PAMELA DUNCAN's sideways look at the presidential election
OH DEAR. Sometimes it’s best not to see how people view the presidential race from the outside looking in.
A Reuters report out yesterday begins: “What do a staunchly Catholic pop singer, a convicted nationalist guerrilla and a gay rights activist with a fondness for Georgian architecture have in common? It might sound like the start of a bad joke but in fact it is part of the line-up for Ireland’s presidential election.”
The article refers to the campaign as “a soap opera-style stream of intrigue and scandal that has distracted Irish people from their economic woes”.
Under the heading “All Kinds of Everything”, the writer notes that, while Dana was off singing in the Eurovision, her fellow Derry native Martin McGuinness was joining the IRA “and getting involved in bloody street battles with British soldiers”.
Mary Davis comes in for mention as her “flattering campaign photos have been grabbing the limelight, forcing her to deny allegations of digital enhancement”.
It goes on to describe Seán Gallagher as “a businessman most famous for being on a reality TV show” and Michael D Higgins as “a 70-year-old poet and former minister for culture”. But then at least they get a look in.
In line with Oscar Wilde’s quote that “there is only one thing in the world worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about”, Gay Mitchell doesn’t even get a mention.
QUOTE OF THE DAY: MARTIN MCGUINNESS
" I do believe that the conditions that existed in the North made it justifiable for young people like myself to stand up against the British army . . . but I would not stand over actions that could not be stood over"
Speaking yesterday after the widow of Det Garda Jerry McCabe said his "loyalty to a secret illegal army" was incompatible with being president
Michael D tops pole in Donegal
MICHAEL D Higgins is topping a pole outside Letterkenny to the consternation of Donegal County Council.
The council has said one of his election posters is causing a traffic hazard at the busy Kilross junction between Letterkenny and Ballybofey as it is partially blocking a chevron sign.
A spokesperson for the county council said one of its workers went to remove the offending Michael D poster on Monday, "but it was too high and he needed a ladder and it was raining very heavily at the time".
The poster will be removed next week.
Some happy punters cash in on Michael D
MEANWHILE AT least one bookie has put its money on the Labour candidate. Boylesports paid out on Michael D yesterday, meaning that all punters who bet on him up until 11.59pm on Thursday, October 20th, will get their money at a cost of €125,000 to the bookmakers.
When the books reopened yesterday morning, Michael D was at 1/3 but, due to subsequent betting, his odds have gone to 1/4 (for non-betters this means you have to put down €4 to win €1).
Seán Gallagher, whom the bookmaker have as second favourite at 5/2, will cost Boylesports an additional pay-out of about €100,000 should he win.
The odds on the rest of the candidates yesterday evening were as follows: Martin McGuinness 25/1; Gay Mitchell 40/1; David Norris 66/1; Mary Davis 100/1 and Dana Rosemary Scallon coming in at 300/1.
Election online: The best bits from YouTube
Seán Gallagher's suggestion that the national anthem should be revised has become the latest thing to get the cutbacks.ie treatment by stop motion animation producer DT Finn.
http://iti.ms/rghnCa
For those who didn't catch Mary Davis's amazing (but kinda creepy) feat of ventriloquism after the RTÉ 9pm news on Thursday night you can view her presidential broadcast here.
http://iti.ms/qjtP6F