A Nation Once Again

We are a rabble, Ireland is a country without nationhood, we exist in tiny segments of self interest and parish politics we live in an anarchy with cynical politicians going on television debates making bland statements designed to sway the middle-classes, what about the ATM'S they declare like they were ever going to run out of cash, like the European union would close down its financial markets just to teach little old Ireland a lesson.


Yet the disease goes deeper outside of sport and even that is dubious, what other sense of nationhood do we cherish?


We have such a low sense of self, and indeed as one former US ambassador put it we have no sense of outrage. Why is this when the ordinary folk in this little country are facing austerity, they must watch in awe as the bankers and developers get rescued and more financially draining institutions are created to deal with the mess. Which of course they don't deal with and various suits are wheeled out to try and justify the preposterous reality, which is hammering the final nails into our economic coffin.


People give out about European union accusing this massive bureaucracy of stealing our sovereignty when in fact we all but handed that over when we joined the common market, we basically gave away our biggest natural resource or fishing industry, we did this to facilitate electoral votes for our main political parties, in essence they sucked up to the agricultural lobby where they both had their power base.



But in order to lose one's sovereignty one has to own it first, and when only a minority of the populace actually owns a state's sovereignty, then by proxy it is up for sale to the highest bidder. Ireland through its patriotic revolution swapped one merchant class for another, instead of the English overlords we replaced them with our own Irish ones. Those brave men and women who saw the struggle not just in nationalist terms but as a revolution against capitalism were executed or beaten into the ground. The spin was alive and well and one wonders how much the American capitalist system assisted in the transfer of power and wealth, and perhaps even in regards who got shot and who lived on.



The legacy that is left to the citizens of this country is one of complete anarchy in that it is every man and woman for themselves, the whole system under which we live is based on a bland consumerism this is not unlike the dark black and white days of soviet communism. Every one wants the same things the same mobile phones, cars, the nice house and the good private religious run school, young teenagers wear the same clothes aspire to the same meaningless degree's. Like how many marketing graduates does an economy need, and how many food safety degree graduates can get jobs?


The idea of statehood or collective responsibility to things like health, education, and social welfare are foreign to most of our citizens they will tell you simply that there was never any help for them, and indeed they had to slog long and hard to earn a crust, yet they fail to realise that statehood and collective responsibility are indeed profit making, for example if we took real ownership of our natural resources including fisheries how much would this generate for an economy on its knees?


It is time to re-examine or notion of nationhood because in reality as things stand now our nationhood is our economy, it is one and the same as all ownership and action is governed by some fat cat investor who instructs some poor minnow who sits at a computer all day long to place bets for him, the results of this so called trading basically effects every sphere of our lives, and we as citizens allow this because people will lament that there is no alternative. I for one lament that we are still living under an archaic system that is undemocratic cumbersome. extremely wasteful, unfair and unequal, and loss making.


Maybe sometime soon the people of this little country might realise that we do have the power to re-claim what is rightfully ours and that is our true sovereignty, we can achieve this by insisting on collective responsibility for us, ourselves.

Miriam meets Wood Point author Paul Kestell

Tapes from the show they pulled:




MOC: This is your second novel?


PK: It is, my first novel was Viaréggio it got great reviews but some people didn't get it especially agents and publishers.


MOC: Really oh my God I don't believe you!


Pk: No, it is true, I am afraid that Viaréggio got reviews that would put most mainstream publications to shame but it still wasn't enough to secure a publishing deal, I can only guess as to the reasons why, but some of the press coverage it got was awesome!


MOC: Really oh my God people will say that your are blowing your own trumpet.


Pk: I am Miriam this is a lonely business and I am a very lonely man, if you get my drift.


Moc: I do I do honest I do, you will have me in tears in a minute, you probably dream of being one of the greats do you like John Boyne, or Joe O' Connor, maybe even a Colm Toibin?


Pk: Did you ever read Joe O' Connor's the 'Birdcage,' ?


MOC: Can't say that I have but I love Joe O' Connor and I love John Banville in fact I love all our great writers I would even love you Paul if I was told to you know?


Pk: It was the worst novel I have ever read even worse than Julie Parsons, and yer woman Enright, and that boring fella Toibin, and that John Boyne.


MOC: You do sound very bitter if you don't mind me saying so, like I am sure all our great writers had to serve their time like fame didn't just come knocking on the door?


Pk: Viaréggio is an fffing great book Miriam all the critics agree it is just the silly gombeen public that didn't buy it in the numbers required to make me rich, the bastards.


