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No doubt you're right 'Maguire 01' about tricolours in private offices but that's not the point I'm making. If she was just a politician then what she engaged in is perfectly legitimate but she heads up a Government Department who preach equality and justice for all. If that had have been an ordinary member of DETI staff (or any other Department for that matter) you can be sure come Friday morning they would be claiming Jobseekers allowance. Arlene let her self down, let the emotion of the occasion get to her and showed herself up for what she is. Truth hurts but there you have it!

Friends of mine are Civil Servants and are for ever telling me that they are warned to be neutral, to be non party political etc etc. They are also warned off about flags and emblems etc in case they offend any colleagues. Arlene Foster is the Minister for the DETI. Does her waving of the Union flag at the Fermanagh and South Tyrone count not contravene the very standards that her Department espouses and should she be dismissed from her position for setting a bad example?

I was dissapointed to hear the sitting MP for South Belfast say that the withdrawal of Alex Maskey was a stunt. It was also dissapointing to hear Ms Ritchie say that the withdrawal would not affect the SDLP vote in the area. Without going into specifics some of the electorate who would ordinarily have voted Sinn Fein/Unionist at the last election voted for the MP currently in situ, simply to help the area move away from tribal politics. I may be wrong but I firmly believe the arrogance demonstrated recently by Ms Ritchie and Alisdair McDonnell could well come back to bite. My late grandfather always told me never to pull the ladder up behind you as you never know when you have to go back down again, wise words indeed. Hopefully for them they haven't cut off their nose to spite their face by dismissing in particular Sinn Fein voters out of hand. (It is ironic that for years the SDLP pleaded for nationalist votes in the South Belfast area in order to secure a nationalist seat and now they treat the same voters with disdain?)

Frank Lampard - front left - no mistake. What's the prize?

How could any man be okay after being told facts of life by his Uncle Paidi'

   
Saturday February 20 2010

Darragh O Se was four. He was with his dad Mick and they were walking past McKenna's Corner in Listowel. I called my father to the window of the pub.

"Who does Mick's young lad remind of you of Dad?"

"He has the 'gache' of Paidi," he said in an instant.

And we got a fierce fit of laughing. Then Dad said: "Look at him, look at him. He's like he was marching behind the Artane Boys Band."

Thirty years later we wished Darragh the best on his retirement and then asked how he was bearing up.

There was a boyish lilt in his voice. Relief almost. It was as if he tossed the satchel off his back for the last time on the day exams finished. It can't have been easy carrying a county"s expectations on your shoulders for 13 years.

"How could I be alright?" he laughs.

"How could any man be okay after being told the facts of life by his Uncle Paidi?"

Jokes

He doesn't give away too much. Jokes hide what's going on inside.

When he came on the scene Darragh was conscious of the fact that Uncle Pa, as he calls him, was his manager. The 19-year-old midfielder knew a losing Kerry coach had the longevity of a mayfly.

There were some who said Darragh was only on the team because he was the manager's nephew. Pressure already -- and more when Mayo beat us well in 1996. Paidi knew his man, though. After all he trained him for Croke Park from the time he was kicking off the blankets in his cot.

Darragh didn't say too much at the team meetings that year. It was like being the teacher's son. You didn't put your hand up for fear of embarrassing the both of ye.

Jack O'Connor said it was Darragh's lack of fear that inspired his team-mates more than anything else, but he had his worries before the '97 final. Darragh cut loose. He went from a boy to a man and conquered his inner doubts.

The young O Se was a graduate of the St Brendan's College school of Gaelic football where the emphasis was on skill and sportsmanship. You never hit an opponent. Football beat them, but Darragh was targeted.

If you stopped Darragh O Se, you stopped Kerry.

Bit by bit, he became more belligerent. If you wanted to play football -- fine --but if you didn't, that was fine too.

Some complain about his physicality, but ye who knock him now made him what he is. For years Kerry players were given no protection from the officials. What did ye expect us to do? Sit back and take it?

The players understand him. Nicholas Murphy is a friend. Darragh and Ciaran Whelan had some savage battles, but O Se felt for his pal when he retired without an All-Ireland medal.

Whelan often matched him, as did Tyrone's Sean Cavanagh and the underrated Murphy on occasion, but none lasted longer or won more.

O Se's home is at the foot of Sliabh an Iolar, Mount Eagle.

It's a place to see while you're still able for the climb. There's a marsupial lake half way up a mountain that changes colour and shade with every passing cloud. Rest there for a while.

Listen to the music of the silence and baptise the soles of your shoes in the gently lapping waters.

The view from the top looks back west out over Ballyferriter and to the Blaskets, with the Sceilig a day's rowing to the south west.

This was the shortcut the islanders took on their way to Dingle. For many, it was their last sight of home. Their hearts must have been broken.

To understand the O Ses, you must go to this place. They love where they come from and they speak a language more expressive and beautiful than any. It is a land and a culture worth fighting for. Football is one of the sources of that fierce pride.

Darragh is a Listowel man too and he came to coach our U-10s. Publicly he only shows what's going on in his inner sanctum when he's with the kids.

"Darragh," confided a small boy in a whisper short of a tear, "I'm only a sub."

Darragh went down on his heels. "Don't mind that," he said gently. "I couldn't get on the Gaeltacht under-age teams. Play away and keep at it. Don't give up." There was a few more minutes of chat. And then they had a few kicks.

He's very much himself at home with the lovely Amy and their little baby, but I think he'll miss the banter at training and the challenge of the big days out.

Comeback

Yesterday we met with Ger Power in Tralee -- he still looks like he could play in a boy band. Darragh pulled over. "Powery, I"m thinking of making a comeback."

Powery laughs.

