10th February, 2000
Well folks, today Monday Feb 7th was
D-Day for my car test. My appointment was for 2.20pm, I left
Douglas at 1.45pm. Dont take any chances with the time, I
met a couple at the test centre who were two minutes late and
were moved back a few places in the queue. On the way to Little
Island there were no signposts to let drivers know where the NCT
Centre was. I mentioned this to a man at the centre and he told
me that they were waiting on planning permission to erect signs.
My advice is, follow a line of pre-1991 cars under the Jack Lynch
tunnel, and youll end up at the NCT Centre.
Theres no shortage of staff and the second I arrived a man
pointed to a parking position. He was a pleasant jovial type.
Thats a good sign on a Monday, I said.
Im only the parking and moving attendant!, he
quipped, The tester is in a bad mood today!! I looked
at him, he was laughing. The girls at reception were pleasant.
Dont forget to bring your letter from NCT, your tax book,
and of course £35. I then went to the waiting room, a bit like
the witness waiting room at the execution chamber. About half an
hour later my tester Denis, again a credit to the company, called
me and showed me my cert which listed a few minor jobs to be
done. Did I pass or fail? I failed. To tell the truth, I expected
to fail, but Ive got three weeks to fix the problems and
thankfully theyre not serious.
Finally, let me tell you, dont listen to the scare stories,
like I was failed because I didnt empty the
ashtray, or I failed because my seat was torn.
My advice is to make sure that your tyres and brakes are good,
get your car washed and valeted before you go down, be early,
bring your NCT letter, tax book and £35, and hopefully like me,
youll be pleasantly surprised. Full marks to the efficiency
of the staff at the NCT Centre at Little Island ... Ill be
back !! (not that I have a choice!!). Part II to be continued ...
My friend Ronnie, who was born in Frankfield, recently told me
that the people of Frankfield had been promised a bus service in
1957. Think about it, 43 years ago - Buddy Holly was still alive,
12 years later Neil Armstrong would walk on the moon, still no
sign of a No. 6 bus to Frankfield. 10 years later the Pope would
visit Ireland, still no sign of a bus to Frankfield. 11 years
later Cork would win the double, still no sign of a No. 6. Now
finally into the 21st century comes the news, still no bloody
sign of a No. 6 to Frankfield, and the chances of a No. 6 bus to
Frankfield? About the same as Ian Paisley joining Opus Dei !!
Isnt it great to be born lucky? According to last
weeks Sunday Times Neil McCann, who controls Fyffes (the
banana company) bought the site where the Battle of Boyne took
place in 1690. According to the report Neil bought the site in
Nov. 1997 for £2.7 million. A month later Fianna Fail minister
David Andrews said the government were interested in the site.
Now the state is to pay Mr. McCann £8 million for the site. A
tidy profit of £5.3 million. If Mr. McCann had kept the land and
King Billy came back, would he have discovered a true banana
republic? Incidently, if youre having a banana, watch the
skin, people are inclined to slip on them, and the fall can be
quite painful!
Heres a suggestion to the politicians, were tired of
all the corruption, scandals and tribunals, I think Ive
come up with the answer to your problems ... hold a general
election, with one important stipulation, all candidates must be
multi-millionaires. So now we have 166 millionaires in the Dail,
and these people wouldnt answer the door for £30,000 in a
dirty brown envelope!! The Taoiseach would have to be worth £10
million. Now we have a kind of Elliott Ness and the Untouchables
in the Dail. Michael, I think its a great idea,
love Bill Gates.
More calls to the office about the walk under the Bow-Wow bridge
(the bridge next to the R.C. Church, St. Columbas - the
explanatory piece is for non-natives of Douglas). I can hear them
now, The nerve of that Michael OHanlon, born and bred
in Blackrock Road, talking like a Douglas man. But many
years ago I obtained a Douglas visa and married a Douglas woman,
so that must count for something. To get back to the Bow-Wow
bridge, the footpath is destroyed with mud, speeding motorists
shower the pedestrians with pebbles from the road. Its a
very busy artery and needs urgent attention now. And finally,
people are still parking their cars on the footpath under the
bridge whilst they go to Mass on Saturday evening, forcing people
to walk on the road in the dark. Its dangerous and
inconsiderate - an accident waiting to happen.
Finally, a joke ... A buyer sees a house for sale in the daily
paper, it reads 5 bedroomed split level bungalow for sale
on Rochestown Road, extras include: swimming pool, tennis court,
stables, orchard. First offer of £50,000 secures. The
buyer rushes in to the auctioneers office, first in line he
travels with the auctioneer to view the house. Its
magnificent. Two questions, says the buyer,
One, is the price correct? Yes, answers
the auctioneer. Ill take it - what kind of people are
the neighbours? Fantastic, says the auctioneer,
You wont even know Mr. Rushdie is there!
Bye for now,
Michael OHanlon.