Savage Ireland

Brian Hayes is a modern politician. He earns his trade indulging in sound bytes and absolutes. He says bland things like—‘This has not been a good day for the government.’ When he really means, ‘This has not been a good few years for the Government.’ He also speaks with forked tongue in claiming that Ireland has lost its economic sovereignty. Which means his government have to deal with realities and thereby impose austerity on its citizens?

Since the coalition lied its way into power—there have been many days like this. Lots of u-turns and almost childish efforts to hit the disabled in particular. But for disabled one can safely read vulnerable. So much so that Enda Kenny had to make a mad media spin visit to the home of a county Meath boy with a disability.It was an sos from a drowning Taoiseach. Yet like the child who is told not to put their hand in the fire—these bozos never learn.

Ireland has not lost its economic sovereignty—it has all but given it away for ideological reasons. You see we have huge untapped natural resources. In fishing oil and gas, and in the food processing area. We also had options in relation to the EU, the ECB, and in whether we were prepared to declare a sense of national pride or not. As a last resort we could have printed our own money, and sourced new markets.We could have created a common purpose, usually only seen in wartime.

Under this government we took the ideological decision to repay the bonds –and to seek artificial outside assistance. This is all underpinned by our ideological enslavement to market capitalism. The core thesis of this lies in the dubious premise that neoliberal ideology—the same ideology which brought us down mind you, is somehow the panacea for our ills.


This is why we end up in ridiculous situation whereby we cut disability services, but pay an Anglo bond at the same time. Brian Hayes does not even consider this a worthwhile distraction—from the neoliberal spin. He goes on about how this artificial money is stopping hospital closures. He has almost resorted to the empty ATM’S. Does anyone out there still believe in this rubbish?


So they are going to solve Ireland’s biggest financial crises –by imposing the same financial ideology that caused it to happen in the first place. He is pointing out positives –improvements brought about by James Reilly’s department. Talking to people on the ground in our hospitals—there is no enthusiasm for government policy. Their solution to all is to run and hide behind this economic savagery.


People enjoy sums—and if you can marry sums to ideology or in the governments case bullying all the better. When one hears the disabled protesting outside of the Dail justifying their right to protest. This is based on the fact that they contribute to society, and they quoting how they work and pay taxes. It is easy to see how the neoliberal virus has spread through our society. All of our citizens should have a value. This is inclusive of the old, the sick and disabled, the unemployed the working.


Ireland neoliberal colony is now at last valuing its citizenry and what they can contribute in monetary terms only. This is a huge indictment on the likes of Brian Hayes and his FG, collaborators. Even if one was to forgive them their cowardice, in the economic battle, it is unforgivable for them to have handed the basics of our society over to greed mongers.
Of course as the government ducks and dives. They will point out to fiscal battles been won in relation to our overall well being. These are just smokescreens, as the prize for the winner, is a return to a system, that doesn’t work. The ideology that makes our disabled spend the cold night, outside Dail Eireann!

Sinn Fein Are Without Ideology

I have no problem with Sinn Féin. Well not in the relation to the war in Northern Ireland anyhow. In fact I have great respect for their will—in the face of constant propaganda from the safety of middle Ireland. The right wing government controlled media have accused them of all sorts of wrong doings. From abduction and murder to a stealth like agenda to unite Ireland.


Martin Mc Guinness and Gerry Adams were both victims of the ranting middle Ireland during recent elections. I admire the way they stood their ground—and refused to cave in, under the relentless lies and dubious accusations thrown at them.
Sinn Féin have assembled some smart performers,with the likes of Mary Lou Mc Donald—and Pearse Doherty—leading the charge against the government.


Of course the Shinners are nothing if not pragmatic—in a valiant effort to deflect from the frowns of the middle-classes they have positioned themselves left of centre. Well left of centre-ish. In doing this they have stolen some of the Labour party—trade union ground, by adopting positions against stealth taxes etc.
Thus their activists are very visible against the household charge.



All well and good. The frightened safe players of middle-Ireland probably see them as dangerous and radical. I can now reassure the people who get out of bed and work very hard for their comforts—that they have nothing to worry about.
The pragmatic Sinn Féin is capable of aligning itself to any ideology. So don’t be surprised if they end up in coalition with FF or FG—down the line.


