Well, here we are again, with regard to the US Presidential race.
Even though Joe Biden clearly got a much greater number of votes than Donald Trump, the present incumbent in the White House is not giving in. He keeps calling for recounts in different areas, then the recounts don’t turn out to suit him, and yet he keep saying the whole election was a fraud.
Readers will remember that way back in the beginning, he kept saying that any postal votes would be illegal, and now he has fastened onto that, even though the postal votes were deemed completely legal and within the proper electoral process. I notice that he has stopped putting the blond colour in his hair, and now he’s properly grey-haired. Good for him; I thought it showed some signs of realism.
Anyway, one way or another, time will go on and eventually Donald Trump will have to concede that Joe Biden won the election, and he will have to get himself of the White House. How that is to be done, I just can’t fathom at the moment.
We’ll see, but it’s all like an ongoing soap opera. But in the end, to my mind, the people have spoken and the result is quite clear-cut. There is no edge-of-the-seat tightening of the vote; by several million votes, Joe Biden has won the Presidential Election.
Before we go on talking together about all the various other everyday matters, I want to sound a clear clarion call of praise to the Westmeath Independent and to its editor Tadhg Carey.
Why? Last week in the Westmeath Independent, they had the inclusion of an historical supplement to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the burning of the Westmeath Independent. It was a marvellous supplement, packed full of historical details, wonderful articles by different people, and all in all it made for great reading. Imagine, 100 years ago the Crown forces came in and set fire to the whole building and to all of the huge printing machines that were there at the time, and left over 100 people unemployed. It was all during the Civil War. The editor at the time of the burning was Michael McDermott-Hayes.
I would hope that every student of history, of whatever age, would take the trouble to read that supplement through and through, and to garner fully the deeds of 100 years ago with regard to the local Westmeath Independent. Well done to all who contributed to the supplement. I have kept it safely and intend to go back and read it again and again, and to refresh myself on those deeds so long ago.
RTÉ has been great of late. We have had a wonderful enactment of Terence MacSwiney, the Lord Mayor of Cork who went on hunger strike and died. Then there was an equally fine depiction of Kevin Barry, who was hanged over 100 years ago, and recently of Bloody Sunday in Croke Park. It all makes for wonderful viewing and listening and great reflections on our past.
While we are talking about TV, last week there was a marvellous depiction on TG4 of French President Charles de Gaulle, who came to Ireland in 1969 after he left the presidency of France. He and his wife came first to Kerry, to Sneem, and they stayed in a small family hotel called the Heron Cove. Then they went from there to Connemara, where they stayed in the Cashel House Hotel. The whole account of their visits to those places, and the way the hotels in question kept them safe from the surrounding media attention, made for fascinating viewing.
Finally, President de Gaulle and his wife went to visit Éamon de Valera in Áras an Uachtaráin and had a wonderful dinner there. You could see the two old, tall statesmen chatting animatedly together, and you thought “Well, they have tales to tell and tales to exchange.” The TG4 depiction was wonderfully done and again, I have to send my applause to them.
Now, how are all the games going? Well, last Saturday, we had Ireland versus Wales in the Aviva Stadium. The result was very good for Ireland. Now they face England next Saturday in Twickenham.
I am sure that will be a very close call. It would be great if Ireland could win, even though they are going to be bereft of two of their stalwarts; both Johnny Sexton and Robbie Henshaw will not be playing due to injuries which they picked up last week.
Then on Sunday, we had the great Connacht match between Mayo and Galway. I was for Mayo; I retain a great affection for that county. Now, I thought Galway had so many opportunities to win it, but put that to one side, Mayo won well, played valiantly, and now await their next encounter.
We had Connacht versus Ospreys, and they just didn’t make it and Ospreys won. I was disappointed; our hero here in Athlone, Jack Carty, played wonderfully, as did many others, but somehow they couldn’t quite get the elusive tries necessary to gain success.
Monday of this week saw wins for Leinster and Ulster. So all in all, there has been great viewing and enjoyment over the last few days.
I left the greatest victory of all to the end of our discussions. Katie Taylor had a wonderful victory over the Spanish Miriam Gutierrez. It is Katie’s 17th professional victory. What I love about Katie is her innate modesty. She keeps on winning, and still she stays the same Katie.
There are only about ten days now to secure a trade agreement arising out of the Brexit talks between Michael Barnier for the EU and David Frost for the UK. It is getting very close and tight, but I remain of the opinion that there will be a deal, albeit makeshift and hurriedly done at the end. Let’s hope so, for the sake of business in Ireland.
That’s my lot for this week. Hope to talk with you all next week.
In the meantime, stay at home and let’s keep thinking to a Christmas together as families.
Slán go fóill.
Mary O’Rourke
