None of the above
Well I don’t know what about you but I’m not botherin’ me arse votin’ for any candidate in the local elections this time. Sure what’s there to vote for? What difference will any of them make to anything? What do we need any of them for anyway? It’s all a big game, with expenses and junkets for the winners. It’s gas to see all them independents going around thinkin’ they’ll make a difference and maybe have the balance of power. Sure even if they do one side will just buy them off and they might get a pothole filled in their local village or the parish pump painted for their support. The bottom line folks is that they’ll all end up making decisions about pocket money.
Anyway it’s past time we had a proper protest candidate in these local elections. I have been picking retired local Cllr Miley Madden’s brains — slim pickings it has to be said — on the subject and he agrees that a proper protest candidate who refused to be bought by any side and revealed all the sham and pretence of local politics would indeed be a breath of fresh air. Why he didn’t do it himself before retiring I’ll never know. Sure maybe someone had something on him.
What these local elections need is a candidate who doesn’t give a shite about what anyone thinks of him or even her and will say and do what he believes in regardless. One who won’t take a comfortable seat in the little boys’ and little girls’ club. One who won’t fall for the junkets or the female groupies who follow these local politicos thinking they have power.
They all eventually end up just towing the party line and making asses of themselves and their credibility. I have looked on their smiling faces on the posters over the last few weeks and I have to say I felt depressed when I saw their ugly smiling, orangy fake tan faces. Fair play to Blackie at least he has that authentic pale west of Ireland colour. Fair play also to all the artists who have been toiling into the early hours making some interesting amendments to their ugly mugs; any chance of ye using a few different colours lads?
So yes on June 5 I intend to use my vote. I will be voting for none of them and I would urge you do the same. With the present selection the only protest vote is a spoiled vote for ‘none of the above.’
50th wedding anniversary
Heartiest congratulations to local popular couple Mattie and Mary Conroy from the High Road who recently celebrated their ‘belated’ 50th wedding anniversary in Pa’s. They danced it out to the melodious sounds of Mossy Hayes and Paddy ‘the thumber’ Daley. It’s hard to believe it’s 50 years since they married.
But sure won’t their eldest Susie be 50 next December according to our retired district nurse and midwife Nancy Carthy. According to aul Mattie, Mary and himself were married in February 1959. I think there must be a mistake in the parish records so because they say it was August. Anyway, sure anyone can make a mistake.
Thought for the week
My thanks to Wally ‘the wart’ Walsh for the following short reflection on ‘the recession’:
According to Wally: “The word recession comes from the idea of recessing, ‘going back’ retreating, and of course the parliamentary idea of recessing into one’s chambers, ie, taking a rest. It’s time we rediscovered this Larry. It’s economic hibernation time, an economic winter. So let’s take it easy.”
Fair spake Wally; there’s a lot to be said for a university education.
