02.29.08
Posted in Feminism at 8:21 am by Sarah
Click to listen to yesterday’s Drivetime show and an interview with Cathy O’Halloran about a conference at which Celia Larkin was giving a speech about branding. (FF to about 20mins on this link..they’ll put the specific segments up later in the day when you can go straight to the piece).
I am so impressed with Celia. The meeja showed up at her gig and she turned the tables on them, asking them questions from the podium and then left the hotel refusing to answer their questions. Alright, so she was given a “loan” to buy a house which she only paid back when the Tribunal found about it. We know not the source of the money nor the tax implications, but for sheer poise, she delivered a masterclass at that conference.
But tell me this, from where has the convention emerged that she is constantly being referred to as the Taoiseach’s “Life Partner”? Clearly she is not his life partner. She was his partner for….I dunno, 10 years? What’s wrong with “former partner”.
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Posted in Sunday Times Columns at 12:02 am by Sarah
I did the rabbits an injustice! We have crocuses. Yellow, purple and white. Bizarrely only the ones that M planted have survived. Mine are gone. So even the rabbits are out to get me 
What a lift to get when I see our flowers every day. I’m planning now for snowdrops and bluebells and primroses and turning our corner of a field into a proper meadow. But trying not to Grand Plan. Little plans good. Grand plans bad.
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02.28.08
Posted in Uncategorized at 10:31 pm by Sarah
Oh God. I haven’t cried that much since ET. Sniff.
Why am I in a good mood now though? And were those women really that beautiful?
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02.27.08
Posted in Domestic/Relationships at 1:32 pm by Sarah
They say
1. It’s turned into a witch-hunt into his personal finances
No, it hasn’t. An allegation was made that he had taken money. They investigated his accounts and found hundreds of thousands of pounds in them. They asked him to explain the source of the money. He can’t.
2. A different standard applied at the time – all this ethics business is quite new
Since when was it not required to pay tax on your personal income?
3. We should wait until the Tribunal reports
Why? John Bruton ordered Michael Lowry to resign within 24hours of learning of his payments from Ben Dunne on which he had paid no tax (for work actually carried out! unlike Bertie). Some people don’t need a tribunal to tell them how to act.
4. The people knew all this anyway before the election
No they didn’t. Substantially new information has come out in even just the past month.
5. It doesn’t matter cos he did a deal on the North
Who said that being tax compliant and delivering on political issues were mutually exclusive?
6. Lots of people have tax issues
And we can see why. Why should they pay taxes if successive FIANNA FAIL TAOISIGH don’t bother.
7. Other politicians in other political parties took money
And they were wrong too.
8. It’s important to be loyal to the leader
And debase everyone associated with politics in the meantime. And themselves.
9. Fine Gael and Labour lost the election so tough luck.
I don’t care. The Taoiseach took money for Fianna Fail and kept it for himself. Took money for himself and didn’t pay his taxes. He told huge lies to the people in the Brian Dobson interview. Even if the people re-elected him tomorrow it would still be wrong.
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Posted in Uncategorized at 12:30 pm by Sarah
..is erratic these days. I keep having to restart, which is a pain. I’m gradually shifting to Safari but resent it. Setting up bookmarks again grrr.
Anyone else having trouble?
btw, this is weird. I searched for something in the Google dropdown included in Firefox, and then searched later for the same thing in Safari – which also uses Google as its top dropdown. I got different results! The same pages were returned but in a different order. What’s that about?
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02.26.08
Posted in Sunday Times Columns at 9:39 pm by Sarah
Is that not what the Angel said to herself as she descended to the kitchen. For it was but Seven and were not the Sons of the Angel sleeping soundly in their beds? And was not the kitchen sparkling and cleansed? Truly she was the Mother of All Mothers. For her day had started twelve hours earlier when the Father had been called to the city of Cork where the engineers were anxious for his report. Thus was she left desolate and alone except for the Sons who were much demanding of her efforts. Had they not pleaded for bickies and hot chocolate and rejected the ReadyBrek? There had been wrecking of possessions, defacations and messes. Though there was laundry to be processed they had screeched for the Fireman Sam DVD and chanted the chorus of MammyMammyMammy. Yet she remained patient and full of humour with only occasional shouting when the Sons concealed themselves under the Great Chair rather than co-operate with the dressing. But lo, they were dressed and proceeded to the playground. And though the tempest grew and the elements were unkind she warmed her very soul by pushing them, simultaneously, on adjacent swings. Then she took the greatest risk, never before attempted and took them to the Cafe. Where astoundingly they were blessed with Grace and behaved and the Mother allowed herself a moment of smugness. But the Lord truly punished her then and sent the Dark Waitress with the Crisp Garnish on the ham sandwich and then there was waling and gnashing of teeth as the Sons fought over the Crisp Garnish. But truly the Gentle Spirit did descend upon the Mother and though throwing a bitter remark at the Waitress of Stupidity, she did remember the words of the Arch Angel DavidColeman whose spake his words to the Prophet Montcrief on Mount Newstalk. “Taketh the Child who Tantrums Outside and Say Onto Him, Only When the Crying Has Stopped Can We Return to Paradise Cafe”. And then did she witness the Miracle of the Sound Advice, for the Son did cease his wailing and they returned to Cafe and though there was a minor flareup at the sight of the Crisp Garnish, they finished their sandwich and made a visitation upon Granny Betty. And then the Mother, freed from the presence of the Father who demanded Meat, maketh the Feast of Carbonara and the Sons ate such quantity that they could not eat the jelly. And now, they had washed and slept. And though the Devil tempted the Mother and said “Put the nappy on the younger Son” she said, Nay for the Child shall not have the nappy for he shall be trained. And though there may be Washing of Sheets, the righteous path is to turn thy back on the Nappy and Lift the Child.
