GLYNN BEING A GAA FAN IS IRRELEVANT

THIS was a good week for the promotion of accountability, fairness and decency – concepts that can be as fleeting as the mayfly in Irish life.

It was also a week in which the tired idea of having a man on the inside was challenged.

Defenders of Phil Hogan stressed his importance to the country as a trade commissioner in the context of Brexit, as if his full title was EU trade commissioner (for Ireland).

The argument didn’t stand up to scrutiny, but it did point up a fondness for having one of our own at the table. There has been a version of this at play in the tensions between the GAA and the National Public Health Emergency Team.

It has been reported that the acting chief medical officer, Dr Ronan Glynn (above) is a GAA enthusiast.

One profile speculated that he would have felt the impact of last week’s tart response from Croke Park to the latest Government restrictions.

It’s as if Glynn’s GAA interests in some way flag up his good intentions on health matters.

He considers himself, one presumes, first and foremost a public health expert. Hobbies are his own business.

STEPHEN KENNY is four days n away from his first match as Ireland manager, and in the days between his early accession to the job and today, with the trip to Bulgaria imminent, he has been consistently impressive.

His insistence on surrounding himself with coaches and support staff of his choosing was a subtle indicator of independence and strength of character.

His first squad was an interesting combination of young players and recalls, while he also politely but deftly booted aside any possibility of a spat with the absurd Jason McAteer.