3 Things we didn’t like this week
What debates?
The lack of actual debate in the Presidential ‘debates’. Instead of full-on informed debate (wishful thinking) we had set-pieces whereby the presenters obsessively focused on what they consider to be candidates’ weaknesses (e.g. Casey on travellers, Gallagher: ‘Where have you been the last seven years?’; Higgins’ use of the Learjet, Ní Riada on wearing the poppy, etc.). Presenters were trying to score points on these established issues as opposed to actually developing proper debates on which viewers/listeners could cast judgement.
Interfering Leo?
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, left, can justify getting involved in the Presidential campaign on the basis that Fine Gael, the party he leads, is supporting the incumbent, Michael D Higgins. And yet…there is something at least a touch unseemly about Leo (a) calling for people not to vote for a named candidate (Peter Casey)…just a hint of taking a populist stance there?…and (b) actually proactively defending Michael
D against specific charges to do with use of a jet, expenditure, etc. Smacks a bit of interference, we think…
Racist tirade was despicable
The widely-reported racist verbal attack on a passenger on a Ryanair flight was shocking and despicable. There have been over one million views of a video of the onslaught by a man against a woman on a flight from Barcelona to London.
3 Things we did like this week
Great grassroots GAA stories
Some of the County Final success stories of last weekend were heartwarming. I worked as a sports reporter in Cavan for a few years and can vouch for the passion at the heart of the club scene there. As many readers will be aware, Castlerahan, who had never won a Cavan senior championship, lost the last THREE finals, quite an incredible ‘stat’. On Sunday they were back in a fourth successive final, their opponents being Crosserlough. Not only did Castlerahan win, they did so from six points behind!
Closer to home, Kilglass Gaels had a great triumph in the Roscommon County Junior Final. Equally as uplifting, and another example of an underdog being rewarded for resilience and endeavour, was the success of St. Joseph’s (Kilteevan) in their Junior League final decider against Boyle (in Boyle).
We’re almost there…
The fact that there’s only hours to go before the Presidential election campaign ends. The words ‘damp’ and ‘squib’ are called for.
Hospital boost
Confirmation that a new CSSD (Central Sterile Services Department) Unit at Roscommon Hospital has been given the go-ahead is very welcome. Health Minister Simon Harris has confirmed that a proposal for a new Central Sterile Services Department (CSSD) at Roscommon Hospital has now been agreed between HSE Estates and the Saolta University Health Care Group.
Good Week
It was a good week for an unnamed (as we go to press) individual in South Carolina who scooped the largest jackpot in US history, a tasty 1.6 BLLION dollars, or 1.2 BILLION euro. We’re thrilled for them, aren’t we?
Bad Week
It was a bad week for Roscommon GAA from an intercounty perspective when the expected appointment of Aidan O’Rourke as manager of the Roscommon senior team fell through when the former Armagh player dramatically withdrew his name at the eleventh hour.
Our Person of the Week
Casterea boxer Lisa O’Rourke who won a silver medal at the European Junior Boxing Championship in Russia recently.
Quote of the Week
‘…the committee is concerned at attempts that have been made to influence the outcome of the process over recent days. The committee believes that these events have undermined the integrity of the process and potentially affected our ability to attract a new manager.
In addition, some of the public commentary on social media has been extremely unhelpful’
–Roscommon GAA County Board reacts to the withdrawal of ‘preferred candidate’ Aidan O’Rourke from the process regarding the prospective appointment of a new manager for the county senior team
