Tiger then…Tiger again?
To win one Grand National is a magnificent, career-defining achievement; to win back-to-back Grand Nationals is the stuff of legend. (Real legend, not the daft, chronically over-used version so often foisted on us these days).
So, hats off and arms in the air to Tiger Roll and Davy Russell on the weekend’s other big sporting achievement (with Roscommon CBS).
Tiger Roll just strode effortlessly into the history books. A historic weekend too as Michael O’Leary actually offered free drinks on a Ryanair flight, but let’s concentrate on the horse. Wonderful. I can (just) remember when Red Rum won his second Grand National, in 1974. Red Rum went on to win a third, in 1977. The fact that mere mention of Red Rum still lifts the heart over forty years on is a measure of what Tiger Roll has just achieved.
And maybe it’s a good omen for the other legendary Tiger. If Tiger Woods happens to emerge from the pack in the Masters at Augusta this weekend, it too would be a triumph for the ages, the stuff of real legend, a sporting comeback and feat that would be spoken of long into the future.
Have you heard? It’s back!
The newspaper headline I’d like to have seen over the weekend (but didn’t).
‘No more headlines about the return of Game of Thrones’.
The Game of Thrones phenomenon seems to be commanding more newspaper space than Brexit these days – even though the cast of characters in the latter is much scarier.
What Kate said next…
The Sunday Independent interviewed prominent Fine Gael TD Kate O’Connell, who helpfully posed for a delightful photograph by siting in long and lush grass.
Journalist Donal Lynch asked Kate about her colleague, Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy. Is he still the right man for the job?
As Eoghan was reading this over breakfast, he will undoubtedly have expected a version of ‘Political Stock Answer A’.
E.G. “Absolutely. I have seen first-hand how passionate Eoghan is about housing. He is absolutely the right man for the job. The opposition are just playing politics. I have full confidence in Eoghan”.
But that’s not what Kate said. Instead, what she actually said was: “I don’t know”.
Oops (and sharp intake of breath at the Murphy kitchen table).
Kate, no longer posing in the lush grass, did elaborate a little, but it didn’t get that much better.
“He was given the job by the Taoiseach so I guess you could say it’s above my pay scale to say that. He got into politics to make a difference and I can’t doubt his work ethic”.
Now, as a long-time observer of ‘political-speak’, I can assure you that is not an endorsement. She’s ain’t no fan of the embattled Housing Minister.
Maybe she’s waiting in the long grass?
Weekend to remember
You have to hand it to the ‘young people’ these days.
Not content with winning an All-Ireland football title on Saturday, the stunningly successful Roscommon CBS only went and broke a world record the same weekend (as part of Autism Awareness Month).
What will our all-conquering youth take on next? Saving the planet? Oh sorry, they’ve already started that, with their Climate Change campaigning!
Joking aside, what a truly great achievement by Roscommon CBS. The manner of the All-Ireland victory was a superb finale to a great campaign. And what a great credit the entire panel have been to their parents, the school, their town and county. Take a bow too the rest of the pupils in the school, and teachers, all of whom have been so supportive of a historic All-Ireland campaign.
This is what he said…
On Newsnight on Friday night, a slightly embarrassed but philosophical columnist with a leading right-wing UK newspaper was in the process of admitting that, having argued the merits of leaving the EU before and after the referendum, he had now changed his mind and was in favour of remaining.
While trying to explain his u-turn, he entirely reasonably pointed out that the public had not been fully aware of all that was involved in leaving, or of all the possible implications.
Then there was the Irish situation, he said, adding: “…Ireland, which has haunted Great Britain for 500 years”.
They were his exact words. He didn’t explain any further.