The problem I have with Sinn Féin is in they don’t have a position. I have often accused FF and FG of hiding their ideology. In Sinn Féin’s case they just don’t have an ideology—outside of some vague notion of a politically correct united Ireland.
The Shinners are about as left as the Labour party. They buy into capitalism and our undemocratic systems. Their vision of a New Ireland is as flawed as the centre-right wing parties they squabble with.


For a party that waves the republican flag—where did they inherit their mandate. Was it from Pádraig Pearse? Or Michael Collins? It wasn’t from James Connolly that’s a certainty. Connolly was a Marxist not a republican. There are no Marxists in Sinn Fein or even interpreters of socialism to suit modern culture. So who are they really then and what are they looking for?



Recent history and the bitter war in the north—show’s us that the Republican movement split into different factions. We had the INLA, and their political wing the IRSP. Also now there are dissident Republicans! The IRSP are still active on community issues—their ideology is inherited from James Connolly. Their aim is for a 32 county socialist Republic.


Sinn Féin however after the Good Friday agreement was a party with a mandate—but without any sense of ideology. So they came south and found that none of parties in Dail Eireann had an ideology either. If they had any inkling of ideology, they didn’t want the electorate to know. This left a common shared ideology, enslavement to capitalism.


When Mary Lou—or Pearse Doherty go on television—they will complain about the bond holders, household charges etc—but they never mention ideology. Sinn Féin do capitalism they may advocate a softer version of it—but like the Labour party when in power you grip it tightly with both hands.



So watch this space, for all those who yearn for social justice, don’t expect the Shinners to provide it. The people with ideology like Clare Daly—Joe Higgins, you know them the cloud Cuckoo crowd, are not there in sufficient numbers to save the poor and disabled. Maybe we should give the IRSP a call?

Capitalism is a failed ideology

There are many misconceptions about politics and the current state of the world. When one eavesdrops on twitter commentary it is hard not to smile. I didn’t need to watch the Vincent Browne show last night. From the twitter timeline it was obviously a discussion regarding property tax and other matters of finance.

Funny isn’t it how we have all become dazzled by the economy above all else. The right wing controlled media have managed to keep the economy at the top of the pile. So much so –that it is now obvious that many people feel they are citizens of an economy rather than a nation.

The neoliberal spin is good and non-stop 24hrs a day. Yet for all its might this ideology has one fatal flaw, it doesn’t actually work. Alright it does work for some people. But they are usually super wealthy or belonging to some high powered multinational enterprise. It doesn’t work for the vast majority of us.

Neo-liberalism has been central to our political system since the foundation of the state. Indeed it was most likely a condition under which we secured our statehood. We declared as a neo-liberal colony of the United States and Great Britain.

Thus we have given away our natural resources, oil and gas, and of course our massive fishing industry as been rendered unproductive. We have suffered under corrupt political regimes, and we were the victims of the heinous Catholic Church.
After our most recent capitalist tragedy, whereby the citizen is flogged with austerity to pay off bank gambling debt, did anything change?


No surprisingly nothing. People are still twisted against any real alternative—especially any brand of socialism. The spin is that socialism is grey and uniform. Business and entrepreneurs would not thrive. We in Ireland are too small and we would be shunned by our customers abroad.


Socialism is not anti-business! The difference between the capitalist ideology and the socialist thesis is essentially about control. Under capitalism the individual is feted for success. Under socialism all progress is guided by the citizen for the citizen. We are born into the collective of citizenship—nationhood. Our citizens enjoy a free world class health care system—from the cradle to the grave. Also we enjoy a free world class education system at all levels. We provide the infrastructure for economic growth.


In return the citizen works for the collective. Take an entrepreneur with a sound business proposal. The enterprise would be funded by his fellow citizens. If it proceeds and it is successful. Our entrepreneur will pay his just rate of tax and his company would pay a profits tax. Depending on the scale of the business this entrepreneur may become very rich. Yet all is fair and equitable for all parties, and the state is rewarded as it should be.


However us citizens would have reclaimed our natural resources creating huge wealth alongside of creating indigenous industry. We have a huge food processing potential, alongside of farming and fisheries. Socialism is not grey uniforms but a radical way of reforming our nation. Protecting our citizens and creating wealth, so as to be no longer slaves to the capitalist markets.