And the Lord said onto the Mother, now after thy day’s labours, you shall be rewarded: and with great awe did she receive the greatest gift the Lord could bestow and he said onto her: Mother, thou shalt Control the Remote for the Night. And she was most Grateful for the Remote and gave thanks.
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02.25.08
Posted in Uncategorized at 12:25 pm by Sarah
Fairytale of Kathmandu : the controversial documentary by Neasa ni Chianain about poet Cathal O’Searcaigh and his relationship with teenage boys in Nepal – makes for uncomfortable viewing. Ni Chianain’s film exposes an open and shut case of a rich, western 50 year old homosexual buying the sexual favours of poor, innocent and above all, grateful boys. Though the boys were over 16, the age of consent in Nepal, many people have expressed concern about his behaviour leading to calls to remove his work from the Leaving Cert Irish course.
Ni Chianain has been accused of stitching up the highly regarded poet. The worst I’d say about her is she didn’t hold back with long, lingering shots of the wide-eyed, nervous teenagers. The best you can say about O’Searcaigh is that he is not a malevolent man but a damaged one. It is obvious that growing up in rural Ireland as a gay man was a hard, lonely experience and he has never quite recovered from being rejected by the love of his life. He suffered depression from which he has found relief in his annual trips to Nepal and the company of boys whom he helps educate and clothe. It’s still sex tourism though – regardless of the complexity of the man’s character.
There are many tragic features to this documentary but the one that struck me was his painful immaturity. He didn’t coerce the boys into sexual activity but apparently doesn’t understand that with his power, money and sexual knowledge, he didn’t have to. The sex aside, it was difficult to watch him dispense his so-called charity by presenting his young friends with gifts like clothes and bicycles. His relationship with these boys is clearly unhealthy for him and them, but he doesn’t appear to have the capacity to recognise this. If he did, he never would have invited Ni Chianain to film him in the first place. A scene in which he buys four of the boys ice cream and fondly regards them is particularly difficult : your heart sinks as you realise the desperate confusion and creepiness involved. There is no homophobia here : the same would apply if it were girls, though there is no doubt that the sheer ignorance of the boys about homosexuality adds to the problem.
What now? I’m no Irish scholar but his poetry was quoted in the film and it seemed simple but wistful, full of longing and it instantly appealed to me. I have no doubt that his place on the Leaving Cert course is well deserved. Should the poems be removed?
I don’t believe so, not least because students are reading it right now for the summer exams. Practicalities aside, the concept of banning poems because we don’t approve of the life of the poet is foolish. The poetry is either good or bad and if we ban it based on moral judgements of the poet’s life, what a precedent to set. If the sexual behaviour and pecadilos of writers and artists is a factor in judging their work suitable for school, you’d have to delete considerably more works on the Irish, English and Art syllabii.
Everyone from Shakespeare to Byron to Wilde would have to be reappraised. Even Joyce had his habits: HG Wells no less expressed his disgust with his cloacal obsession. The most recent parallel would be the popular British poet Philip Larkin exposed port-mortem as sadistic bigot. Compiling a syllabus from works of only morally acceptable artists is a nonsensical project.
Nevertheless, the work doesn’t stand alone and a study of the poet’s life is a core part of academia. In a syllabus of dead white males, O’Searcaigh presents a particular challenge since as Mary Hanafin observed last week, he is very much alive. That leaves the Irish teacher facing a class tomorrow in a difficult position.
Fine Gael’s Education spokesperson Brian Hayes suggested that what might be immediately useful to teachers is some extra guidance in how to teach the poetry, rather than rushing to remove it from the syllabus. This is a reasonable approach.
