Not even for a place in Heaven

Sometimes, amid all the corruption and incompetence that dominates this Banana Republic; we are treated to a comment/opinion that raises the spirit. Such a gem occurred on ‘It Says in the Papers’ on RTE this morning.

Longford judge, John Neilan, explaining his reasons for refusing to attend the opening of a courthouse with Justice Minister Michael McDowell said.

“I wouldn’t share a platform with him if he was opening the gates of Heaven for me”

Makes me proud to be a Longford man.

Haughey's private navy

Sometime in the late 1980s, a sailor in the Irish Naval Service listened in astonishment to a news report in which the Dept of Defence officially denied that Irish naval ships were sent to ‘guard’ Charlie Haughey while he entertained on his private Island, Inishvickillane.

The Irish Navy carries out two and three week patrols around the Irish coast. Before departing on patrol, a ship will be given a Sailing Order outlining areas to be patrolled and specific missions to be achieved.

This is a broad instruction and is open to change depending on changing circumstances. These circumstances could include proceeding to a vessel in distress, reports of illegal fishing or even investigating illegal arms or drug smuggling. These missions were all part of life for a serviceman at sea and were accepted as part of the job. However, there was one mission that always caused deep resentment within the ranks of naval servicemen – being used by Haughey as a private resource for services and entertainment.

Having a State vessel at his private disposal was, no doubt, a great boost to Haughey’s ego. Friends and guests would be brought on board for a tour and entertained with food and drink at the States expense. Other services were also provided. For example, naval divers would install and maintain moorings at the island.

These ‘secret missions’ to entertain Haughey invariably occurred on long holiday weekends. They never formed part of the sailing order. A radio signal from Naval HQ, usually received a day or two before a patrol was due to end, would instruct the vessel to proceed to Inishvickillane.

Last minute instructions like these were necessary for secrecy and to prevent servicemen, who should have been relaxing at home with their families after a grueling three weeks patrol in the Atlantic, from venting their anger.

Obviously, at this time in the late 80s a serviceman or family member had had enough and complained to a media source – hence the official denial from the Dept of Defence Press Office.

How do I know all this in such detail? I was that sailor listening in astonishment to the official denial.

Gardaí asked to investigate €11.6m land deal

Dubious goings on in Charleville:

Cork County Council has asked An Garda Síochána to investigate a land deal where the council agreed to buy 20 acres for €11.6 million at a time when the land was allegedly available for €8 million, writes Colm Keena, Public Affairs Correspondent

The Irish Times has learned that the council entered into talks over the land with two bank executives in October 2005, when the executives had not yet agreed to buy the land from property company Pushkin Developments.

Pushkin was seeking €8 million for the 20 acres of zoned land in Charleville, had engaged a selling agent, and had placed advertisements in the national press.

Permanent TSB branch manager in Cork Denis O’Reilly and Cork area branch manager Brian Cremins signed the contract with the council. They, and any partners they may have, stand to make a €3.6 million profit if the deal goes ahead. The contract for purchase was signed in April last but the sale has not been closed. It is not unusual for purchasers of property to engage in a sub-sale.

Haughey's last failure

At Haughey’s funeral today, Sean Haughey quoted his mother

“Everybody hates Charlie Haughey except the people.”

Well, today the people begged to differ with this opinion. Despite a massive propaganda campaign by the State and Haugheys friends, enthusiastically supported by RTE, the people of Ireland stayed away in their droves.

It was a clear statement that the majority of Irish citizens see Haughey for what he really is – a corrupt politician that abused power to enrich himself, family and friends.

A mere 500 people gathered outside the church with a further 2,000 inside. A nearby hall, set aside for the expected massive crowds, remained virtually empty. On the road to the graveyard only a scattering of curious onlookers bothered to turn up, Hardly a Princess Diana type outpouring of grief.

We are told that Haughey planned every detail of his funeral. He probably laboured under the delusion that he was loved by the great bulk of the Irish people and that they would turn out in great numbers to see him off.

That the people were awake to this final stroke by this ruthless and greedy politician is a small indication that perhaps, at last, they are beginning to realise how the cancer of corruption can damage their country and personal lives.

Meanwhile, the national broadcaster, which is supposed to uphold the principle of balanced broadcasting, is beginning to realise that it has been used as a propaganda tool by the State.

On his radio show this morning, Ryan Tubridy reported that all media outlets had been experiencing a public backlash to the State funeral for Haughey. He admitted that RTE was taken aback by the wall-to-wall negative comments received from the public against Haughey.

Certainly, RTE has questions to answer for its almost totally pro Haughey coverage.