People talk of cloud Cuckoo ideology. These are apologists for a failed system that has never worked for all the citizens of a nation. Wherever you go in the world and witness strife. It is caused by the excesses of capitalism.


So the next time twitter people complain bitterly about property tax or stealth taxes—take a look at the ideology of the parties in power. Individuals are not the creators of policy—ideology is!

Abortion The Irish Solution

People who are morally opposed to abortion hold a valid position. Those who support a woman’s right to choose-what happens to her own body—also hold a valid position. Yet some of us who are morally opposed to abortion are also disturbed by the fact that we export over 10,000 women to Britain annually for abortions. Like cattle these women are exported-many are young and vulnerable. They are forced to leave these shores to seek abortions. So as individuals we hold our position which is right and proper—but is the state entitled to hold a moral position? Peter Mathews on a recent Vincent Browne show-clearly held a moral position. But as an elected member of parliament is his role not to legislate without referring to his own morality? The legislative process is in limbo-as successive legislators have failed to deal with this issue. Abortion is legal in Ireland -if there is deemed to be a risk to the life of a woman. However Dail Eireann has refused to draft legislation---and the medical council guidelines are clear. ‘The deliberate and intentional destruction of the unborn child is professional misconduct!’ So why won’t the major parties face up to the judgement of the Supreme Court and frame legislation around it. Is it because all government members of parliament hold moral positions like Peter Mathews? Or is it because they are afraid of the backlash throughout middle Ireland at the next election? If this is so, how has this divisive and fundamental issue become so politicised in recent history. When one undergo's a searching moral examination of oneself—is there a logic that says, ‘Well abortion is illegal here-who cares, if they get the boat to heathen England?’ There are two other countries in Europe that like us don’t allow abortion; they are Malta and the Vatican City. Hugely Roman Catholic countries. Is Ireland not supposed to be a secular pluralist state? Are the Irish people saying that we hold a moral position above our fellow European Union colleagues? That we in the Emerald Isle have the inside knowledge on morality—and the right to life. Are we saying that we know how to treat our women with unwanted—or unmanageable pregnancies? In order for a populace to hold such fine opinions of themselves should they not be leading the world by example? Where is our example with our greed culture and our sexual abuse scandals that have rocked our complacency. When one is weighing up our morality—one asks with how much respect did we afford the born. Especially if they were poor and subjected to the arm of the state through exposure to religious thugs. Let us face the truth here Ireland has an ethos—it is sown in our souls from years of Catholic indoctrination. We do not trust our individual morality. Why not allow for the world as it really is-and we will make our choices accordingly. Do we depend on legislation or indeed the lack of it-to shape our decision making. We are like sheep locked in a pen. If all other modern European states save for Catholic Malta and the Vatican-have legislated on this-where is our morality in relation this matter? Of course much of the reality that confronts us in this small Island comes from our right wing friends in the states. Not alone are they determined to wash us with neo-liberalism. Destroying communities and building their churches in the shape of out of town outlets. Retail— is the new religion folks—these people also bring us their sick brand of Christian rightist dogma. Ireland is their last stand on issues like abortion—and their fight against feminism. One does not need to favour a limited form of abortion—to find these people and their agents reprehensible. Abortion will always be a moral crisis for the individual. The state has a duty to legislate without reverting to personal morality. The Irish people watch the cattle boats leaving weekly!