MOC: You really think that? My God it is incredible that you really think that. Tell me now about your second novel Wood Point like what is it about!


PK: It is about a society that has lost it's soul Miriam and it is also about love and loss and the birth of greed in this society and the beginning of the collapse of morality, this is my thesis Miriam.


MOC: My God are you sure it is about all that, like who would have influenced you to write about all of that sort of working class mumbo jumbo if you don't mind me saying so.


Pk: At the core of my novel is James Joyce he is my favourite writer, and surrounding Joyce I have Mills and Boon you know for the romantic bits, and then I have Enid Blyton you know for the bits with Bob the dog, I even called one of my characters Georgina after the one in the famous five.


MOC: Oh my God you have covered every angle you really are great you know that, I for one am so proud of you!


PK: Oh and Miriam you know the bits of violence and the goings on I based that on Dallas, and the Quentin Tarantino movies, so I have covered even more than you think, I also put in a good bit about the spaghetti westerns and Sergio leone, just so I could imagine the Ennio Morricone music in my head, pretty good hey, Wood Point will be the first novel ever with a soundtrack.


MOC: My God you have thought of everything, now I am not promising I will buy it myself but I am sure some of those bastards gombeens will this time, and if you want I can get you that agent and a publisher, as you know it is only a matter of time before I write my own saga, it will of course be a bestselling debut I know it will, oh my God I am so nice am I not. Pity on those striving to make a living with their sincere novels just like yours gathering dust on the storeroom shelves of bookshops, and even the poor darlings that write the chic lit sure most of them are starving and me look at me, a best seller first time out. You got to get the machine Paul that is all you need the machine, oh my God do you actually believe a machine can do that?

Capitalism Greed and the thugs on the street.



Communism didn't work so we are told and people rattle off the stats on Stalin and how he killed more people than the nazi's etc, it is a rather dubious argument because one could say that capitalism has killed more people than Stalin did, just look at the stats with all the wars fought over money and land,how many people living under the capitalist system have died due to extreme poverty and the diseases associated with it, if one was to carry this thesis to its logical conclusion would it be in order to say that God is responsible for all deaths?


The people who love to say that communism didn't work sigh and express their heart felt relief that at least we have capitalism, thank God, as it gives a few of us a real chance at becoming rich, and if we are not lucky enough to be among the precious few we can always buy a lotto ticket and dream. Indeed communism went against the very notion of individualism, and its effort to dilute human greed ended in complete failure as it is akin to asking humans to become something different from what we really are.


Many view the liberation of the former Eastern countries as some sort of miraculous conversion, this took place on a mass scale where over night peoples ideology got thrown out the window and they suddenly became sainted with the capitalist doctrine, and from now on everything will be alright. There were of course serious breaches of human rights in the former soviet empire the restrictions on travel, and free speech and many cases of torture and false imprisonment, made this empire corrupt and unsupportable. Yet the idea of collective responsibility is the very essence of our continued existence on this planet, it is so important that the state remains responsible to all its citizens and in particular the disadvantaged the sick and the disabled. The empire of capitalism under which we live through its media have sent out a clear message to us that we don't have this collective responsibility and we need not care for our fellow citizens.

The most fashionable pub talk lately is the anti social welfare rant that people are living off the dole sponging on their hard working neighbours, they live it up whilst honest Joe is struggling with his mortgage. In truth there are people sponging off the system but the vast majority of social welfare recipients are in dire poverty and cannot live on the money paid by welfare.Another point is that many young couples who are struggling with their mortgages were mis-sold the product in the first place, leaving them in a financial mess, this has huge implications for them in every sphere of their lives, as society brow beats them into home ownership that for many was always outside of their earning power.


People talk as they watch the rioting in London they wonder why the army are not called out to deal with the rioters, who are in the main youths with hoodies the so called uniform of thugs world wide. One person wants to know why don't they shoot them with plastic bullets, he is reminded that this is London not Belfast, and these thugs are English not Irish, one can't help but feel that the people in Belfast are watching it all with a wry smile. The news then shows us live rioting with an audience of disinterested locals watching as riot police chase a handful of miscreants across a green.


So you wonder why are these riots happening, are all the rioters thugs and criminals, when you see them looting shops and stealing from the injured you could hardly think of any other worthwhile explanation. So these thugs just mushroomed in different areas of London, and then in Birmingham etc. Surely the initial protesters had some genuine grievance can all of these rioters be thugs? Assuming that the majority are, why then is this happening in a democratic state with an advanced welfare system a country who are currently saving us all from the terrors of Islam in Afghanistan. In Britain they have a massive underclass that is growing in numbers every day. This underclass is fed by the down beat culture of capitalism, these could have been the next recruits for the army, many of these boys could have ended up serving overseas. Most of these youths are currently unemployed, and many are unemployable, as their standard of education is so low, they are drilled by the media, courted to buy the designer uniforms they wear, they eat fast food and drink takeaway tins of lager, many of them are habitual drug users.


