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Kristi O'Sullivan's avatar

I think that’s one of your best. When I immigrated to Ireland in 1990, engaged to an Irishman, I recall the kitchen table chat about Charlie - the ‘loveable rogue’. I was ignorant about Irish politics but intrigued by fulsome perspective. Said with the common sense acceptance that of course politicians line their pockets. But no one ever questioned whether Charlie was a patriot, or wondered did he put Ireland first. I recall Charlie had a sort of charm, unlike many of the drones who govern this country today who tend to illicit feelings of contempt - no longer ‘sure he’s a rogue, but he’s OUR rogue’. Now we wonder who our politicians are actually working for - those we elect simply recite the tag lines and sales pitches given to them by the snake oil salespeople of the EU.

As an American, politicians of old taking second helpings, was nearly quaint; especially since the average Irish person could be drinking in the same pub as them - and everyone knew the game. But it saddens me to read about the installation of the revolving door between the political sphere to globalist private enterprise - I think that was the tipping point to America’s demise.

I was listening to a podcast (with Americans) who shed light on the sugar beet fiasco - a farming practise that was banned not long after I arrived on these shores and something I never truly understood. I recall seeing the piles of beets on the roadside when travelling. In hindsight, that was the first suicidal step this country made in my opinion. The beet being easy to grow, native sugar for us, a rare indigenous industry, back up fodder for the animals, useful plant for soil regeneration, etc. - a peg in Ireland’s self-sufficiency and economic independence. What did Ireland trade that for?

I reckon the young singers you shared with us slipped through the indoctrinating education system just in time; perhaps their generation are the remnants which will keep the Irish culture and uniqueness alive.

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Shay McInerney's avatar

Super stuff. I too voted for the new generation of politicos after the Haughey years. Never for FF though.

I voted for gay marriage and the EU and all to my shame. I was idealistic. I thought they reflected my value system. Now I know they have no value system. Between their conscious and unconscious minds is a void and even the conscious part is shallow as shit.

But ultimately we get the politicians we deserve. We create our own society. If we hand over responsibility for our lives to third parties then they decide the terms and conditions. Clichés like there is no such thing as a free lunch are clichés for a reason.

Outsourcing the raising of your kids to crèches and state education and you get mindless drones. Outsourcing your meals to fast food slop houses and they decide the ingredients.

Pretending to yourself that life can be lived through other people's efforts eventually kills your life.

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