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Sunday Independent Stupid Statement of the Week

Utter banality is the order of the day, but a few things worth noting. Among them is Shane Ross’s outrage at middle class people suffering bad economic times. I don’t need to tell you who wrote the following.

WHY am I not writing about the 100th anniversary of the Ulster Covenant? Because nothing turns off readers in the Republic like Northern Ireland. Likewise, Nordies care little about the doings of the Dail. Last week I felt the same.

That’s because I believe the main policy of the four major parties — and RTE — is to find “distractors” to divert public attention from the core problem of Irish politics: how to cut the huge public sector pay and pensions bill. That heavy health pay bill is the principal cause of the continuing crisis in the health service. And it resulted, however indirectly, in Roisin Shortall’s resignation.

A spectre is haunting the Sindo. The spectre of Ray McSharry

As to calls for the introduction of a wealth tax, I would say: What wealth?

I do not believe that there is substantial untapped wealth in this country which is untouched by taxation; some maybe, but not substantial when you take family homes into account or land assets for the farming industry.

Some things never change.

Or do they? Jody Corcoran is calling for the Labour Party to reclaim the red flag.

This from Declan Lynch about the closure of RTÉ’s London office made me want to puke.

So there is an ideological dimension to these cuts — arguably the promotion of the Irish language is now the core ideology of RTE, the one thing that is unchallenged and undiminished.

As I’m sure Eoghan Harris can tell us, this claim is stupid beyond all belief.

From Spain – 30 September 2012

From ejh (sometimes of this parish) the latest report from Spain in a week that has seen particularly disturbing events…(perhaps the most disturbing being the use of provocateurs and attacks on citizens by police forces ).

Residential property prices update…

Interesting commentary on the latest figures on residential property prices released during the week which show a 12 per cent fall over the year from August, and a fall of 46 per cent in house prices since 2007. That’s some fall.

But that commentary… Alan McQuaid, once of Bloxham, now of Merrion, opines:

“By all accounts according to estate agents around 40 per cent of activity in the housing market at the moment is being done through cash, which suggests things may be stronger than the CSO numbers indicate. Furthermore, research in recent months from both the Irish central bank and ESRI has concluded that the housing market may be close to a bottom, with signs of pent-up demand among under-35s seeking to buy a family home, especially in Dublin”

Then he says…

“However, on a practical level it is difficult to see people rushing out to buy a house and to make such a big monetary outlay when labour market conditions remain very fragile.”

Interesting that distinction between ‘research’ and ‘on a practical level’. Very interesting indeed.

This Weekend I’ll Mostly Be Listening to… Light A Big Fire

Another great Irish band from the 80’s in Light A Big Fire (or LABF as they were also known). Had their two albums Gunpowders and Surveillance although I could only find ‘Gunpowders’ when I went searching at home recently. Two fine albums they were too.
Their best known songs were probably “Mr Twilight” and “C.I.A”. Formed in 1982 they lasted until around 1989. Had the pleasure of seeing them a number of times. The most memorable being in “Caesars Palace” in Bunclody. Memorable for a number of reasons….
My brother and I were staying on our cousins farm. It was something we’d been doing for years in that the Cousins would be in Dublin visiting someone in hospital, going to a funeral or some other social occassion. They’d call in to our house on the way home and ask if anyone wanted to head down to the farm for a few days. Invariably we did and could be down there for a few weeks until someone was going to Dublin. It was more than a holiday in that we got to work on the farm, herding cattle, milking them, rounding up sheep, cleaning sheds, feed the pig, collect blood for homemade black pudding from the dead pig hanging from the roof, drive tractors around and lots more.

The thing was the day of the LABF gig in Bunclody, I’m pretty sure we’d been dipping sheep. I’d sheared sheep (poorly) and helped out in the whole process of grabbing the sheep to be sheared but dipping sheep was a whole new level of physical exertion. Not alone that but the smell was awful and one of those smells like being at the dump that stays with you for weeks afterwards. So it was smelling of sheep dip that we went to the gig and drank from a choice of bottled Harp, Smithwicks or Guinness. I’d say we stuck with the bottled Smithwicks.
Anyway….
The brilliant Fanning Sessions site have a full concert posted and also a session from LABF.


Continue reading “This Weekend I’ll Mostly Be Listening to… Light A Big Fire”

The CLR Political Quiz ….. Number 4

1. “Let’s put our Strengths to Work” was a slogan used by which candidate in the 2011 Presidential Election?

2. In the 2011 General Election , which candidate had “A Message of Support from Paul McGrath” (The soccer player) in their leaflet?

3. In the 1977 General Election Campaign, Fianna Fail had a campaign song. Name the song and the singer.

4. Which of the following Irish ‘Comedians’ Brendan O’Carroll, Frank Kelly, Dave McSavage and Ardal O’Hanlon did not have a parent a TD?

5.Fine Gael TD Jimmy Deenihan won four All Ireland Medals in his time playing with Kerry, how many National League winners medals did he win?

6. Who was the last former Irish Rugby International to serve in the Dail?

7. What year did the Sinn Fein Ard Fheis vote to allow their elected representatives take seats in Leinster House?

8. From 1982 to the present what was the lowest figure for Labour in an MRBI or Red C Poll ?

9. The Recent Constituency Commission Report recommended a reduction in the number of TDs to what?

10. Who is the mystery woman below?
BERJAYA

Answers Next Friday