In Reply To Eilis O' Hanlon [Sunday Independent 15/07/2012

An Open Letter to Eilis O’Hanlon [Sunday Independent 15/07/2012] I once had a dream where I caught a glimpse of the best spin doctor in the world. He was educating his colleagues –who all sat around a large table. Their mouths gaping as the best spin doctor in the world-told them how it was. When I awoke—I remembered what it was he had said. ‘My friends there are only two people in the world you need to convince. Mother and father! Think about it—these people are comfortable but not rich! She is standing at the kitchen sink—whilst he sits by the fire reading his newspaper. These are the people my friends who are appalled and offended. You are looking at the consciousness of a nation! Convince these people and you will set the trend. So the scene is set for your article. I have no doubt the mother and father will be with you all of the way. Yet you have made so many sweeping generalisations and the underbelly of your thesis attacking the left—leaves you bereft of argument. To begin with—the Irish media has very few left wing commentators! The frenzy around the ‘Brian Murphy,’ case was more associated with sensationalism. It was a major news story. Posh schoolboys involved in behaviour allegorically belonging to the 'Underclass.' Also you dismiss some of the analysis which identifies this awful carnage with Dance Music and the band themselves. Yet three more people were stabbed at their concert in Milton Keynes on Saturday. There were other concerts held recently—[Stone Roses,] where there was no trouble. But that doesn’t suit the agenda does it? The word Knacker as you politely explain for mother and father—is a derogatory term. Yet you go on to associate this term with the ‘Underclass.’ Which is prospering under the guidance of neo-liberalism. But to be a Knacker must you come from a certain area. Is there really a correlation between Knackerdom and long term social welfare dependency? If so what is the Knacker who comes from Foxrock’s excuse? Is Knackerdom not a state of mind that manifests itself through either a culture of hopelessness—or auspiciousness? To be fair—you do reel in a little later in the article—I will come to that. You refer to no go areas around Dublin. Although I am from Dublin I now live in rural West Cork. I am no apologist for knife crime by the way. I am puzzled by how you can target deprivation and immediately conclude the trouble makers were from certain areas. How do you know this? I have googled and found that one person who was arrested was from West Dublin. I also found that 135,000 people attended the festival over the weekend. In the context of this one wonders what all the frenzy is about? The reason I respond to you Eilis is that you accuse people of not facing up to issues of class. I am I can assure you—and when you refer to an ‘Underclass.’ I agree with you. Yet is the creation of this 'Underclass.' and how it sprang to life that we will disagree on. Unlike many on the right, I have no fear in outing my ideology. This 'Underclass.' has spawned from what used to be just called poverty. Neo-liberalism sent a flood of support into these communities offering cheap credit and cheap commodities. Right wing ideology likes to blame welfare on this. Welfare has nothing to do with neo-liberal ideology, only in a very loose way-as products and services can still be sold. Welfare is a state responsibility it is why we have citizenship. It is called social justice—and it is part of the right wing agenda, to associate welfare with crime—and fecklessness. I quote from your article! 'The problem was identified a long time ago, when Ken Aluetta of the New Yorker popularised the term 'Underclass' to describe that group of poorly educated long-term welfare recipients, and others on the criminal fringe, who were unassimilated with, and hostile to, broader society.' I see now that you have moved from a concern about knife crime to your real agenda. I want to state Eilis that I have no problem with you holding these views. But is it right not to express your ideology for your readers so they will be aware of your politics? Yes you did try to reel back a little—by allowing that the decent people living in 681—may be afraid of the 'Underclass.' in 683—I appreciate that at least,if it is not a little patronising--and most likely a rare occurance. Then you attack again with, Quote, 'In the Celtic Tiger years, the only ones left behind were these very long-term generational feckless who didn't want to improve their lot. Their lot was improved anyway, because we could afford it, thereby entrenching them further in an adolescent state of dependency.' Finally if it is true that the underclass like stabbing people,my God! What do the neo-liberals and the ‘Overclass,’ like doing? Killing people by closing vital services to the old and disabled? Long waiting lists for essential surgery---insufficient mental health services for young people? I watch as Ireland steps right—and it is only the left declaring their ideology.

