Too many thoughts on All-Ireland final week

Nobody should be expected to write a column in All-Ireland final week. It is not as easy as it might seem, this task of writing a weekly column in the Western People. There are all kinds of obstacles when you sit in front of a blank screen and confront the problem of providing twelve hundred words of wise observations about the world at large and/or matters more local. The first thing to be tackled is the mind, which, in the normal run of things, is filled with myriads of thoughts - some of worldwide significance and others that are of far greater import.

Take for instance democracy. It seems to me the Athenian philosophers who first gave democracy to the world would be aghast to think how the modern world has misused and abused the power of the ballot. Just look at our friends in the United States of America and the proper hames they have made of the democratic process. And it is not all down to Mr Trump. He has turned the process on its head and has effectively become a dictator. What Donald says goes and everyone follows suit. And that’s where the nub of the problem lies. The American people are generally sensible but they have given Donald free rein without providing themselves with a means of curbing his dictatorial tendencies.

And look at our friends across the water. First of all a generally sensible people decided to cut off their nose to spite their face and voted to exit the European Union. It was a decision that plunged the Brits into financial chaos from which they have yet to recover. They can’t vote to re-join the EU because that would be to admit making a terrible mistake by withdrawing in the first place. But with a problem of unruly and incompetent governments, democratically replacing Prime Ministers only compounded their problems so the people voted overwhelmingly to get rid of their conservative rulers and give an outstanding mandate to Labour to sort out the mess.

A good but bland guy named Starmer became PM but then the Labour members of parliament democratically decided that they would not let him lead and forced him to get out. How to get him out should not have been a problem as Labour had 403 elected members to choose from. But they democratically decided that none of the Members of Parliament were good enough and so presided over a fiasco that saw an MP resign to create a vacancy and allow a man who was, as yet, unelected to become Prime Minister.

Andy Burnham, it seems, is a man of the people and appears capable. He has Irish connections, of course, and that makes him popular with the people who live on this island... or at least some of them. He has already upset the Shinners here by declaring a lack of interest in the people of Ireland exercising their democratic right to vote on a border poll. He reckons there are far more important matters that he needs to straighten out, such as the British economy. You would have to wish him good luck with that task, especially with Mr Trump (who has no mandate in Britain) dictating that investment in the British armed forces is more important than investment in health or housing.

Then the British democratic system throws up Nigel Farage, a leading light in the Brexit crusade and a silver tongued racist who is leading the charge of the light brigade against immigrants seeking to secure a life in Britain in exchange for the pillage and exploitation wrought by Britain in their home countries. Nigel has come under fire because of some alleged shady dealings involving a crypto billionaire who financed his Reform party to the tune of £5 million.

Taking a democratic leaf out of the Burnham playbook, Nigel decided to let the public decide in a democratic election. So he resigned his seat in some place called Clacton, where he had almost 50% of the vote in the last general election, and immediately declared himself (democratically of course) as the Reform candidate. His thinking is that if the people of Clacton, knowing about the alleged financial contribution by his crypto friend, come together to democratically elect him, then that provides the answer to his critics.

There is sense in his reasoning but there is a fellow/lady called Binface who has also declared as a candidate and while he/she is unlikely to win the seat (not even the Brits are mad enough to elect a walking refuse bin - or are they?) it is likely that poor Nigel will end up with some egg on his face. And all in the name of democracy.

Having looked at how well democracy is working, it is time to reflect on how the Palestinian genocide is going and depending on the way you look at it, it is going well. While the attention of the world was diverted towards the Israeli/US attacks in an undeclared war on Iran, the Israeli Attack Forces continued to shoot and bomb the Palestinians in Gaza. They are a little more circumspect in how they deal with Palestinians in the West Bank. They allow settlers go in and commandeer the land of the Palestinians and if or when Palestinians retaliate the Attack Forces go in and mop up the dispossessed while allowing the settlers free rein.

And all the while the watching world, including the Irish President of the Council of the European Union, our old pal Micheál Martin, wrings their hands in feigned horror. They may offer mumbled words of regret about the continuing carnage but while the major EU countries ignore the conflict nothing happens. Spain, to their credit, through their Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, have called on the EU to take action to force Israel to call off the dogs of war but Germany and Italy who provide the arms and munitions to the Israelis remain deaf to his pleadings. And then there is Zelenskiy telling Micheál and the EU what to do about Aughinish. This man is acting more like a dictator every day. Telling the EU how to run its business and Ukraine yet to prove their credentials to join the EU. And if the EU continues to operate as it is, there will not be an EU to join.

Then there is Lebanon and the price of oil and gas and the battle for the Straits of Hormuz and nuclear power and ugly turbines and the World Cup and the curse and tickets and invincible Kerry and the kick-out and blockers and the All-Ireland final. What about the 1951 jerseys? Take me to Clare Island. With such a maelstrom of thoughts going through a man’s head how is it possible to concentrate?

Who will mark Kobe? What about O’Donoghue and Beirne, not to mention the two-point kickers Flynn and Carney. Then there’s the defence with Callinan and Hession arriving at the top of their form at just the right time. They will be difficult to deal with! Will Livingstone live up to his reputation for shot stopping? Why not? Will Captain Coyne prepare a speech? Why not? Who will man the “forty”? Will it be my namesake? Who did Kerry beat on way to final? Was it demoted Dublin and Division 2 side Tyrone? I think I’m right. And they struggled. Where will the celebrations be?

I don’t know. I just can’t think what to write about. It’s coming up to the deadline. I’ll have to email the editor and tell him not to expect a column this week.