13th April, 2000
The National Lottery owns the word “MyLunaire”.
The reason I've spelt it like that is because nobody can use that
word without their permission, and its very hard nowadays to get
a good lawyer, it seems they're all very busy in Dublin. One
could always use the title “Who wants to be a £999,999 plus
£1. They also own the words “Wheel of Fortune”. I love
living life on the edge.
I wonder how George Redmond the ex-Dublin County Manager even got
into trouble. He was a very thrifty man over the years, saving a
couple of hundred thousand over a few years, not alone that but
he was so lucky on betting. A builder friend who owned race
horses would oblige George with a £30 or £50 bet every so often
and lucky George collected £50,000, not just thrifty but lucky
as well. Some people just seem to have it all.
A rather interesting interview with builder Paddy Gallagher was
published in a Sunday newspaper. You all remember Paddy, he spent
some time in the North of Ireland as a guest of Her Majesty's
Prison service, something about a few bob that went astray.
Anyway Paddy is now domiciled in South Africa and he is not too
pleased with all the bad press Ireland's getting internationally.
It was a very strange interview. Paddy mentions his good friend C.J.
Haughey, who he claims was responsible for smashing the Masons in
Ireland. I know in the mid 70's Maggie Thatcher smashed the
Miners. In the 80's Regan smashed the Air Traffic Controllers,
and Paddy tells us that in the 50’s C.J. smashed the Masons!!
He also tells us that Charlie and his team genuinely had the
interest of the country at heart. Paddy doesn't stop there. He
mentions C.J's lifestyle. He asks “How can you entertain
eminent men in Europe in a Dunnes Stores Suit. This was the
question that troubled me, did he mean: (A) Did we expect C.J. to
buy a suit off the rack in a Dunnes Stores shop or (B) Buy a suit
with Dunnes Stores money. I'm confused, maybe that hot midday
African sun does queer things to the brain. Oh, I almost forgot,
Paddy also said that all the men who stood shoulder to shoulder
with C.J. in the good old days are dead. If you stood shoulder to
shoulder with C.J. you were like Charles Haughey a small man in
every sense of the word. As my Granny used to say “Show me
your friends and I'll show you what you are” Granny was a
wise woman.
Another newspaper headline read “ Fury over £2 million
Hotel Plan for Refugees” It seems 1,000 angry residents in
Rosslare turned up at a meeting to voice their objection the plan
to house refugees in a local hotel. One speaker said, “They'll
spread Aids and other diseases” Another man said “If
one gets in we'll never get them out”. In contrast to this I
think back to last year when the Kosovan Refugees arrived in
Crosshaven to be housed in the local Convent. The late Joe Piper
of Piper's Amusements along with his family organised a free
night for the refugees. They closed the Amusement Centre to the
public and gave it to the refugees for the night, with free
sweets, popcorn and drin's for everybody. As far as I know there's
no epidemic of Aids, Cannibalism, Rape, Pillage and Plunder in
Crosshaven. Rosslare, you have a lot to learn from the good
people of Crosshaven. Crosser, I'm proud to know you.
About a fortnight ago we received a phone call from Conneiticut,
U.S.A. The caller, a man, asked for the name of the head teacher
in the school. He had read the essays every week on “What I
Like about Douglas” written by local children, and wanted to
speak to the head of the school, we obliged. The following day we
telephoned the school and spoke to Michelle Cashman and told her
the story, she told us that the man had telephoned her and was
coming to Ireland the following week. Today we called to speak to
her again to be told that the man's children were starting school
in Douglas in September. His choice of school? St Columba's with
facilities for Deaf Children. Well done girls with your essays,
Jim McDad, take note, the girls of Douglas are doing their bit
for Ireland. Incidently would the Man who phoned us please send
us an E-Mail and tell us about his decision to send his child/children
to school in Douglas. We think it's a great story one which
deserves to be told. Our Email address is douglasweekly@eircom.net
Three weeks to go to the Douglas Rose Night. May 5th is D-Day.
This week we publish a selection of Rose Entrants. It is open to
everybody (including Refugees) over 18, under 25 and single.
Bye for now,
Michael O'Hanlon.