Is Twitter the new middle-class machine

God be with the days when a group of women living in an upmarket estate could seriously affect the price of their houses. Depending on the mood that was in it—they could talk the prices up or down. It was a simple and reliable process when one bright spark would suddenly announce to the group, ‘We are looking for €500,000 for ours. Much coffee was spilled and envious looks exchanged. Later the grapevine headlined it –and auctioneers were contacted. Around the same time a group of lads drinking coffee after a game of golf. Their slant was a little different—as they would not be looking for anything. Comments like we will get €500,000 for ours went unnoticed as somebody else boasted they had just bought the wife a new car. Those were the days my friends with shopping trips to New York and family holidays to Florida. Irish people had made it at last on the world’s big bad stage. Second homes were sought in Turkey—Hungary and Bulgaria. The mighty euro spoke and all was good. I often have nightmares wondering what things would have been like on twitter—at the start of the boom. Would auctioneers and estate agents have dominated my timeline. Would I have followed a bank? Don’t forget the favoured phrase during this utopian dream was ‘I secured a great rate!’ The borrower was in a position of great power. He could make a bank official squirm with a well placed reference to the opposition. It was a great game to play and I am sure many people sorely miss the buzz. Of course with twitter one will always get the dissenting voice. Perhaps people with some sort of moral soul may have warned us. We may have had soft voices telling us about how this greed will ruin society. Would we have listened coldly and then continued on the yellow brick road. But that is what is good about twitter. It allows for the dissenting voice complete and unabridged. When I joined twitter a few years ago—I was pleasantly surprised by the range of ideas presented. There was left and there was right—with a large centre. Good socially conscious articles came through politico and elsewhere. It also opened up the world. I discovered there is a sizable opposition in the United States for example. A core group of people who would put many of our so called socialists to shame. I learned new things about the world also. Sad facts like that despite our celebrated aid agencies three quarters of the world’s population don’t have enough to eat. To put this tiny point in perspective—I first heard this stat way back in 1975-in a school debate. I have spent the last few days chatting to new people. I have also done some serious analysis of my timeline. I am watching to see what type of discussions are taking place. I am disappointed. Yes there are some strong tweets re-topical issues, and the occasional comment re –ideology. I am afraid that most of the tweets are bland in the extreme. Men do it subliminally by trying to be witty and sound superior. However women are the worst offenders. With tweets that reflect their every thought and action! The reason we got sucked into the greed was that people didn’t question? We were led by the hand. Most of us went along with the false pride-of our tiger economy. There descended from the heavens a great shower of blandness. Where nothing was really questioned or forensically examined. Questions such as will this rising tide lift all boats? Or will it be only me and my neighbours in our suburban cocoon. Has this middle-class culture made a bid for twitter? When people avoid getting to the core of issues. Where much of the conversation concerns trite nonsense. I know some twitter users who like all their followers. They even like convicted bullies and lefty arty farties like me for Gods sake! I hear earnest activists going on about issues that are vital and important to society. They are fighting a losing battle to win over the concerns of the comfortable and the bland.