Saint or Satan

Got the following text from a friend today.

“All mass cards for Charles Haughey are to be sent in brown envelopes”

It was a very welcome relief from the saturation coverage that portrays Haughey as a serious contender for sainthood.

Personally, I’m not superstitious but today’s date – 16/06/06 should provide some food for thought for all the Satanists out there.

Vincent Browne becomes a Haugheyite

There can be no doubt that Haughey went to his grave a happy man. Apart from the fact that he was never brought to justice for his corruption, it has now emerged that Vincent Browne, for years one of Haughey’s strongest critics has become a Haugheyite.

Browne was one of the first to be interviewed after Haughey’s death was first announced on the The Tubridy Show last Tuesday. Obviously very upset, Browne made a tearful and emotional defence of his new found ‘hero’.

Last night,(Wed.) on his radio show Vincent demonstrated in the clearest possible manner how much he has been taken in by Ireland’s most corrupt politician. I strongly urge anyone who is interested in how the cancer of corruption, and the role played by Haughey in spreading that cancer, has warped even the most objective and professional of journalists, to listen to this show.

On the show, Vincent had Haughey’s former personal assistant, Catherine Butler. Haughey may be a hero to Browne but to Butler he is a god. She describes him as a cultured, intelligent, dedicated and patriotic man.

She blames the media (don’t they all), the Progressive Democrats (she describes them disparagingly as the ‘Perfect Democrats’), Fine Gael and the gullibility of the Irish people for believing all the ‘media lies’ for all the ills that befell Haughey.

Butler is not, however, media savvy so Vincent took it upon himself to guide, lead, prompt and manipulate her views in an obvious effort to present Haughey as an ‘innocent victim’ of cruel circumstances.

There is so much in this broadcast that it will be necessary to come back for further analysis.

Silly questions

When media people are involved in saturation coverage of events they sometimes slip into asking really silly/humorous questions. RTE are a particularly good source for this kind of thing.

For example, it wasn’t unusual to hear Unionist politicians being asked – Are you happy that this IRA man is behind bars? Or Irish politicians being asked – Are you pleased that you have been elected?

The coverage of Haughey’s death is no different. Here’s an exchange between RTE’s Fran McNulty and a former constituent of Haughey’s, on today’s News at One.

Fran: How do you think he looked today?

Constituent: (In a puzzled voice) Well, what can you say, the man was dead?

RTE in mourning for corrupt Haughey?

Was it my imagination or did RTE television news and current affairs staff go into mourning for Haughey yesterday?

On all the major news and current affairs programmes including Prime Time, the presenters wore a sombre and respectful black.

In effect, they were not just professionally reporting and analysing a national event, they were also making their own personal statement of respect for this corrupt politician.

Haughey's demise

I think it is worth analysing the comments of President McAleese during an interview with Sean O’Rourke on RTE’s News at One yesterday.

Speaking of Haughey’s illness, she said that

“he had borne his long illness with great dignity and considerable grace”.

She had nothing to say about the many thousands of Irish citizens who continue to suffer great indignity, pain and humiliation on hospital trolleys because of the savage cuts in health spending that Haughey initiated in the 1980’s.

She mentioned the International Financial Service’s Centre (IFSC) as one of his great achievements. The IFSC stands at the centre of Irish financial culture, a culture that the New York Times recently described as the ‘Wild West of European finance”.

She claimed that Haughey was “a man who wanted to see Ireland flourish”, but as we know his top priority was to see himself flourish first, usually at the expense of those he claimed to represent.

The President rounded on O’Rourke when he questioned the appropriateness of providing a state funeral for a man like Haughey. In an angry tone she emphasized to O’Rourke and the Irish people how much she admires the criminal Haughey

“I’ll be home for Mr. Haughey’s state funeral on Friday. I would have thought there’s a fairly strong view in that, wouldn’t you?”

Enough said.

Haughey dies

Charles Haughey is dead – let the frenzy of denial begin. The campaign to rehabilitate Haughey, the most ruthless, hypocritical, corrupt politician in Irish history has been underway for some time now.

Recently, Ahern described Haughey as a ‘wonderful man’. His former assistant, Catherine Butler, called him a cultured, intelligent, dedicated and patriotic man. And just now I am listening, with almost sickening disgust, to our President, Mary McAleese, who, in theory is supposed to represent all the people of this corrupt Republic, waffling on about the great Haughey.

She has actually announced that she is cutting short her visit to Africa to return for the funeral of this criminal. She is a disgrace to all the Irish citizens who have suffered and continue to suffer from the actions of this greedy and ruthless politician.