In the ten days since its launch, ‘Your Country, Your Call‘ has attracted over 1600 suggestions. Not all are winners. Unorthodox proposals include privatising the army as an international mercenary force and “building a leprechaun theme park”. Other suggestions include converting unoccupied homes into tourist accommodation, a fundraising All Ireland 25 Card Drive to increase… Continue reading Your Country?
Tag: eccentric
Legal Shock
Outside, the new Criminal Courts Complex is distinctive, but not hugely original. Busáras with a facelift. Inside, it feels like a science fiction set. Something American, definitely lacking the post-industrial grime that besets most UK efforts, from 28 Days Later to Dr Who. Think of Doctor Manhattan’s laboratory in Watchmen. Or maybe the headquarters for… Continue reading Legal Shock
Culture
Every now and then, Fintan O’Toole ‘s gaze moves away from lofty matters of national import, to consider the state of popular culture. The result is a National Squirm. There are people who understand VIP and Hello magazine but Fintan, for all his merits, is not one of those people. I still recall how marvellously… Continue reading Culture
Random Thoughts
Ever wondered…? Is it heresy to prefer Dublin over Kerry in Monday’s All Ireland quarterfinal. It’s not that I want Dublin to win the title, it’s just I think Jason Sherlock deserves more than one All Ireland medal for his years of service. From twitter: Article four of Bunreacht na hÉireann is to be amended.… Continue reading Random Thoughts
Snip
Thanks to a confidential source, 200 words is in a position to reveal several exclusive fund raising ideas from that An Bord Snip Nua report: Demand a few billion from the EU Commissioners to do an Ahmadinejad on the second Lisbon referendum. After the success of the Ganley Wheelie Bin Gambit during the Ireland Northwest… Continue reading Snip
Wacko Jacko Heart Attacko
The toxicity of our celebrity obsession was reflected back at us by Jackson’s spectral and ruined face. The physical slicing, tucking and restructuring he endured was for what? For us. For our pound of flesh. We must live with that shame. Like slavering beasts, our appetites insatiable, we gorged at the trough of his fame.… Continue reading Wacko Jacko Heart Attacko
Celebrity Games
Fianna Fail are set to trump the Fine Gael coup in landing George Lee as an election candidate, announcing the Seoige Sisters as MEP candidates in the Ireland Northwest constituency. Stung by the news that one of their harshest economic critics is set to take the hustings for the opposition, party mandarins immediately met in… Continue reading Celebrity Games
Taking At Face Value
I emailed Joe Duffy today. Well, I emailed the show. Joe is off sick, Damien Reilly has been keeping the seat warm. Mick Nugent was on, representing something called Atheists Ireland. (by the way, who elected Mick to speak on behalf of all the atheists in Ireland?) Anyway, Mick was speaking about blasphemous libel, so… Continue reading Taking At Face Value
Business As Usual
This article, like yesterday’s, is written on a computer running ‘Jaunty Jackalope’, the latest Ubuntu release. So I wondered, how much would the Irish government save switching to open source. Probably nothing. First off, they’d hire an accountancy firm to do some consultancy. Then they’d tweak their requirements and hire a second crew of consultants… Continue reading Business As Usual
Sneak Preview
Sometimes, I listen to a story on the radio, and find myself shouting at some piece of idiocy. And some days, I just find myself muttering ‘get on with it’. Which brings us to Brian Cowen’s Grand Tour of Europe: Luxembourg, Germany, London and Paris by the end of the week. BBC correspondent Mark Mardell… Continue reading Sneak Preview