THINKING OUTSIDE HIS BOSCA
Bosco
has been a beloved friend to generations of Irish children, enjoying a superstar career for over 40 years. Donal O’Keeffe interviews Ireland’s favourite fiveyear-old.
Hi Bosco. It’s great to see you again. You’re looking well.
“I am! I always look well, Donal!”
You do! You never seem to age, Bosco. I suppose it’s an indelicate question, but what age are you now?
“I’m FIVE! You know that! Everybody knows I’m five!”
Well, I do, but c’mere, wasn’t it your 40th anniversary last year?
“Yeah, but I’m MAGIC! All the boys and girls know that! I’m five, and I’m always five, and I’ve been five for a LOAD of fives!”
Thanks a million for doing this interview for The Avondhu Christmas Edition, Bosco.
“No problem, Donal! I love The Avondhu, and I love all the towns and the villages there.”
Really?
“I do! I read your collum online sometimes. Although sometimes you can be very cross and I don’t know what you’re giving out about sometimes.”
Gosh, I’m grateful, Bosco. And a bit worried. How do you know the area?
“I’ve passed though Fermoy LOADS of times.
And I stayed in the hotel by the river there. And I’ve done shows in Mitchelstown and Fermoy many times. Maybe people might remember some of the shows.
“I love Kilbehenny, and Kilworth, and Glanworth, and Clondulane, and Araglen, and Bartlemy, and Ballyhooly, and Castlelyons, and Rathcormac and ALL the nice places!
“I’ve gone for some lovely walks along the bank of the river Blackwater in Fermoy. It’s so beautiful, it’s like a picture I saw in an art gallery once.
“And I’ve eaten some lovely cheese in Mitchelstown, and we stopped to get the cheapest diesel in Ireland in Mitchelstown.
“I really miss passing through Fermoy and Mitchelstown now that there’s a motorway. I know the motorway is a good thing cos it gets you places faster, but I still miss all the lovely towns on the road to Cork.
“The big pencil on the way into Fermoy is a landmark for every child - even me! I remember saying are we nearly there yet when we’d be going to Cork and somebody would say no but we are at the big pencil! I love that big pencil!”
We love it too, Bosco and it’s still there. It’s a special part of the town for us.
“Fermoy is a really lovely town. And it’s really tidy!”
“Fermoy has one of the most beautiful rivers in all of Ireland. But the weir is a bit broken and I wish they would fix it before it all washes away. And the boys and girls in the rowing club won’t be able to row, and the swimmers won’t be able to swim and the fishers won’t be able to fish cos there won’t be any fish.”
This a cause very close to my heart, Bosco.
“Well I told you I read your collum!
“Grown-ups always leave things too late. They wait until things get extinct like lots of Irish birds and butterflies. So many things are in danger of being extinct and there’s so little we can do about it.
“We need to change things in our world big time but the things we can do now, we should do, like save the salmon and get them home to spawn. And fix the weir on the river Blackwater in Fermoy!
“Actually, do you know who I met in London last Saint Paddy’s Day when I was doing a gig with Angela Scanlon?”
No, but did you know she’s married to a Mitchelstown man?
“Who, Angela Scanlon? No way! I really like Angela. She’s lovely! And we have the exact same hair!
“Anyway, do you know who I met in London? Only
Mr Paschal the Minister for Money! Will he see this interview?
Paschal Donohoe? I dunno. Well, I know a man who knows him, so I suppose I could pass this along.
“Okay, so this is what I’d say if I was writing a letter to Mr Paschal:
Bosco, that will mean so much to the people in Fermoy who have been campaigning for so long to save Fermoy weir. Thank you so much.
Here, are you looking forward to Christmas?
“I AM!
CHRISTMAS!
“I love Christmas lights and making decorations and feeling cosy and excited! I love Christmas trees. I love making Christmas cards.
“I love Santa! I’m going to ask him to bring me a surprise
ILOVE present with no plastic. Because Santa is trying to use less plastic and so are the elves.
“I love Christmas songs and Christmas music and Ryan on the Late Late Toy Show.
“I like being good and being nice to everybody even if I don’t want to.
“I like giving presents to people I love.
“This year I’m going to make chocolates and toffees for presents.
“And after Christmas, I have something REALLY special to look forward to!” What’s that, Bosco?
“I’m going to be in The Everyman in Cork! It’s this big thee-ay-ter, and it’s all posh and fancy and I’m putting on my show, “Bosco’s Magical Garden and Sleeping Beauty”, and I hope I’ll see ALL the boys and girls there! “I’m SO excited!”
“That’s your interview. “That’s all you’re getting off me, Donal. You’ll just have to make the rest up!”
Bosco, I am horrified at that suggestion.
“Sure that’s what ALL journalists do!”
Horrified, I
Bosco, horrified.
“Ha ha ha!”
Happy Christmas, Bosco! “Happy Christmas, everybody!”
tell
you,