FRIDAY
Kenneth Egan for Castlecoote
Confirmation from my friends on the Percy French Festival Committee that an Olympic silver medallist will be amongst the guest speakers at the upcoming 2026 event. This is quite a coup for the organisers!
Kenneth (‘Kenny’) Egan became a national sporting hero when he won silver in boxing at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. Also a former European Boxing Champion, he subsequently pursued a career in politics, serving as a Fine Gael councillor for a number of years.
Egan has been very open about dealing with addiction issues during his career. Now a qualified psychotherapist and counsellor, Kenny will deliver a talk in Castlecoote on Wednesday, July 15th. The title is: ‘From the Podium to Despair’.
While a daily ticket to this very prestigious festival is €50, a special student admission rate of €20 applies on the Wednesday, when mental health will be a theme of the day. In addition to Kenny Egan, there will be a number of other speakers on mental health issues.
The 2026 Percy French Festival will be held in Castlecoote from Wednesday, July 15th next through to (and including) Friday, July 17th. More details in forthcoming issues. See also percyfrench.ie.
SATURDAY/SUNDAY
GAA review
Just as I’d suspected – rumours of the demise of the Dublin football team were indeed ‘greatly exaggerated.’
Sleeping giants might not pose a threat to you… but what happens if (and when) they wake up?
On Sunday, Donegal found out. A few weeks ago, Jim McGuinness’s men were very strong contenders for the Sam Maguire Cup. But in recent games they’ve been unusually unsteady where once they were sure-footed.
This weekend’s game was perfectly set up for Dublin, who went in as underdogs, while certainly not without hope. As it was, the Dubs were full value for their win, following a thriller that went to extra-time. Manager Ger Brennan was back from solitary confinement, a PR win over GAA president Jarlath Burns boosting his confidence.
The Dubs are on the march. Donegal are out of the All-Ireland race, as are fellow Ulster heavyweights, Armagh. The Orchard County ventured into ‘The Kingdom’ yesterday and it turned out that an apple a day couldn’t keep David Clifford away.
MONDAY
Keir & Diego
So it’s over for Keir Starmer – the British are playing Prime Minister’s Musical Chairs again.
Politics is a ruthless business, as we all know. He or she who gushes over you with plámás during a dinner party might also be wielding the metaphorical knife behind their back.
MP Wes Streeting roughed Starmer up a few weeks ago. Aspiring PM/silent political assassin Andy Burnham then took over. Starmer spluttered unconvincingly about fighting for his job, but in reality he could make out the writing on the wall; it read ‘Go’. Yesterday, there was the added humiliation of President Trump burying the UK Prime Minister before his political death had been confirmed.
Someone tweeted this morning that Starmer’s fall was happening on a historic day, as it’s exactly 40 years since Diego Maradona’s Hand of God goal for Argentina against England. Now Starmer has fallen to the Hand of Andy.
There may well be a contest to elect Labour’s next leader (who will then become Britain’s sixth new Prime Minister in ten years). Contest or coronation, it looks like Burnham is set to be the new occupant of 10 Downing Street.
Famous goals
Of course if today is the 40th anniversary of Maradona’s ‘Hand of God’ goal against England at the 1986 World Cup, then it must also be the 40th anniversary of the superstar’s second goal that day, which came at the end of an exhilarating solo run from the halfway line. It arguably remains the greatest goal in football history. (It is true that a few years before Maradona’s spellbinding dribble, I memorably danced past a few forlorn defenders in the Church carpark in Rooskey, prior to dummying the ‘keeper and scoring, but sadly there is no footage of that wondergoal).
All politics is local
Keir Starmer may be leaving the political stage, but veteran Roscommon county councillor Domnick Connolly is back centre stage!
To paraphrase Lanigan’s Ball (the hit song by Diarmuid O’Leary & The Bards) it’s a case of Keir stepped out and Domnick stepped in…
Today, Cllr Connolly assumed the role of Roscommon’s ‘First Citizen’ when he was elected Cathaoirleach of Roscommon County Council at the local authority’s AGM.
It’s been quite the comeback by the well-known Fuerty man. Out of politics five years by the time of the 2024 local elections – having experienced ill health and seemingly retired from public life – Domnick made an unexpected comeback and went on to defy the odds by winning back a place on the Council. 35 years after he was first elected to public office, he’s now in the hot seat for the first time. A career milestone, it’s a great honour for a very popular personality in the community.
I’d like to take this opportunity to add my congratulations and best wishes to Domnick. Well done also to his predecessor in the role, Cllr Liam Callaghan, who passed on the chain of office today, having represented our county with distinction and customary dignity and good humour over the past year.
TUESDAY
Losing count…
They say the years are flying by and that – with the obvious exception of Marty Whelan – we’re all getting older.
If you’re one of those people who feels that time is passing too quickly, don’t let the following fact add any negativity – because it really is a detail born of the uniquely chaotic political climate that has prevailed in the UK since circa 2014-2016.
Here goes… by the end of this summer, Britain will have its fourth Prime Minister since Boris Johnson was in power (which was after Covid; he’s not even gone four years yet!).
(Since Johnson’s fall in late 2022, Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak have both been on the Downing Street Not-So-Merry-Go-Round, and Keir Starmer’s seat on it will be formally taken over the coming weeks).
WEDNESDAY
Dara & Shania
With global superstar Shania Twain performing four concerts at Wembley – beginning this Friday – I’m reminded of her recent appearance on the BBC’s evening magazine programme, The One Show.
Catching two minutes of it, I raised an eyebrow as Twain patiently (and very courteously) listened as Irish comedian Dara Ó Briain tried to make the return of the celebrity panel show Mock the Week sound more interesting than it is! The sacrifices a superstar (in this case Twain) has to make when on a promotional tour!
I respectfully suggest that she was gamely feigning interest as Ó Briaingan gamely explained the challenges he face as Mock the Week host. At least Shania didn’t say ‘That Don’t Impress Me Much.’
