brian cowen

Are Fianna Fail scuppering their own recovery by denying us our Portillo moment?

It looks like game over. The most successful political party in the history of the state is virtually an ex-parrot. But it would be rash to go writing Fianna Fail’s obituary just yet. Today’s polls show party support steady at about 15%. Considering our present predicament, that suggests one-seventh of the electorate would vote Fianna Fail even if the local candidate were standing at their front door with an axe in his hand and a murderous twinkle in his eye.

From here, really, the only way is up. Read the rest of this entry »

Irish Times/MRBI poll: were the public even at the same gig?

The latest Irish Times/MRBI poll, which shows support for Fianna Fail up three to 24%, is utterly baffling to me. That almost a quarter of the population would consider the bind this country finds itself itself in, observe the quality of leadership we’ve had for 21 of the last 23 years and think ‘Yep, more of the same please…’ Well, there’s only one possible explanation: Read the rest of this entry »

That would be a (hic) ecumenical matter…

My favourite #Cowengate tweet today came from my old Mongrel colleague Alan Moloney (@wshdcomic):

Breaking News: Government are splitting Taoiseach into a Sober Taoiseach & a Pissed Taoiseach.

Lest we forget, I had a late night run-in of my own with Brian Cowen about six months ago.

Ireland to Israel: “If any harm comes to any of our citizens, it will have the most serious consequences.”

Wow, Ireland is flexing it’s muscles on the international stage. Our Taoiseach is throwing his weight around, if you will. To observers in some quarters it could seem bizarre, comical even, that a nuclear-armed Middle Eastern superpower would be threatened in such a manner by a remote island nation whose armed forces consist of a man, a rife and a sheep dog.

Let’s not forget, however, that Israel has crossed this country once before in recent months. The Dubai assassinations in February were carried out by Israeli agents travelling on fake Irish passports. Well, Israel, there’s an old saying in Ireland… Actually, it’s a saying in Mayo, but it’s probably in Ireland too: Read the rest of this entry »