BACK PAGES:DONAL FOLEYS Man Bites Dog column – named after a classic definition of news: dog bites man is not news; man bites dog is – was a satire on the news of the day, finding a lot of targets among the violence, economic travails and industrial unrest of the 1970s. In this column from 1976 he poked fun at the Fine Gael-Labour government of the day.
GALWAY FIDDLES WHILE DUBLIN BURNS
The National Play Awards were presented by the Minister of Leisure, Mr Michael OLeary at the Cloud Cuckooland Ballroom, Galway, last night. The first prize, the Hair Shirt of the Year Award (specially made by Gaeltarra Éireann at their computerised crushed-seaweed factory in the Irish-speaking district of Salthill) was presented to Senator Michael Mullen, leader of the Irish Transport and General Workers Union, the greatest unemployed labour union in the country. In addition to the valuable first prize, Mr Ruaidhrí Roberts , the fast-talking, slow-moving secretary-general of the Irish Society for Television Talkers, was awarded six months holiday in Leisureland.
Mr OLeary, who arrived with his colleagues Mr Richie Ryan, , Mr Liam Cosgrave , Mr Oliver J Flanagan , Mr B Corish (Health of the Nation) in the greatest fleet of new Mercedes that Galway has ever seen, said that he was proud to present the Congress with the top prize of the year for unemployment in the EEC. “This is a rare achievement and reflects the thought and determination and co-operation that exists between Irish trade unionists and Irish employers.” But, Mr OLeary warned: “We will only keep our place at the head of this league, if our present stringent policies are maintained.” The Minister added that it was disappointing that on this occasion Ireland had surrendered the leadership of the National Strike League. But there was hope in this sector also, and in this connection, he congratulated the members of the Irish Bank Officials Association in maintaining their sense of responsibility, which the Irish banking world had maintained over the years.
He had great pleasure, he said, in presenting a very special award, “The Overdraft of the Year Award”, to Mr Job Stott for his patience, forbearance and tact in all of the events leading up to the bank strike. His department was actively considering with Mr Stotts co-operation the establishment in the banks of Financial Community Centres, where people could enjoy themselves in a solid atmosphere, playing about with the national finances. He himself intended to inaugurate the first game of “shove halfpenny”. The bank officials had agreed to act as croupiers in these financial salons. It was time, he said, that the great Irish talent for gambling and playing about was recognised as a tourist asset.
Mr Ryan was given a special ovation when he appeared on the platform with the National Purse. This was the first time the National Purse had ever been seen in public, and there was tremendous excitement when Mr Ryan took it from his waistcoat pocket. “We do not believe, like the Opposition, in concealing our assets,” he declared. “What we have, we hold.”
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