The English state has the answer police them properly lock them up, and if they break the law they will be punished repeatedly, this is the capitalist answer, it does not serve capitalism to remove the root causes of disaffection as it is costly and the money is far better invested in weaponry and the investors wouldn't like millions being poured into a non profitable enterprise. This is of course a totally false calculation as any money spent redressing this awful inequitable scenario would save billions to the state in the long term.


One asks where is the political will, and you may also ask as to why ordinary people allow such disruption and inequality in society, the answer is close at hand in association with a bland and corrupting media, supported by our very own greed.

Television Saturday night review

The Saturday Game, Rte 2, Miriam meets Rte1, Love -Hate, Rte 1.


Having recently come to the sudden realisation that writing is the pursuit of poverty, I found myself penniless in front of Saorview, for those of you who are not familiar with the name it is Rte's new digital service and very good it is too. Rte two is broadcast in Hd, and all the home channels are available with an extra bonus news channel which re- broadcasts the six one and the 9 o' clock news so as one can always catch up. They also have Rte junior and Rte one + one which is also handy.


I settled in to watch Dublin play Tyrone, having taken the pragmatic decision that Gaa may put in a lot of hours over what is left of the summer. The match itself was most entertaining and I found myself warming to the game itself after over forty years of Gaa hating wherever that came from, as children we played soccer as it was a street game, and it was unlikely that many neighbours windows would get smashed as we kept the ball on the ground. We played Gaa at school but I was never much good at gaelic football and worse still at hurling.


I marvelled at the levels of fitness on display and the speed at which the game was played at, Dublin took the game to Tyrone and were very impressive, looking like they could score at will for most of the first half, but also they were resolute in defence, one could see the pain etched on the faces of the Tyrone forwards as another attack broke down.


The half time analysis was most entertaining with Michael Lyster coming across as an easy chairman who's love of the game surpasses any personal agenda he may have, Pat Spillane the Kerry Eamonn Dunphy is entertaining as he tries to bring us outside the parallell so to speak, but he is nothing if not passionate, Colm O' Rourke could do with a rub of passion as I suspect the floor manager has to shake him after the ad break just so he will appear awake, however in fairness to Colm he does have all the terminology like when he says the word football, he always says it the Gaa way. Joe Brolly came across as been entirely sinister, I expected Michael Lyster to ask him could he confirm as to when the hostages might be released. When Pat Spillane spoke Joe thought it was alright to laugh no matter what Pat might be saying, then when it came back to Joe I was certain he said something like on the hour every hour, unless you meet our demands.


The second half was even better for Dublin and they should have scored a few goals, but to Tyrone's credit they did try to the end, but their effort faded to an inevitable defeat by a fitter and physically stronger Dublin outfit. Our panel spoke of humiliation, and end of era's, naming a few players who had passed their sell by dates. Joe laughed again every time Pat spoke, and Colm said football the Gaa way a few times, until Michael looking nervously at Joe closed the show.


Miriam O' Callaghan was on after the news, she started her show with a miniature horse, she was out and about on a mock stable like set with straw and all of that. She interviewed the breeder of the miniature horse, she came across as a nice person well meaning, and her husband who was also nice and full of enthusiasm for their chosen hobby or full time living? I never found out as Miriam was more taken with the horse than listening to the answers to the bland questions she asked. For example she seemed totally uninterested in the ethics of this type of breeding, like in human terms would we be happy with growing to say four feet. Anyhow she moved on asking more bland questions of another guest, before entirely frustrating a bee keeper chap, who kept giving her very interesting facts about bees, and the keeping of same. Miriam was more concerned about the horse who was poised near a rather delicate area. She kept telling the poor bee keeper how she was so afraid of bee's and not to dare and open the hive.


Her show continued with the usual silly greed prize, which is akin to buying a late lotto holiday ticket, and she then tried to get serious talking to the poor brave Tipperary woman that featured with her handicapped son on a recent Prime Time programme. We were told at the start that we need not worry as a rich benefactor had donated money to pay for the boy's treatment. Miriam has this infuriating ability to act amazed no matter what answers her guest gives to her questions, and she was duly amazed as the poor lady from Tipperary described her boy's treatment and also with the generous contribution from the consultant surgeon who treated the child.


