So to quote Dick Tuck, we have spoken, we bastards, and if we are to look at who we have elected right across the country, we see that what has come out of our mouths is that we want a bit of change. That we don’t mind any auld baggage that might be attached to our chosen parties; that we are open to a sliceen of triumphalism, or jingoism, that we don’t mind the odd bit of gombeenism; that we are partial to a touch of the barely concealed racism, and sure, anyway, isn’t it what everyone is saying anyway? Isn’t it, and sure, that’s all in the past now and it’s time to be moving on without harking back to that stuff at all...at least until the next time we have to wheel it out and pick on some other unfortunate divil.
To look at our voting, it seems that we’re saying we want a bit of respect and dignty and maybe sure isn’t respect and dignity a bit overrated anyway, when we should be free to have the auld bit of banter, innocent harmless fun without annoying those snowflakes and their wokeness, which is nawthing to do with what time you get up in the morning. We’re saying that we want to protect the planet and those who live in it, and speaking on behalf of other planets, that maybe those who want to care about this planet should go to hell, at least until tomorrow when we realise that it’s ourselves we’re talking about and that the planet is kinda needed ‘cos it’s right there under our feet and our cars and our tractors and our notions.
To look at our voting, it seems we want change, loads of change, whatever ya have in your pockets, but if we’re getting change, we want in almost equal measure the bit of status quo as well. Too much change weighs down the trousers. So let’s give the same number of votes to the no-change parties. Just to give ourselves the choice. Even if it is a bit like deciding whether it’s the middle aisle in Aldi or Lidl you’re in. Tweedle dum and tweedle dee.
To be fair, it didn’t drag on too much. We have some change here in Galway. A majority of female TDs in Galway West for the first time; no FF or FG TDs in Galway/Roscommon for the first time; and in Galway East, we very nearly had the youngest TD in the country, but for some last ditch FF transfers, before it returned the same three TDs.
So that’s clear now, isn’t it? And if we think that’s what we’re all thinking, then what will it be like when it comes to sitting down and trying to make a government out of all of that. With Brexit and coronavirus and Euro 2020 and more ferocious storms with Irish names undoubtedly coming down the track, it’s some start to the new decade.
