The Word of Walshpots

Review: God of Carnage

2011-03-20T11:35:00.003Z

By Paul Walsh

There was an air of excitement in the Gate theatre as people took there seats among the packed attendance. The plays director Alan Stanford flitted around nervously among the audience as people prepared to watch a much promoted play from the queen of “big ideas lite” as some critics have unkindly dubbed its writer Yasmina Reza. Miss Reza is a French writer but this particular production was translated to English by Christopher Hampton and has had West End and Broadway productions starring Hollywood heavyweights such as Ralph Fiennes, Jeff Daniels and James Gandolfini. So despite previous critical maulings which Miss Reza has received she can point to the fact that her work has grossed $200m, been translated into 35 languages and attracted some acting heavyweights as those mentioned above. So why the critical hostility? Does popularity equal artistic compromise? An exhibition of Picasso’s work in The Metropolitan Museum of Art attracted 700,000 in 2010 or 6,700 people per day. So great art can also be popular and with this in mind I prepared to embrace “God of Carnage”.

The set which our actors emerge on to can only be described as show house quality. Our four protagonists are meeting in one of the couples homes. The sitting room looks like the ultimate fantasy room of a middle class family yearning to be upper class. It was like something you would of seen profiled in The Irish Times property porn section that was a must have during our Celtic Tiger property bubble period.

This perfectly pristine set designed by Eileen Diss is an appropriate vehicle for the story of two sets of middle-class parents that meet to discuss a dispute between their 11-year-old sons in a civilised manner to enfold upon. While Paul Keogan’s lighting also brings out the almost flawless condition of the home which is Veronica’s and Michaels outward presentation of their perfect family life. Like with most things that appear perfect at first, you don’t have to scratch much below the surface to remove the perfect shine and reveal the grubby dirt underneath. This play touches on a lot of issues but none in any great depth as time and time again it’s the delivery of the next clever one liner or quip that guides the actors and script. The polite meeting of mature adults soon gives way to childish squabbling before all out war erupts, between husband and wife then between the men and the women. Each couple questions the others parenting skills and even holds up their life’s to ridicule or perhaps more accurately the contented life’s they portray to their circle of friends and families. By the end of the play we are pretty sure all the characters are phoney in one way or another even the liberal idealist Veronica played by Donna Dent.

Veronica’s liberalism is held up as a point of ridicule for much of this play. Not for the causes she supports because who could not support justice for the people of Darfur but there seems to be a suggestion that her ideals are woolly and false. Her crime is to on the one hand care about the genocide of Darfur but at the same time be as angry by a bit of vomit staining her beautiful home. One wonders if she worked herself up into as much of a rage when considering the indeed more serious problems of the world. She wants a genuine apology from the son of Alan (Ardal O Hanlon) and Annette (Maura Tierney) for the damage he inflicted on her child. Alan, a lawyer who takes calls mid sentence to assist in a pharmaceutical company cover up, says such an apology is pointless, as the child wouldn't mean it. His opinion is that boys will be boys. Veronica insists the child should mean it and around and around they go as Annette and Veronica's husband Michael (Owen Roe) try to find a middle ground or lighten the mood. Veronica's nagging and Alan's refusal to commit to any opinion eventually lead the characters to boil over and the ensuing blame game rivals anything their respective children could have engaged in for childish foolishness.

The play is amusing and there are some clever lines delivered by some genuinely good comic actors but the 90 minutes spent in the Gate will not linger long in the mind when you emerge into Parnell St and make your way home. Yasmina Reza has complained in the past that her work is played for laughs and this is not her intention, she sees her plays as modern tragedies rather then broad comedies. Well this play is certainly a broad comedy almost more like an old fashioned farce. Characters drink, swear, vomit and a racist term is also thrown into the pot. The use of a racist term which you would assume was designed to shock and show the nasty side of Michael’s character had the Gate audience in tears of laughter. Jim Davidson’s career may not be over after all, he just needs a slot in the Gate. Although I may have spoken to soon Jim Davidson has just written a play called “Stand Up and Be Counted” about a bigoted comedian, maybe we will see him grace the Gates stage after all. Back to the present play occupying the Gate and despite its attempts to tackle serious issues it never has the required emotional depth and despite the protestations of Miss Reiza it’s the writing that fails to sparkle. It is witty and well observed in parts but ridiculing middle class people for the falsity of their existence has been done before many times and with far superior writing. For example Mike Nichols film “The Graduate “which was based on a 1963 book by Charles Webb. If you are going to tackle a theme previously explored by many different writers across many art forms you need to bring something new or even approach from a different angle. The sharp writing of Miss Reiza is as much of a facade as the middle class world she is attempting to satirise. It is all show and no depth.