An impatient taxi man beeps.

Two young lads shout: "Hey boy, that's Darragh O Se you're beepin' at."

Darragh drives on.

One of the young lads nods towards Powery, who, in an instant, is half-way up Castle Street, "whose your man?" he asks. "I kind of know him."

"Ger Power", I reply, annoyed. "He only won eight Sams".

That's Kerry. There are many greats and far more saints than Pattern Days. Retirement isn't easy. Some 13 years of a footballing life is over and for good. Football, rightly, is all about the here and now.

Then again Darragh never took himself too seriously.

It was this night last week at the St Michael's College 130th celebrations here in Listowel. Eric Browne, Owen and Bryan McMahon were picking their greatest team of all time.

"Did you make it?" I asked Darragh.

"Just about."

"Are you coming back into the function room?"

He rubs under his jaw with the back of his hand as if he's giving the invitation serious thought.

"No. I think I'll stay for a while longer. I'm afraid if I get outa here, I'll be dropped."

No fear of that, Darragh. You're on for good.

Irish Independent

Noticed this one on the BBC News website, full obituary on the FAIR website itself.
"Mrs Margaret 'Peggie' Frazer - Today the FAIR Group would like to mark the passing of one of our founder members and dearest friends Mrs Margaret 'Peggie' Frazer. Mother of our Director William Frazer, she was the embodiment of a true Ulster-woman. Our thoughts and prayers are with the entire Frazer and Bell families, and we trust that they are comforted in the knowledge that we continue the work she believed so passionately in".

[They should not do so in order to gain financial or other material benefits for themselves, their family, or their friends]

Peter Robinson has reinstalled himself as first Minister on the basis of a barrister's opinion that he did not breach any code of conduct or any of the seven principles of public life. The first principle of public life is:
         
Selflessness - Holders of public office should take decisions solely in terms of the public interest.
They should not do so in order to gain financial or other material benefits for themselves, their family, or their friends

Did Iris not benefit to the tune of £5000 by way of a backhander? As his wife she becomes a member of his family, maybe I'm misinterpreting the 1st principle?   

[joint]

I thought they said on the TV last night that we go into joint administration from Dublin and London if the Assembly collapses.

The DUP and unionists in general would be happy enough with direct rule from Westminister especially if the Tory's get in.

But would the DUP and unionists be happy withjoint administration from Dublin because that's were this will end up. I would be inclined to let direct rule take over from Dublin and London, pull the plug on the assembly and let them fight it out at Westminister between each other. Put this to the parties and you'll soon see an agreement. If they realise they are going to lose their salaries, allowances and other perks they'll soon toe the line and agree!

This is a little lazy. It has been put to the parties, they are well aware of the alternatives. Can you please explain the benefits you see in joint rule?

The only benefit I can see, is for the Unionist. Especially if it's a hung parliament and they hold the balance of power. Bad day for Nationalists...

The benefits of joint rule is that it does away with a level of bureaucracy ie the folks on the hill. We've bankrolled them enough to date. How many of us can afford second homes, fancy cars or earn directorships etc etc. As I said earlier if they lose their salaries, allowances and other perks they'll soon toe the line and agree. As for a bad day for nationalist how can it be. Dublin involvement will be very much to the fore if direct rule takes over which will irk unionism even more. By taking control away from the 'White house' on the Stormont hill and allowing Dublin a say in proceedings will be the icing on the cake to the whole sham that has been an excuse for an executive

[joint]

I thought they said on the TV last night that we go into joint administration from Dublin and London if the Assembly collapses.

The DUP and unionists in general would be happy enough with direct rule from Westminister especially if the Tory's get in.

But would the DUP and unionists be happy withjoint administration from Dublin because that's were this will end up. I would be inclined to let direct rule take over from Dublin and London, pull the plug on the assembly and let them fight it out at Westminister between each other. Put this to the parties and you'll soon see an agreement. If they realise they are going to lose their salaries, allowances and other perks they'll soon toe the line and agree!

Eamonn Mallie has just posted on Twitter ' Peter Robinson expected to speak with the media shortly. Hurry up Peter it is very cold here! - are we about to hear anything of substance?

Maybe nearer the Clanrye!

The two Biffo's are coming to town, Brian and Gordon. Wait for the recriminations and blame game to start now!

Maybe it's time to rename the thread to the  " "We were sold a pup" thread"

I think you've being reading the wrong PM 'Jim_Murphy_74'. All events predicted before the Spotlight programme was aired came true, there's no reason to doubt the rest of the materialwill not be either. Patience is a virtue not learned in school!

Frig me, that is implying that the very rev willie mcrea rents boys out, but that cant be true because as we all know the DUP is lilly white, pure as the driven snow, I mean whats next, are we going to hear that selwys woman is a part time carpet muncher and that he daddied a babby whilst serving hm govt in the falklands. Are we going to hear that mrs robinson was sending gays to be degayed by a gay shrink who promptly shagged the gays he was sent.

I know this is all far, far feteched and absurd but one lives in hope.

There are pills you can get for having such a wild imagination.

Maybe it's not in the imagination at all

An then again mebbe tis.

Who knows the secret of the black magic box?

Frig me, that is implying that the very rev willie mcrea rents boys out, but that cant be true because as we all know the DUP is lilly white, pure as the driven snow, I mean whats next, are we going to hear that selwys woman is a part time carpet muncher and that he daddied a babby whilst serving hm govt in the falklands. Are we going to hear that mrs robinson was sending gays to be degayed by a gay shrink who promptly shagged the gays he was sent.

I know this is all far, far feteched and absurd but one lives in hope.

There are pills you can get for having such a wild imagination.

Maybe it's not in the imagination at all