Irelands Neo-Liberal Soccer Team

Many years ago my late father brought me to an Ireland soccer match—it was against Austria in Dalymount Park—Ireland lost 4-1 but I was smitten! My dad passed away the following year but I kept going to the games as the team moved on to John Giles, and he introduced the brilliant Liam Brady. Giles was responsible for bringing a new professionalism to our game-and under his guidance interest in our national team blossomed-—but yet in its own way versus GAA and Rugby, the national team only had a dedicated hardcore cult following. So when Jack Charlton took control against Wales in March 1986—there were only 13,000 in Lansdowne road—the fans had seen the team make heroic efforts at qualification for the world cup under Eoin Hand only to be denied by dubious refereeing decisions. Charlton it seemed brought hope and the fact that he came from the English game and was a world cup winner himself served to rubber stamp his suitability for the tasks ahead. We lost that match 1-0 but it marked the international debuts of Ray Houghton and John Aldridge. Two years later with considerable good fortune so desperately denied to his predecessors Charlton brought his Ireland team to it’s first major championship in Germany! Even at this stage the interest in the Irish soccer team had still not fully manifested itself—and heading off to Germany to support the team I felt like a member of a cult whom had suddenly found popular recognition. In the years that followed there were many changes and much more success—the empty seats in Lansdowne road were now full and tickets became more expensive and had to be block booked in order to retain your place among the faithful, then we had Italia 90-and USA -94, and the momentum ran away madly with itself—and suddenly the Irish international team became big business. I attended all the home games right up till the end of the nineties and paid a considerable sum of money each year for both myself and my son—it was part of our life and it was heart warming and very emotional at times. However soon the ticket prices went beyond what I could afford as you had to book and pay for six tickets at a time and I settled for watching the games on television. Saipan lives on in the minds of the Irish people as one of the most important events in Irish history never mind soccer. Roy Keane basically refused to play and headed home—he more than anyone had fought for the cause that led to our qualification for the world cup in Japan in 2002! What happened in Saipan was to scar Ireland and Irish soccer for years afterwards. Keane complained of sub-standard preparation accusing both the FAI and manager Mick McCarthy of lacking in professionalism and ambition. Keane went home and John Delaney the FAI CEO let him go—without even addressing the issues that Keane had raised. I for one, and I am sure all true soccer supporters were dumfounded. Ireland went on to perform with credit all the more perplexing as in hindsight one wonders constantly at Keane’s reference to ambition. Irish football went into limbo after the resignation of the tired Mick McCarthy he was replaced by Brian Kerr in 2004—however Kerr needing time failed to qualify for that European championship but only narrowly failed to qualify for the 2006 world cup. Having coaxed Roy Keane back from retirement—a controversial and ultimately pointless effort as Keane had passed his best-Kerr was sacked. Stephen Staunton followed Kerr but his reign was a disaster particularly for John Delaney and the FAI who now needed to react aggressively in the light of the fans displeasure with Staunton and the FAI in general as the wounds of Saipan had not fully healed. Now this is where the neoliberals finally took control—gone were the concerns [he still voices them] by Roy Keane about Irelands stunted level of expectation and in rolled the might of the euro. Ireland appointed Giovanni Trapattoni as their manager in May 2008-nothing wrong with that he was a manager of great experience. Denis O’ Brien controversial businessman offered to pay part of Trapattoni’s salary and Ireland had finally made the transition from an international team with fanatical almost cult like support-to a business complete with merchandising –ticket sales, and a product that had world wide potential. So over the following few years Croke Park was sold out and the one time that I could afford the €70 ticket for Ireland v France world cup play off 1st leg—instead of action replays on the big screen I got Jim from Eircom [failed company] selling me crap. So this was it I thought leaving the stadium Ireland had finally arrived-gone were the days when only 13,000 showed up to watch Jack Charlton’s first game-we now could sell over 70,000 seats in Irelands largest stadium to watch a losing team against a weakfish French side- and us managed by an old hack of a manager. Also we were now sponsored by a controversial entrepreneur –complete with Jim from Eircom selling his wares constantly throughout the game. So 2012 and Ireland head to Poland with the Irish public forever hopeful and John Delaney and the FAI rubbing their hands—money-money—but they were about to slip on their own Banana skin-their manager or Denis O’ Brien’s manager was utterly out of his depth. Someday there will be documentary made regarding this mans ineptitude. His press conferences are designed to confuse and to give the uneducated the false impression that the manager is learned and deeply committed to his football philosophy! Truth is he has no philosophy save to say [Roy Keane again] he has no ambition-he has no faith in his players so he sets them up not to lose—or if they lose not to be hammered. He displays this time and time again by his squad selections-then his team selections and finally his confused substitutions. When we qualified for this tournament it was time to reward the likes of Robbie Keane-Damien Duff and Shay Given not indulge them. The manager’s duty was not to these individuals but to us the fans and the citizens of Ireland. On television Eamonn Dunphy who was visibly intimidated by Liam Brady patronised Liam re-his old friend so often that it rendered his analysis void-to the point where he wondered would Liam ask Trap if he could get it us to play like Swansea city-my goodness.Then he went on to praise the backroom team of the show for well doing what they are paid to do—like there was something heroic about that? Trapattoni could have rewarded his team but also he could have added new young blood to compliment them-the older players looked jaded-we needed an energy more than anything. This is why we were overrun so often! Yesterday Monaghan Utd—folded as a premier league of Ireland club—our soccer panel didn’t mention it—the Republic of Ireland were the only team at euro 2012-without a domestic league player in their squad-this sad fact reflects the crisis that is our game in this country. Whilst Dunphy espouses the greatness of the English league our league is underfunded and poorly supported save for the fanatical few that love the game of soccer. I could get Con Murphy to run a few tapes of the young players throughout our league that Mr –Trap might learn from-it would be as good as anything Swansea city have produced. There you go---no doubt Dunphy has little interest in the huge amounts of money he pockets from spinning the English Premier league.Of course he unashamedly praises the great Irish fans--knowing many of them are resident Man utd -Liverpool supporters who favour the high stool, when watching soccer. So will the Irish fans wrestle the game back from the neoliberals-I doubt it mind you save that if they keep the ambitionless and ridiculous Trapattoni in charge the product might just drop in sales till eventually it is withdrawn altogether—Roy Keane was actually right all along!