The performances are good with Donna Dent playing her liberal yet up tight character with well observed comic timing, while Owen Roe, who steals the show for most of the play provides humour but also stretches his acting muscles when his character transforms into a brutish Neanderthal by the plays end. Maura Tierney no doubt was picked for the box office recognition factor; ER after all was one of the biggest TV programmes in the world. Good news was she played an American so at least her accent was not the main focus of her performance. The show I attended was the fourth of the run so maybe nerves played a part but for the first half of the play she seemed completely out of place opposite Dent and Roe who are more natural stage actors and veterans of the Gate. Her nerves seemed to dissipate as the play went on and in the second half she was amusing as a drunk who really shouldn’t drink. Ardal O Hanlon meanwhile was a pleasant surprise. For many of us he will always be Father Dougal McGuire the dim witted priest who could not tell the difference between small plastic cows and ones that are far away but there is no doubt he can deliver a line and has great comic timing. He was really quite believable as the slimy corporate lawyer.

So although there is a lot to criticise about this play credit must also be given to the production values and the pace of direction by Alan Stanford which means you certainly don’t have time to be bored. With solid performances from the cast the play is entertaining rather than inspiring.

The Extra Factor- The who, what and why of life as an extra.

2009-11-21T13:34:00.001Z

They waited in the bushes for their target to arrive. Both men were nervous as the car pulled up. They knew it contained £25,000 collected from the bank for the weekly dole payments at the exchange office. They pulled the balaclavas over their faces and checked their weapons. Both men then jumped over a wall and ran towards the car. As one of the raiders let a shot off into the air, he could see the look of terror in the employment exchange employee’s eyes. He pointed his gun with a firmness that indicated that if the money was not handed over now the next shot would not be up in the air.
This scene is a normal day in the life for extra actor Neil McManus. One day he is a ruthless INLA man and the next he is a painter and decorator in the background of a Colin Farrell movie scene.
There are thousands of extras in Ireland. They come from a cross section of society and have varying reasons for being involved in the work. The extras on set are a mixture of aspiring actors, the recently unemployed looking for cash and retired people just looking for something to do.
Neil McManus is an aspiring actor currently studying in the Gaiety School of Acting and this is the reason he became involved in work as an extra. “I wanted to see the ins and outs of what happens on a film set and the difference between stage and screen work,” he says as an extra you are moving to the same direction as the actors- you are just not doing the character work.”
Neil, who is a full-time electrician, is realistic about what extra work can do for his acting career.
“Some part-time actors come along to a set thinking they will get picked out of the crowd by the director and given a proper role. They are living in a fantasy land, this doesn’t happen.”
Stephen Gaffney like Neil, has appeared in TV programmes and has also done some work on advertisements. His reason for becoming an extra was because of an interest in being behind the camera rather then in front of it. Stephen is a student in Trinity College studying to be a film Director. “I am interested in making short films and TV programmes,” he says as an extra, you are standing around a lot. So you have time to observe how things are made.”
For Stephen the banter and craic on set is a big part of why he keeps doing extra work. He recalls one episode of Garda An Lar he worked on which generated a lot of interest in the local area they were in. “We were doing a reconstruction in a block of flats in the North Inner City. The presence of all the film crew brought out a big crowd of local kids. Once the kids saw some of the extras dressed up in Garda uniform the shouting and roaring started. It was all good natured although I couldn’t repeat some of the stuff they were saying to us.”
Derek Quinn, director and co-founder of MovieExtras.ie, deals with the very wide range of people working as extras on a daily basis. “Our database includes aspiring actors, students looking for cash and we have a couple of millionaires who are just doing it for the craic.”
This mix of people that work as extras is exactly what MovieExtras.ie are looking for. “We look for people aged from 4 months to 85 years. We have a mixture of looks and ethnicity.” This mixture means they will always have someone on their books that fits the profile of whatever movie or TV production is going on. The productions they are involved in include Fair City and The Tudors, numerous advertisements and large-scale movie productions.
So is the extras industry the place to earn some good money? Well MovieExtras.ie charge a yearly subscription of €89 to be registered with them but Derek Quinn argues that this is excellent value for the work opportunities provided. “The pay is between €77 and €150 per day for background work but we have had people paid up to €6,000 for working on advertisements.”
Although the money that can be earned can sometimes be modest enough both Neil and Stephen are complementary of how well you are treated on set. You don’t get your own personal stylist flown in from LA or a 40-foot trailer fitted with hot tub but they do put on a good spread. According to Stephen “depending what time you are there from you get breakfast and lunch. If you have to work late, you get dinner also. In most extra work I have done you are treated as in integral part of the production which makes you feel special.”
With over 400,000 unemployed in this country, is this affecting the work available to extras such as Neil and Stephen? Neil has noticed a big difference between this year and 2008. “There are loads of new people working as extras since the downturn in the economy. Many of the people I meet on set now are recently unemployed. In 2008 I was getting calls every couple of days about extra work. It has changed in 2009 on average I only get work once a month.”
There has been more bad news for those working as extras recently as filming of the final series of The Tudors is ending soon. This series was a lavish production and has provided steady and enjoyable work for extras over the last number of years. According to the Irish Film Board, there is no panic in the industry despite this recent setback. Popular ITV drama PRIMEVAL has announced that the fourth and fifth series of the programme will be filmed in Ireland. This was followed by the announcement that a new comedy thriller ‘The Guard’ starring Brendan Gleeson and Don Cheadle has started filming in Ireland. These announcements will be welcome news for Stephen, Neil and all the other extras throughout the country.

