Niamh Walsh’s Manifesto
Hiding not good enough for Walshes of this world
IN AN Elon Musk world of absolute freedom of speech, I would be perfectly entitled to vocalise the opinion that I think pundit Ted Walsh is ‘a dirty rotten so and so’ a ‘chickenhearted coward’ for whom a ‘hiding wouldn’t be good enough’.
RTÉ commentator Walsh sent a shudder down the spine of animal lovers when he said on air that ‘a hiding wouldn’t be good enough’ for a ‘chicken-hearted, cowardly’ horse that pulled up before a fence at the Punchestown festival, causing a jockey to fall.
A deserved backlash ensued and while Walsh did offer an apology, it was a qualified one when he said: ‘That’s the great thing about freedom of speech everyone has their opinion.’
Indeed they do. And the majority of people would never even suggest a horse needed a ‘hiding’ for any reasons, never mind broadcast these reprehensible opinions, however free one thinks they are to do so.
Walsh, of course, reverted to what is now the predictable line when those involved in racing are caught out in bad acts when he said: ‘I could stand up to anybody as far as looking after animals goes.’
With respect Mr Walsh, I sincerely doubt that. You are not fit to lick the muddy boots of those who take it upon themselves to care for animals. People like the charity My Lovely Horse who are out day and night picking up starved, abused, unwanted, dumped horses who have outlived their monetary value to the racing industry.
People who selflessly devote their lives, hearts and souls to helping heal horses who have been on the receiving end of a ‘good hiding’.
So while I absolutely and unequivocally think that anyone who harms an animal is a cowars, both common decency and common law prevent me from saying publicly (at least) that ‘a hiding wouldn’t be good enough ‘for any of the cowards’.
Kim in Marilyn frock horror
ONLY Kim Kardashian could hijack one of history’s iconic moments and condemn it to the dustbin of detritus.
Kim and her team of stylists felt it befitting for her to slip into Marilyn Monroe’s renowned Jean Louis gown for this year’s 2022 Met Gala. Her ‘Monroe moment’ caused outrage among conservators with one particularly perplexed historian exclaiming: ‘The dress represents something very important – it’s part of our collective cultural heritage. I’m speechless over it.’
Monroe, of course, wore the bejewelled gown, which she described as ‘the original naked dress,’ for her spectacular 1962 performance at a Madison Square Garden fundraiser when she sang a scandalous Happy Birthday to President John F Kennedy.
And herein lies the crux of the problem that is the Kardashians. Undoubtedly Kim is a cultural icon. But that she deigns to think her prominence is on a par with Monroe is breathtakingly egotistical.
Monroe’s Jean Louis dress was not just a dress. It was a pivotal denotation in what was an unrivalled epoch. The dress and her performance have been immortalised and, until Kim got her mitts on it, quite untainted. That dress and how she wore it and whom she wore it for was tacit confirmation of her illicit affair with JFK. That it was one of the last glorious gowns she wore before her tragic death and that it came mere months before the death of JFK has etched this dress into the history books for time immemorial.
Kim in time will merit her place in history. But true icons inspire trends. They aren’t cheap knockoffs of those who have gone so beautifully before.
Fate of a nation in hands of a tiny few
WHATEVER one’s stance on abortion rights what has to be unanimous is that nine people deciding the fate of millions for generations is the most antidemocratic decision.
A leaked draft ruling this week sets the stage for the US Supreme Court to overturn the 1973 landmark case of Roe v Wade which legalised abortion nationwide. If overturned, 26 states are set to criminalise abortion. Justice Samuel Alito, who drafted the opinion, previously stated as fact that Roe v Wade was ‘settled law’ and ergo could not be overturned. But while settled it seems it is not set in stone.
What is startling is that America, a nation which has waged wars, affected regime change, overthrown democratically elected governments in foreign states all in the name of spreading democracy, has a system that allows just nine people appointed along political and ideological lines decide the fate of a nation.
This flaw in US democracy is not only confined to Roe v Wade, but rather anti-democracy is the rule rather than the exception in America; the land of the (apparently) free.
Pooch’s plea exposes nature of a killer
I LOVE me a little bit of Colin Firth. The handsomest of men on screen or perhaps on earth. So I was excited to watch his new series The Staircase. The Sky drama is centered around the infamous case where author Michael Peterson was accused of throwing his wife down a staircase. Spoiler alert!
I remember being gripped by the documentary on the case. And while I am no Agatha Christie I had deduced in the first five minutes, he had done her in.
In one of the first scenes of the documentary Peterson is giving an interview and his pet doggie toddles over and sidles up for a little rub. Peterson ignores his dog and continues talking about himself and his plight leaving the poor doggie looking forlorn.
Now I am not saying that anyone who ignores a pooch’s pleas for a pat on the head is a narcissistic killer. But, he was found guilty. So I rest my case.
Jurgen-ness lifts the ball in my court
I AM all too aware that what I am about to say may see me disinherited by my devout Man U dad. But in a world of wars and woes at least there is Jurgen Klopp. I have no affiliation to Liverpool nor indeed care a jot about football. But Jurgen Klopp just lights up life. His big smile when he wins, his cheeky grin when he is jibing his opponents and just his general Jurgen-ness is something to smile about.