God help Ian Henderson, Chief Executive of the Northern Ireland Tourist Board, who confessed at a meeting in Dublin last week that his industry in the North was "hack in Limbo," after the wonderful, optimistic (and successful) time of the ceasefire. Just a day or two later he may have picked up some cheer from a joint advertisement from both elements of the island in the glossy magazine of Saturday's Daily Telegraph. There we had some of the elements that go into the new Tourism Brand Ireland as they call it.
The slogan, which appears also in newspapers in many countries, is "Ireland. Live a Different Life." And the pictures would surely lure the tourist from Hudders field to Hamburg to Hoboken. On a white horse, back to camera, rides a lady in black, top hat, long habit, galloping along a beach at waves edge. Then a winding narrow road, western surely, and sea as blue as the Mediterranean and a man stands in another picture, about to make a cast from the prow of a boat on what might be Lough Corrib.
But this is for all Ireland. So we have a picture taken at the Giant's Causeway, not so far from the Sea of Moyle. And some of you may remember Moore's song from your school days, the song of Fionnuala. Yet still in her darkness both Erin he sleeping.
When will that day star, mildly springing, Warm our isle with peace and love.
The text, with the pictures, tells us that Ireland is a place of wonder... full of laughter and tall tales and strange undiscovered talents you didn't know you had.
Like lilting and doing the three hand reel, drinking pints and eating oysters.
And making friends every where you go. From Mr Henderson's point of view, the vital line tells the readers to phone or write for the information pack "covering all of Ireland." And what a difference it could make if the million or so people who live in and around Dublin, told themselves that Belfast is only a hundred miles up the road, and the Glens of Antrim not much farther and Mourne a sight nearer, and the lake lands to the west only a hop across from several Border counties, and they could do a little hit, for all on this island if they just went to see for themselves.