Jedward the Kings of Saturday Night.

2009-11-15T19:41:00.016Z

X Factor is a much derided programme by intellectual snobs. It is criticised for being a soap opera full of karaoke singers with no real talent. I am not going to argue with any of those views because they are valid but why take everything so seriously? X Factor is a TV programme and a entertaining one that appeals to a mass audience across class, gender and age.

This brings me to this year's show and the Irish twins that are grabbing all the headlines. One is called John the other Edward and together they are the powerful force know as John and Edward. When I was first saw these two in auditions they struck me as talentless and very annoying. I could not believe they made it to the live final and felt there performances would be cringe worthy. But then something strange began to happen. The night they performed Britney Spear "Oops! I did it again" everything changed. It was genuinely the most hilarious piece of television I have ever seen. Granted these boys cant really sing but they are entertaining. And since when was X Factor about finding the next serious music artist. Its a show designed to find a popstar and the ratings for the show are up because of Jedward. People are tuning in to see what they will do next. They didn't disappoint with Ghostbusters in Movie week which was a performance that fit neatly into the category of so bad it was good. In the latest show their performance of "Under Pressure" spliced with "Ice Ice Baby" moved into the category of just being good on its own merits.

The most impressive thing about these two young lads is the way they have reacted to the vile hate campaign that has been orchestrated by some sections of the British media. It really has been unprecedented. Previous novelty performers that appeared in X Factor never got this level of abuse. Chico who appeared in a previous show couldn't sing or dance and was considered a bit of a joke act. He made it to the eighth week of the show and he never had a foaming mob whipped up against him. The live audience booing them after they perform is really a sad reflection on the people attending these shows. I don't agree with alot of what Louis Walsh does but giving that audience the V sign two weeks ago was the least they deserved. I really feel there is an anti-Irish element to some of the reaction to the twins and is surprising that this still exists in 2009. Despite all they have faced the Grime's brothers come out week after week with a smile on their faces and on a mission to entertain. That's why this Saturday I am strapping a pineapple to my head and watching the X-Factor to support the best thing to come out of Ireland since the Carter Twins. Come on Jedward.

Mary Robinson for the European Presidency.

2009-10-24T18:02:00.003+01:00

A campaign has started to have former Irish president Mary Robinson considered for the new post of president of the European Council which will be established under the Lisbon Treaty. You can sign a petition at http://www.maryrobinson.eu/petition.html and the campaign has a website www.maryrobinson.eu.

Mary Robinson was President of Ireland from 1990-1997. She then chaired the United Nations Commission for Human Rights from 1997-2002. She has always been an advocate for human rights and equality throughout her political career. Most importantly she has never had a problem challenging authority. In her political life she has challenged the dominant forces in Irish society and also internationally she challenged both the United States of America and the state of Israel.

She may not be perfect but if you need more convincing think about the other candidates in the field. Bertie Ahern's name was mentioned previously for this job. Luckily stores of unaccounted suitcases of money passing through St.Luke's may have tainted his reputation. The name being pushed by most commentators presently is Tony Blair. Blair's legacy to the world is the illegal invasion of Iraq. His appointment would be another sign that the EU is gearing up to be a military power in the future.Lets get behind someone who might actually listen to the people instead of conducting backroom deals with their political buddies.

Ten Things you didn’t know about Neil McManus

2009-10-24T16:33:00.009+01:00

Neil McManus is a 29-year-old actor from Dublin. He has been an actor for two and half years and is currently studying in the Performance Theatre Company in the Gaiety School of Acting. He has appeared in two episodes of Garda An Lar and will be appearing alongside Colin Farrell in his new film Triage.