Then she said it 'It is a pity we have ro rely on charity but we do,' and she let it go there and the audience were quiet. Somehow I was nearly hoping the bee keeper had left his hive open.


I think love-hate is really good, in fact it is the best drama I have ever seen on Rte. The atmosphere is claustrophobic one would think Dublin was just a tiny village, the acting is superb all round male and female what talent we have. The direction is crisp smooth and imaginative and the script is tight, meaningful but never preachy. I loved the wedding scene when they entered the church and marched to the altar with the dead sound of rap, and the groom doing a hand stand. I also liked the way the dancing at the wedding went suddenly from classical to popular dance music. This shows me that we have a great future in film making in Ireland if only we allow artists to write and make the films they want to make. Small points, I thought the two bad guys turning up at the wedding out of their heads on coke was a little far fetched, and why would Darren go see his arch rival to square things up unprotected and on foot? Small points indeed but when you write novels everything checks out.

David Norris and the Christian Right

Over two years ago I was book signing in the Sirius arts centre in Cobh, it was bright summers day and the liner 'Independence of the sea,' was visiting. People came from far and wide to view it, in all its splendour moored alongside the deep water berth beside Cobh's heritage centre. The arts centre was busy with people sauntering in to view the photographic exhibition, the building also houses the tourist information office, that too was busy with people buying souvenirs and asking touristy questions.


I chatted to a few interested Americans telling them all about my novel, and wondering would they take to it if they bought it, then in walked an escorted Senator David Norris passing by me and on into the tourist office, I had never met him in the flesh before but he was true to his television imagine, he walked gracefully with a beaming genuine smile.


I greeted him warmly on his way back out and his escort a local man allowed him stop for a chat, he was very interested in my novel and he pronounced the title perfectly, 'Viaréggio,' I went on to give him a short synopsis and he listened intently, I then told him of the reference in my work to Shelley, and the beach in Viaréggio. David was impressed he had not heard of my Shelley story before, 'Do you know he came to Dublin?' David asked me, which I openly admitted to not knowing, 'he was sympathetic to irish nationalism.' David said, I presented him with a signed copy free of charge, he thanked me profusely and he was on his way.


Two years later I tweeted him re-his campaign and I also asked him what he thought of 'Viaréggio,' Shelley and all of that? I never received a reply, so I surmised that perhaps he never read it, or he did read it and didn't like it, or indeed he found one or two scenes a little graphic. I will explain this, in my novel a former Mi5 agent in flashback to his days during the war in North of Ireland, forces a young informant to wear a wig and lipstick, before engaging in oral sex with him. In the present this intelligence agent hires a male prostitute who is a transvestite to have oral sex also, so in my silly little mind I wondered would David be uncomfortable with this as he was running for president, and that he may not want to be associated with literature of this nature.


Of course events soon overshadowed my petty little world, and the Christian right tried to bury him with their age of consent slur, fair enough people say that Senator Norris handled all this poorly, but how does one handle it? He is appealing to the middle-classes to elect him, and most of these people live in a world that is media driven,they sleep with opinion polls, and form their views based on the middle-class agenda that is spouted on Rte radio and television, not to mention our cosy little print media.


You cannot argue a case re- the age of consent, as the issue is not up for discussion, then of course they came back for the kill with the revelation that his former lover the plumber and human rights activist Ezra Yizhak Nawi had sex with a fifteen year old boy, and that Senator Norris intervened on his behalf using Seanad notepaper. What failed to come to light however was that Ezra Yizhak Nawi claimed his innocence at all times, he says the boy assured him he was sixteen, he has also denied that he is a paedophile.


Ezra Yizhak Nawi is a well known human rights activist and therefore is hardly the darling of the Israeli government, he has had many previous brushes with the law mostly to do with his human rights agenda, also he has incurred some nebulous drug offences. At the time of the Norris letter they were lovers, so here was a man that David Norris loved deeply who in his eyes was wrongly accused of statutory rape, and a person whom quite possibly the Israeli authorities wanted to put away, is it any surprise that Senator Norris wrote the letter?


So the Christian right have had their way, and the Irish people have been denied the opportunity to have Senator Norris stand as a presidential candidate, it is now deemed by those who follow the middle-class agenda, that this man is so vile, he cannot be allowed to go before the electorate. They have in essence crucified David Norris for having different views on sexuality to their main stream victorian like values, this man who has never pushed his ideas on society, but only dared to bring them to the table for discussion, has been informed that the door is permanently locked to his kind.


The novel 'Viaréggio,' is available on Amazon, or through Easons!