SMOKES & DAGGERS
A mischievous mix of (mostly) news
ARGUMENTS at cabinet about matters involving the arts, culture and (*checks notes) international transport and logistics can now be settled in a most inventive way – with a sing-off. Culture Minister Catherine Martin and Super Junior Hildegarde Naughton are both classically trained singers. Top marks for whoever first raises her voice and breaks the glass ceiling.
MEANWHILE, Seán Defoe of Newstalk pointed out that Catherine Martin’s many-pronged brief – Culture, Arts, Media, Tourism, the Gaeltacht and Sport – technically means she is the Minister for Senior Hurling.
MOVING house can be stressful but at least former and future Taoiseach Leo Varadkar had Michael Collins for company. A portrait of The Big Fella has hung over the fireplace in the Taoiseach’s office since Enda Kenny was in the hot seat. Leo said while clearing his desk: ‘Clearing out the office tonight. This portrait has hung proudly over the fireplace for 9 years. Beidh sé ar ais.’ Nobody tell Dev about this…
IT FELL to former teacher Norma Foley to quote Shakespeare in the Dáil as she made her speech proposing Micheál Martin for Taoiseach.
The immortal line ‘Wisely and slow, they stumble that run fast’ from Romeo And Juliet was more than apt given the drawn-out courtship between the government parties.
Hopefully this government’s end will be less tragic.
ALAN Kinsella, who runs the Irish Election Literature website, is a treasure trove of political gems. These election leaflets of Micheál Martin’s through the years had us wistfully longing for the future FF leader’s showband days.
IF it’s not gender balance, it’s geographical balance that’s the problem. Some hacks were pointing out that with Simon Harris and Stephen Donnelly, Greystones had more ministers than the entire Atlantic seaboard from Donegal down to Limerick – with three ministers from the same Cork constituency alone.
POLITICS never forgets, it seems. The poet John Moynes joked yesterday: ‘Appointing Stephen Donnelly as Minister for Health means he’ll be bringing some cabinet experience to whichever party he joins next.’
FOR a time yesterday both Leo and Micheál’s Twitter accounts were claiming to be Taoiseach. Luckily someone must have told them. Totes awks.
NORTHERN Shinner leader Michelle O’Neill made it down to Dublin to be with the rest of the Republican family as the Dáil elected Micheál Martin as Taoiseach yesterday afternoon. However, this was not something Martin’s own family could do because they were adhering to coronavirus restrictions.