Q1.If you could meet one person alive or dead for dinner or a drink who would it be and why?

I have always wanted to meet Eric Cantona.He is passionate about many things and wasn’t afraid to experiment to get where he is today.

Q2.If you where an animal what type of animal would you be and why?

I would be a lion because it’s King of the Jungle. On the other hand, maybe a jaguar because of my reflexes and it’s a beautiful creature.

Q3.If you where stranded on a desert island what three things would you have to have?

A football, a sharp knife and some flint for lighting fires.

Q4.If you where granted three wishes what would they be?

(1) Eternal youth.
(2) Infinite money.
(3) The ability to return to the stage before I made the first two wishes if I got tired of eternal youth and infinite money.

Q5.What did you have for breakfast this morning?

I was with my football team so I had toast, scramble eggs, beans, glass of milk and a cup of tea.

Q6.Where in the world would you like to see before you die?

I have always wanted to go to the Arctic in an icebreaker ship.

Q7.What is your earliest childhood memory?

Maybe pretending to cry when you couldn’t get what your own way. Realizing that if you cried you could get your own way when you where out shopping with your ma in Crazy Prices. I also remember losing that power when I got a bit older.

Q8.Who is your idol?

That is a tough one. Let me think about that. Probably Ryan Giggs or David Beckham. They didn’t become scum when they got money. They have always wanted to achieve the best that they could. Wait a second my idol does not have to be someone famous so I think I will go for my Dad. I admire the way he has carried himself and the job he done rearing his family. Considering where he came from there are other roads he could have taken but he gave his time to his family.

Q9.If you where a cartoon character who would you be?

Bart Simpson because his is always scheming but never tries to intentionally hurt anyone.

Q10.What is your favourite saying?

Winners don’t quit and quitters don’t win.

Did you hear the one about Tommy Tiernan being an anti-Semitic goose-stepping Nazi?

2009-10-18T19:29:00.000+01:00

Tommy Tiernan is no stranger to controversy. He has made comments throughout his comedic career which have offended various groups. I think the fact that he is very talented and for the most part very funny has saved him in the past. All the previous controversial incidents he has been involved in before have been dwarfed by the storm of outrage that has landed upon his doorstep in recent weeks.

The particular offensive comment was taken from an interview with Tommy Tiernan by Hot Press at Electirc Pinic and the quote is as follows:

"These fuckin’ JEW CUNTS come up to me! Fuckin’ Christ-killin’ bastards!!! Fuckin’ six million? I would have got 10 or 12 million out of that. No fuckin’ problem! Fuckin’ two at a time, they would have gone! Hold hands, get in there! Leave us your teeth and your glasses!!!"

Now I know what you are thinking when you look at it in print it looks pretty damning. Like everything that is said particularly by comedians we have to look at the context.So I got myself a copy of Hot Press and read the interview in full. First thing that I will say is that the interview was really funny. As someone who has not found Tommy Tiernan's recent material very funny I was pleasantly surprised at how funny he was. Secondly his answers in the interview were both humerous and intelligent.He had some interesting things to say about life in general and Irish society in particular. Then I came to the offending comment which was at the end of the interview. A member of the audience asked him:“Have you ever been accused of anti-Semitism?”. Tommy told a story about a Jewish couple cornering him after a gig and accusing him of being anti-Semitic. He described their indignation, their fanaticism and their inability to laugh at themselves. He then launched into the quote described above. It was clearly a joke in the context of the story he had told previously. He was not preaching these beliefs himself but rather ridiculing the anti-Semitic's that hold such beliefs and fanatics in general.

Criticism has followed from Alan Shatter Fine Gael TD, the Archbishop of Dublin and numerous Jewish groups. Tommy Tiernan has had to pull out of the Just for Laughs comedy festival in Canada. I have even heard George Hook on Newstalk calling for a boycott of Tommy Tiernan. Alan Shatter and George Hook two of Tiernan's biggest critics had something in common neither of them had bothered to read the article in full by there own admission. Tommy Tiernan is not Bernard Manning and he is certainly not Joseph Goebbels. He is comedian and I admit he does thread a fine line between edgy and offensive. His comment when taken in the context of his interview was not even close to being anti-Semitic. Anyone who is making this argument is wrong either due to ignorance of the full facts, or are being dishonest to increase there own profile. I would urge all fair minded people to read the article before you join the lynch mob out to crucify Tommy Tiernan.

Lisbon Treaty 2: A victory for fear.

