Niamh Walsh’s Manifesto
In his songs Shane left us a legacy that will carry on
THE words ‘genius’ and talent have in recent years been bandied about and bestowed on the undeserving to such an extent their meaning has been diluted.
But musician Shane MacGowan was the personification of talent. The very embodiment of genius.
However, many blessed with such gifts are very often accompanied by demons.
That was Shane MacGowan. An incomparable genius. A tortured soul.
Some solace can be found in the fact that while his soul may have
departed his genius will live on.
Tributes and plaudits have poured in from all corners of the globe lamenting the death of The Pogues singer.
But words can ring hollow, unlike MacGowan’s lyrics. He should live on through his songs. There is only one singular tribute that we can pay Shane to thank him for the music. Don’t mess with it, rewrite his words, or sanitise his songs.
Let his lyrics in all their unvarnished glory ring loud and proud around the world for time immemorial.
Jean-Michel Basquiat once said: ‘Art is how we decorate space; Music is how we decorate time’.
It is as apt an epitaph for Shane MacGowan as this humble hack can proffer.
Telling the truth? It’s double Dutch
FAR be it for me to take pot-shots at others for gilding the lily when it comes to age.
I’ve been known to crunch the year numbers myself. But the relationship Omid Scobie, the favoured writer of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, has with the truth is worrying – and far beyond how many candles should be on his birthday cake.
Scobie’s latest – let’s accept that it’s a book – caused a royal hoo-ha this week when the names of the two ‘alleged’ royal racists accidentally made their way into the Dutch edition of his tome, Endgame.
Scobie, doing his best Fawlty Towers Manuel impersonation, insisted ‘I know nothing’. He is apparently stumped as to how the two names made their way into print.
But Scobie has form when it comes to telling fibs. He of course claimed he was 33 years of age despite actually being a full 9 years older – but again, those in glass houses and all that.
He also claimed he never flies on private jets, despite posting a picture of himself in an actual
private jet. Then he was adamant that the Sussexes were not involved in his first royal book. This was then proven untrue when Meghan was forced to reveal in court that she did in fact ask an aide to brief Scobie.
So with this litany of lies one must ask, why is Scobie an accepted authority on anything royal – other than him clearly having connections with the court of Sussex? On top of that, the whole farrago only benefits one person. And that’s Scobie, who is selling a book.
Be more like Dolly and live less dully
DOLLY Parton has just released her latest album which sees her duet with a star-studded plethora of singers.
But it’s not her music that has garnered attention. Instead it is Dolly’s chosen attire that has taken centre stage.
Country music icon Dolly is featured in a tiny pair of Daisy Dukes cutoff shorts and a bralette on the new album cover. And sure as 9 to 5, her outfit has led to rage amongst the usual suspects. This is Dolly Parton. She can wear what she likes. In fact, Dolly Parton is a shining light to all. Grow old gracefully or disgracefully. Wiggle and jiggle your bits until they can jiggle no more.
Therefore in my view, if you can be anyone in this world, be Dolly!
From dodgy dossier to podcast puffery
TÁNAISTE Micheál Martin had quite the love-in with Tony Blair’s pugnacious spin doctor Alistair Campbell. He popped up as a guest on Martin’s fifth podcast ‘In Conversation With’ on Tuesday.
Campbell, lest we forget, is best known for his role in the Iraq ‘dodgy dossier’ which helped persuade Britain to bomb the hell out of Iraq in pursuit of mythical weapons of mass destruction that never existed.
And we all know how that turned out don’t we?
After years of standing by every word in the dodgy dossier Campbell now says ‘I recognise that… it’s one of those things that you just put into the category of you just wish it had never happened.’ Just like that.
Campbell also said: ‘The public are sick of the way modern politics are conducted.’ (Well he got that bit right.)
He then spoke of how he and Martin are perceived: ‘I think people are looking to us.’
‘Try and adapt a bit which is clearly what you’re doing’ he advises. ‘Exactly’ responds Martin, in a wonderful piece of selfcongratulation.
Well, if adapting is bringing on a has-been for a good old boring natter, I’m not entirely sure that’s the radical shake up that the public are looking for from our leaders.
It’s the ho ho hum that keeps us away
THE Lord Mayor of Dublin is pleading for the nation to visit the capital and support businesses this Christmas following the ‘massive reputational damage’ the city saw last week due to the Dublin riots.
I myself visited the Christmas scene at The Mansion House last year where I was greeted by a ‘drunk Elvis’, some lad on stilts, and what was to all intents and purposes a plastic cart masquerading as Santa’s sleigh.
So given the total lack of anything resembling ho ho ho it’s not the riots keeping people away it’s the dearth of anything to see!