may come on." "Is she in labour?" asked the doctor. "Oh begod no" was the reply, "she's in the Clann from the start."
Getting to the basics
Paddy O'Reilly of Kilnaleck was a Clann Co. Councillor, garage owner, grocer, publican, greyhound enthusiast and general fixer - if you were in trouble go to Paddy was the cry. He held confessions in the kitchen of the pub on Saturday nights when he always showed a great facility to get quickly to the heart of the matter. Problems coming to his attention would include hospital bills, jobs with Cavan Co. Council, repair of laneways, neighbourhood feuds, right of way disputes and minor litigations. For some considerable time - both as his employee and later - I acted as general note taker and as such heard some remarkable stories. On a particular night a man from a few miles away entered the kitchen, spoke to Paddy and then looked at me with some apprehension. "I'm afraid Paddy," he said, "this is private." "Oh," said Paddy, "this man is alright, he knows how to keep his mouth shut".
The man sat down and launched into what can only be described as a litany of problems and disputes going back several years and involving about four of his neighbours. It all started with cattle trespass and developed into assaults, thefts, retaliations, ash plants and was now for court on Tuesday. This man claimed naturally that "the other crowd started it" but I was doubtful and thought he was in serious trouble.
Finally he said "you know Paddy, Fianna Fale and they done nuthin' and nayther did thuther crowd - can you think of an'thin?" Paddy thought for a minute and suddenly said "there's wan hope for you." Your man's face lit up. "What is it Paddy?" "The six o'clock boat the North Wall in the mornin'".
Nollaig Shona dhíabh uilig.
Post a Comment