2009-10-07T19:34:00.000+01:00

So Ireland approved the Lisbon Treaty at the second time of asking. I would love to think the reason for this is because as citizens we were better informed this time around but sadly this does not seem to be the case. As I watched RTE news interviewing the voters emerging from the polling centres the same message emerged. People voted for jobs, for investment and to continue Ireland's membership of the EU. I found this all very confusing as I thought we were voting on the Lisbon Treaty. The treaty according to the Referendum Commission involved the changing of the rules that governed the EU to allow greater efficiency in an expanded Europe. Let's put aside the fact that we are in the EU and we still have 397,000 unemployed people and that this treaty was not about our membership of the EU. How did the Yes side manage to change the debate to everything except what was contained in the treaty.

To be fair some elements of the No side did not help. I don't think any sane person would be comfortable positioning themselves on the same side as COIR (the Germans are coming for your babies). Then again on the Yes side we had Michael (screw the workers) O'Leary so if people where looking for leaders it was a tough one.

So what about the issues. Surely a logical debate between the political class through the media would inform and enlighten us. Throughout what passed for a campaign the Yes side did everything they could to avoid discussing the treaty. The saner elements of the No campaign to be fair attempted to discuss elements of the treaty. There were important issues that needed to be debated. This campaign was an important chance to discuss the direction that the Lisbon Treaty was taking the EU. That debate never came I am afraid to say. The victory on the Yes side was built on lies. The failure of the Yes side to actually debate the treaty did a disservice to democracy. The most worrying part of the whole campaign was that the media became a cheerleader for the Yes side. Journalistic balance and fairness were put aside for the campaign (with a small number of exceptions)and we witnessed opinion masquerading as fact. In a democracy the vote of the public has to be respected (unless they say no) but this campaign was not a fair one. As citizens voting on an important issue we are entitled to a reasoned debate and a media to facilitate it. We know politicians will attempt to manipulate us and without balanced and fair coverage by the media it becomes an easy task.

Hill 16-Diary of a Dub. Dublin 2-15 V Kildare 0-18

2009-07-09T18:39:00.000+01:00

This years Leinster Final have a different feeling to it.As I walked down the Whithworth Road I felt nervous. Kildare had impressed throughout the Leinster Championship and had in Dermot Earley a midfielder that was really going to test the Magee/McConnell partnership. The moment I took my place on the Hill I could feel it. The atmosphere was turned a number of notches from our previous games. A large Kildare support was contributing to this.

Three minutes in The Hill was in full voice. The Kildare defence was ripped apart and we had already put 1-03 on the scoreboard. Maybe this Kildare team had flattered to deceive or maybe the occasion had got to some of the younger players on their team. To Kildare's credit they came roaring back. Smith & Kavanagh who both impressed earlier in the championship knocked over scores. Then disaster happened, 18 minutes into the game Ger Brennan got a red card.I had seen this coming he should of been red carded in the first game against Meath and the punch he threw was as obvious as they come. Kildare dominated for the remainder of the first half only for Jayo to come to the rescue. His expertly taken goal not only revived memories of a young Jayo terrorising defences 14 years previously it halted Dublins rapid decline.

At half time it looked like the game was going away from us. We talked on the Hill about who we would get in the qualifiers. Surely Dublin could not win this game with 14 men against a really good Kildare team. The Dublin team that emerged in the second half gave me hope for the rest of the championship given the magnitude of their performance.It was a epic and biblical performance. Bryan Cullen and Ciaran Whelan were immense and Bernard Brogan showed his class and laid down a marker as one of the best forwards in the country. This was the game Dublin needed to bring them on. A tough Leinster Final against a really gooS kildare team. Three games away from Sam.

Hill 16-Diary of a Dub. Kildare 2-12 V Wexford 0-11

2009-06-13T22:31:00.000+01:00

I had a look at Kildare match yesterday and it seems clear that this will be the team that stands between Dublin and another Leinster title this year. Kildare are an extremely hard working team with a number of talented players. Although Kildare do not seem like the finished article they will give Dublin trouble if they meet.

Veteran Dermot Earley is playing as well as he ever has in a Lillywhite jersey. On present form a Dublin midfield of McConnell and Magee would stuggle to cope with him. Up front Smith and Cavanagh look a handful and our new look full back line will be tested. It has been argued that easy Leinster Championships have not helped Dublin in later rounds of the All Ireland in previous years. A potential Leinster Final against Kildare could stand to Dublin if they are to make a serious challenge for the All Ireland this year.

Outside of Leinster Cork's emphatic win against Kerry could spell a shift in the powerbase in Munster. Although you can never count the Kingdom out and with Donaghy to return into the team I still expect to see Kerry in the later stages of the All Ireland. Today is Westmeath V Wicklow when our opponent for the next round will be decided. I expect to see Westmeath to win this game but you never know what Mick O Dwyer has left in his bag of managerial tricks.

