MIRIAM LORD'S WEEK:Former communications students at the College of Commerce in Rathmines are following the campaign of presidential hopeful Gay Mitchell with some interest and trepidation.
Gay stood for Dublin City Council in 1979 and was a member of the college council. On that occasion he used as his signature tune My Truly, Truly Fair, recorded by the American crooner with a similar name, Guy Mitchell.
There was a minor controversy at the time because copies of the tapes were found in the recording studio at Largo House, then the home of the communications department. The now defunct Irish People newspaper, published by the Workers’ Party, reported that students were angry at the use of college facilities to record a political broadcast when they were having difficulty gaining access to the studio to complete projects. The tapes were anonymously leaked by a student journalist, much to the annoyance of college authorities.
The tape is unlikely to cause the same kind of trouble as the notorious Norris interview, but there are fears Mitchell may be tempted to resurrect the memory of Guy, even if the lyrics might be mistaken as a declaration of support for Avril or Mairead.
“Truly, truly fair, truly, truly fair.
How I love my truly fair.
There’s songs to sing her, trinkets to bring
her, flowers for her golden hair.”
So far, trinkets, love and flowers have been in short supply in the Fine Gael campaign.