Rock’n’roll? Liam is just a buffoon and a boor
EX-OASIS singer Liam Gallagher, who has turned grumpiness into an art form, walked off stage last week during a concert in Chicago after singing only four songs. He later took to Twitter sheepishly claiming that he lost his voice.
That doesn’t sound very rock’n’roll.
Liam recently boasted that he is a genuine ‘rock’n’roll star’ and that U2 were not.
Oasis once had to cancel a German tour after Liam foolishly got into a scrap with some businessmen at a Munich nightclub. Liam had to head home after he got some of his teeth knocked out.
Liam sees this as rock’n’roll. Everyone else sees it as tomfoolery and sheer stupidity.
So, can Liam be found on stage dressed as a cool rock star like Bono, or playing blistering riffs on guitar like the Edge?
Actually you’re more likely to find him wearing a rain jacket (even indoors), aimlessly swinging a tambourine while whining (as if he’s singing through his nose) into the microphone with his head and neck tilted at a ridiculous angle; all the while doing a ‘dance’ that consists of one leg stomping up and down on the same spot! Rock’n’roll? I don’t think so.
GER CARSON, Co. Donegal.
A Scottish solution
QUEEN’S University academic James Anderson recently proposed an innovative solution to a hard Brexit border in Ireland by creating two relatively ‘soft’ borders, one at the Northern Irish border and one in the Irish Sea.
He argued that Ireland would benefit from being in this ‘air pocket’ between these ‘double doors’, protecting the all-island economy by allowing the free entry of people and goods from Britain and the EU.
This proposal has merit but the omission of Scotland is a mistake. Scotland overwhelmingly voted in favour of remaining in the EU, by 62% to 38%, and has strong historic cultural and trade links with Northern Ireland, so may not welcome the EU’s preferential treatment of its neighbours.
Customs checks at Hadrian’s Wall (if the Brexit deal requires them) may be harder to maintain than at airports and Irish Sea ports but there is more to be gained from free-trade across this north-west region. For example, the proposed North-South Interconnector, which will provide a vital link between the two electricity transmission systems in Ireland, shows that cross-jurisdiction infrastructure may become the norm – providing scope for greater tourism, scientific research and transport connections between Ireland and Scotland.
Also, the Irish Sea should no longer be seen as a strong natural boundary.
Imagine an answer to England’s ‘Northern Powerhouse’, with smart integrated travel ticketing, unparalleled customer service for international businesses through a voluntary ‘customer services charter’, an infrastructure and business advisory council to address the region’s geographical challenges and opportunities. However, it is Ruth Davidson who holds the key to this as the Brexit deal is unlikely to survive without the support of her Scottish Conservative MPs.
Having campaigned so furiously to remain in the EU, she could hardly turn down the chance for Scotland to remain in both the UK and the EU.
BRIAN POPE, Co. Down.
Hidden cruelty
IT’S that time of year again. Foxhunts from around the country will showcase their equestrian skills at the Dublin Horse Show, jumping fences that have a passing resemblance to the ones they leap over when traversing the countryside.
Packs of hounds also make a charming appearance, wagging their tails in the sunshine.
Thus the public can see foxhunters in action outside their normal milieu in rural Ireland.
Visible in all their glory are the horses and the riders and the hounds… but not the fox.
When you watch the Hunt Chase at the RDS, you’ll catch a flavour of the pomp and ceremony of foxhunting but you won’t see An Madra Rua.
Then again, the spectacle of a wild animal being cornered by blood-crazed hounds and ripped asunder might not go down as well on afternoon TV as footage of horses gracefully circling the splendid venue and ladies showing off their hats and dresses.
Cub hunting, in which baby foxes are set upon to blood young hounds, is in full swing throughout August, but you couldn’t have that displayed either at our renowned Horse Show. God, no!
Fox hunting, it seems, is good enough to be pursued with vigour and passion, to attract the support of the rich and influential, and to remain legal, but NOT good enough to show to the world at our premier equestrian event. Some ‘sport’. JOHN FITZGERALD, Callan, Co. Kilkenny.
Insecure future
REGARDING the homelessness crisis, it’s often expressed as merely a shortage of ‘supply’. Spoken of less often is the issue of job security.
With contracts becoming shorter and less and less secure, fewer people than ever are in a position to commit to a 20- or 30-year mortgage. This needs more attention. KAREN NÍ LORCÁIN,
Parteen Co.Clare.