Hill 16- Diary of a Dub. Dublin 0-14 V Meath 0-12.

2009-06-08T20:30:00.000+01:00

All adventures have to start somewhere and although this was not the performance Dublin fans were looking for it was the right result. My pre-match build up started with some pints in Smyths in Phibsborough. I didn't have the usual amount of pints I would have before a game as we had the pleasure of a double header on Sunday in Croke Park. The Dublin hurlers had their first game in the Leinster Championship against Antrim. Dublin hurlers ran out easy winners by ten points after a few nervous moments. Alan McCrabbe and David O'Callagahn were the star men for Dublin. The draw for the semi-final also went Dublin's way. They avoided Galway and Kilkenny and face Wexford instead. After the close games the teams had last year and the improvement in the Dublin team, they must fancy their chances. The crowd for the hurling match was very impressive. Although their wasn't a full attendance enough Dublin fans dragged themselves out of the pub to create a respectable crowd.

The main event followed. Dublin V Meath, the rivalry, the hatred, the passion, all the elements needed for a good Sunday of GAA. The atmosphere on the Hill was strangely muted considering the history of the clash. Maybe it was the unfamiliar look of the Dublin team or maybe the perceived weakness of the Meath team but the Hill magic wasn't there. My own theory was that the Dublin fans missed their ultimate hate figure Graham Geraghty. Geraghty, a fine player, had always riled up Dublin fans. When he punched David Henry in 2007 he only added gasoline to the fire. To be honest Geraghty was always a pantomime villain to the Dubs. The abuse that rained down on him from the Hill while sometimes nasty was mostly just funny. My personal favorite from 2007 was when after a tirade of pretty nasty abuse the Hill fell silent for a moment. From somewhere near the back a shout came out "Geraghty I know you have no tax on your car".

So to the match. The championship debutant's had a mixed day. Davoren was impressive until he went off injured. Heartbreakingly for him it was a cruciate ligament and he is out for the rest of the season. Apart from the Brogan's our forward line does not seem to be up to the task and our defensive problems do not appear to have been solved. Ger Brennan who starred for Vincents when they won the All Ireland Club Championship made his championship debut. Brennan is presently keeping Bryan Cullen out of the team and based on this performance I don't see why. Brennan gets forward and poses a threat but he was wasteful in possession far to often. Also his indiscipline should probably have led to him being sent off. If Gilroy can see past his club allegiance, Cullen should start in the Semi Final. There was never really a feeling that Meath could win the game although they pulled close to Dublin on a number of occasions. A two point margin probably flattered Meath a little but Dublin certainly did not impress.

The Dublin fans left Headquarters with many concerns about the Dublin team. Hopefully Gilroy will restore Cullen and Whelan to the team and our forwards will perform as a more cohesive unit as the championship progresses.

A touching scene I witnessed as I walked down the Clonliffe Road filled me with pride. A Dublin fan was walking in front of me with his child on his shoulders. The young lad couldn't of been older then 5. His Dad spotted a Meath fan walking towards him and said to his son "See the man in the green jersey laugh at him". The young lad pointed at the Meath fan as he walked by and shouted "Ha Ha". It was good to see a 'Father passing on his Dublin GAA heritage to his son. Next up is Weathmeath or Wicklow in the semi-final. I will be in Ibiza for a friends wedding for this match. Although I hate to miss a Dublin match, watching the match in a packed Irish bar in Ibiza in the summer sun will be a close second place.

Hill 16-Diary of a Dub.

2009-06-03T20:18:00.001+01:00

Starting this Sunday I am going to use my Blog to chart my experiences following the Dublin football team on its quest for Sam Maguire. The summer odyssey for a Dublin fan is full of highs and lows. We come to the first championship game full of expectation. After the first win the hype builds. Talk begins in the pubs and the workplaces. As the Dublin hype machine slips into fifth gear we cancel all weddings, parties, holidays and life saving operations in the month of September. We need to keep All Ireland weekend free for our glorious return to the pinnacle of inter county football. Then it happens, our spirits plummet faster then an Irish bank's share price in a recession. We lose to Kerry in the semi final. For Kerry you can substitute Tyrone or Mayo or any decent team and for semi final you can substitute quarter final. You know the script we lose and the other 31 counties in Ireland laugh.

It's a long time since 1995 and the pain gets harder to take every year. So this summer I want to capture what it's like following the Dubs on an All Ireland run. The craic of matchday, the atmosphere of the hill and the passion of the fans. I want to reach out to my country cousins and ask why cant we all get along? What would you all do if you didn't have the Dubs to hate? So as Meath come to Croker on Sunday I welcome the Meath fans to our home ground (only joking I know it belongs to us all)and hopefully we get the right result and the Dub rollercoaster can start again. I think this is the year I can feel it.

Vote for change. Vote for Fianna Gael?

2009-05-29T11:05:00.000+01:00

As we approach the Local and European Election in June it would appear from all the polls Fianna Fail are going to take a hammering. The citizens of this country are tired of Fianna Fail. They are tired of jobs for the lads and backroom deals with builders and businesses. The cosy cartel of politician, developer, banker and businessman running the country to enrich themselves has revealed itself to the people with the mess we now find ourselves in.

According to the polls to whom are the voters leaning towards? The radical party that will change our political system is Fianna Gael. Fianna Gael are now and always have been Fianna Fail in different suits. If you examine the policies of Fianna Gael and Fianna Fail the differences are minuscule. They both want NAMA just a different type of NAMA. They are both enthusiastic unquestioning supporters of Europe. Neither party want to make radical change to this country. The difference is a cosmetic one. You can buy the Man Utd home jersey or away one but is still a Man Utd jersey.

Gerry Adams, when launching Sinn Fein's election campaign, called for an alignment of the left. He proposed a new grouping of left wing parties and groups that will campaign for radical change. This is needed in our country to offer voters actual choice. If this alignment is to happen and a new grouping to be forged from the present economic crisis, responsibility must be taken by Labour leader Eamon Gilmore. As Fintan O'Toole wrote in The Irish Times, the Labour Party since the beginning of this state has always been used as a crutch to support one of the main parties in power. Labour need to move away from the two main parties. They need to align themselves with other progressive parties and groups in Irish society. It would take bravery and may mean not being elected to government next time round. In the long run it could create a progressive left wing movement in Irish society and offer a true alternative to the voters.

Nationalisation of all Bank's. Is this the future?

2009-01-25T19:02:00.000Z

Banks have been nationalised across the globe. In the USA, UK and even in little old Ireland. This has been seen as a last desperate step by governments to preserve the financial system. For decades banks have looked for further deregulation and the removal of constraints so they could go about their profitable business. But when they manage to run their business into the ground they come to us the taxpayer looking for a bailout.

The main aim of a banking system according to the classical economist Adam Smith is to allow financial inter mediation. Banks allow people to deposit money when they have excess funds and lends money to people who require them. Its a simple concept but in the modern globalised society banking has become a different monster all together.

Banks cannot be trusted. I speak from experience as a lowly placed and under paid employee of one. An unregulated financial sector has lead to banks throwing prudent lending criteria out the window. It has been replaced by 100% mortgages and unacceptable lending practices. Banks answer only to their shareholders and generally only to the one or two with a controlling interest in that particular bank. This global recession is not the first we have had. But previous global downturns have not made us any wiser. The unregulated market that promotes consumption and encourages debt has certainly not provided us with a stable and sustainable economy. The financial elite of this world always seem to wriggle out of regulation and control. They send the whole western world into a mad dash for higher profit and margins,more consumption, more personal debt. This approach always leads to the inevitable economic crash. Why does this happen? Well the financial elite of the world don't feel a recession like we do so they just don't care. All it means to them is they have to cut back on fuel for their private jet. Its great being a free market capitalist especially when the state is there to bail you out.

So here's a crazy idea. Instead of nationalising the banks short term. Why don't we hold on to them. Lets go a step further why don't we nationalise them all. OK before you paint me red and burn me at the stake for being a commie hear me out. I am not suggesting that we all quit our jobs and head out to collective farms (not yet anyway), this is a sensible suggestion. If we really want a sustainable and stable economic system its the only option that makes sense. Why hand the reins back to the same greedy financial elite that got us into this mess. State controlled banks could lend at fixed and fair rates and also hold deposits at fair rates. State controlled banks would have a remit to promote prudent business and personal lending. With the financial system in state hands we could remove our economys from the boom and bust cycles that characterise them. Now is the time for the government to take back control of the financial system to protect the people of their respective countries. Banks should not be money making monsters that can destabilise the global economy. Adam Smith one of the shining lights of Capitalist economic theory would certainly not endorse what the financial system has become. As Marx & Engel’s put it, “Modern bourgeois society with its relation of production, of exchange and of property, a society that has conjured up such gigantic means of production and of exchange, is like the sorcerer, who is no longer able to control the nether world whom he has called up by his spells.” This was written over 100 years ago but I think the relevance should not be missed when we plot the course of the future of our financial system.

Bono-The Ego has Landed.

2008-11-22T12:05:00.000Z

Bono must be the most divisive figure in Irish public life. People either love him or loath him. I fall squarely into the camp of people that loath him. I know I hear you say, whats to hate about Bono? He is a global campaigner for justice, who travels the globe feeding the hungry and curing lepers. In some peoples eyes (and in his own head) he is a modern day Jesus Christ minus the beard but with the addition of a pair of sunglasses.

I think its fair to say most people would be in favour of cancellation of third world debt. Also the fight against HIV in Africa is a noble cause. These are the causes Bono holds dear to his heart. The causes he promotes are not the problem its the hypocrisy of the man that makes me vomit everytime I hear him speak. In recent weeks the tax affairs of U2 have firmly come into focus. In 2006 U2 one of the worlds richest rock groups shifted part of its business following an Irish government decision to put a cap on tax-free earnings available under a special scheme for artists. This sort of tax avoidance where a rich rock group do not contribute there share to society in there own country is no different to the policies pursued by Western governments which has put third world countries in horrendous economic positions. Your public principles should apply in your private life.

Bono considers himself a champion of the third world and the oppressed but he was willing to pose for photo shoots with Warmongers Blair and Bush. They care little for campaigns for third world justice. The third world is only useful to western leaders for how much they can exploit from it. Bono let himself be used by Blair and Bush to enhance there reputations as crusaders for third world justice. Bono is either naive or stupid or maybe just maybe he doesn't really care about the third world or global justice. I think what Bono really wants to promote is Bono. Bono social crusader, Bono champion of the poor, Bono influential world figure or as that hilarious episode of South park put it Bon0 the biggest piece of shit in the world.

Obama-The great black hope.

2008-11-12T22:22:00.000Z

The election of Barack Obama has been greeted with universal joy around the world. After eight years of Bush the world was ready to embrace change. Change is not the only reason for the world's joy. In Barack Obama the most powerful nation in the world seems to have elected a truly inspirational figure to lead their country. He conducted an excellent campaign and genuinely appealed to peoples yearning for something different. His acceptance speech was an oratorical masterpiece, that brought tears to the eyes. A politician that can inspire a jaded and cynical world is a rare breed.

So Obama has the goodwill of the world. He also has a strong mandate from the American people and a majority in the Senate and Congress. What will he do with this political capital? Expectations are high. Obama has raised the bar of what people expect, so we should judge him by high standards. A few promises he has made that I hope he keeps(1) Withdraw American troops from Iraq. (2) Close Guantanamo bay. (3) Combat climate change. This would be a good start and would repay some of the faith people have invested in him.

I hope Obama is the real deal. The world needs someone to believe in. The next four years will either change the world, or confirm just how rotten it is. Can he do it? Yes he can.

Why do we continue to vote for them?

2008-10-26T21:40:00.001Z

I have one question for the Irish public. What do we continue to vote for Fianna Fail?

Charles Haughey spent his time in power enriching himself and living like a king while the working class of Ireland suffered and emigrated.

Then we had the self confessed "socialist" Bertie Ahern. This man of people had so much money in his sock drawer from wins on the horses and whip rounds he didn't know what to do with it. One thing we do know, he sure didn't want to put it in an account in his name.

Bertie Ahern was not a man of the people. He was the man who looked after his people. His people were builders, businessmen, old pals and old girlfriends. This man was returned to power three times by the people of Ireland. How could this of happened? Is Irish Democracy in such a bad state that this shower of gangsters are the people we trust to run our country.

All this brings me to Budget 2009. Under new leadership Brian Cowen has followed Fianna Fail policy passed down from his predecessors. Throughout the Celtic Tiger the Irish Government helped their rich comrades who have always helped them throughout their existence. Now recession has returned to our shores who has to pay? Pensioners,workers,schoolchildren,students and the most disadvantaged in Irish society.

It has been heartening to see some of the protest that have been sparked from Budget 2009 but will this anger be carried into the ballot box. Past experience teaches us that it will not. I know when we look at the opposition benches , the prospect of Enda Kenny as leader does not fill us with joy. But that is not a good enough reason to continue returning the same idiots to power.

If we are not happy with the political parties we have to choose from, create others. If we do not think we are listened to shout louder. Politicians are supposed to serve all the people not just the chosen few who have their ear. Lets get on the streets and make sure we are listened to. Most importantly of all lets use our ballot the next time. There is something rotten about a system that continues to elect a party that stands for nothing but power and protection of the privileged.

Why do we continue to vote for them?

2008-10-26T21:38:00.000Z