Personally I would find the challenge of teaching O’Searcaigh’s poetry next week incredibly exciting. Look at all the lessons that could be taught here. Remember that Leaving Cert students are 17 and 18 years of age and have grown up in a sexually and culturally aware environment. These are not the naïve teenagers of Nepal and well able for the challenges involved. Teachers are a mixed bag of the adequate, the occasionally awful and for the lucky student, the inspirational. The talented teacher could moderate a classroom analysis of immense value to students. The fact that the film will be shown on RTE television in March means that all students could see it and exercise their own judgement.
One aspect is how O’Searcaigh’s schoolboy experiences and broken heart have inspired his poetry. Ni Chianain’s interviews with the poet about love are sympathetic. Homosexuality is represented in popular culture by the charicatured campness of personalities like Graham Norton. Opportunities to hear a gay man speak about his emotions are rare. The only other time I’ve heard a gay man talk about love so movingly was listening to Senator David Norris at debates when I was a student in Trinity. Schools can be homophobic environments and a class would have much to gain by learning of O’Searcaigh’s experiences; how they wounded him and influenced his work.
Another discussion would the huge moral problem of how western people behave in poor countries. How do you start to draw the lines between charity and exploitation? The issue of sex tourism is a huge one in countries like Thailand where relatively rich white men can have their choice of sexual activities. If someone is poor and willing to take money for sex, are they entitled to make an informed decision about that? O’Searcaigh argues that his relationships were consensual but how can there be true consent when power and gratitude play such a strong role? You don’t have to go to a poor country to experience that. Learning about the power structure in relationships is a key life lesson for any person.
But there are many other lessons too. The media trial of O’Searcaigh provides vital material for how students should assess public debate : much of which took place between people who hadn’t seen the film : myself included. Ni Chianain had her own ethical questions to face. She went to Nepal to make one film and found herself making another. How did she deal with that challenge and did she do the right thing in proceeding with the film?
O’Searcaigh’s difficulties should not see him removed from the course, but rather the opportunity should be seized to teach these important lessons.
Imagine the student opening his paper in June. “Art is debased if the artist is debased. Discuss.” It’s almost worth doing the Leaving Cert for the chance to tackle that question alone.
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02.24.08
Posted in Uncategorized at 6:40 pm by Sarah
It’s a hoot. It’s a great old song, hilarious and we’ve GOT to win.
How much are tickets to Belgrade?
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Posted in Uncategorized at 11:50 am by Sarah
Great gas. The distinguished Senator has a pop at me in his column.
“MONDAY
Tune into Questions and Answers. First topic is the Mahon tribunal. Sarah Carey of the Sunday Times says that Bertie Ahern made fools of us all — and attacks the Sunday Independent. Second topic is Denis O’Brien and the FAI deal. Sarah Carey, although not angry at the way the Taoiseach was treated by the Mahon tribunal, is very angry at the way Denis O’Brien was treated by the Moriarty tribunal — and attacks the Sunday Independent.
Third topic is the Cathal O Searcaigh case. Sarah Carey condemns O Searcaigh and his “defenders” (although all four of them merely looked for fair play and have now fallen silent) — and attacks the Sunday Independent. The fourth topic is congestion, but this time Carey can’t find a link to the Sunday Independent. ”
Did I mention the SINDO in relation to Mahon? I can’t remember. I suppose he has a point. Still, not my fault if they take such farcical editorial positions. Anyway, I am quite chuffed. If making it to Q&A is an achievement, being slapped by Harris is definitely another.
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02.23.08
Posted in Sunday Times Columns at 6:19 pm by Sarah
I consulted Delia’s gardening book. Dig drills 1.5 inches deep, plant 6″ apart and drills 12″ apart. It took up a lot of room. She said to leave the top of the bulb exposed but not too much so the birds can’t pull them out. Cut the little flyaway bits if necessary. I wasn’t 100% happy with the result. They didn’t seem very…secure. I tried to firm up the soil around them.
We put newspaper on top to keep the weeds down and made holes where the bulbs (?) were. Then stones to keep the paper down. I broke when it came to the fencing. My skills were not up to the task. I couldn’t get any tension in the mesh and my bamboo poles were rickety. I announced to M I was abandoning ship and he was to take care of the fence. He tried to work out how we could do without the fence, but with our rabbit population, there is no alternative. I got bad tempered then, not helped by over indulging in white wine last night. I didn’t have the physical skills to do it myself and now required massive effort to persuade him to do it.
I took to the bed.
He arrived up with tea and assurances that the fencing was complete. We did an inspection and shared a sense of anticlimax. It looks a bit messy: newspaper, stones, crooked fencing.
But then he flew the kite for the boys and I made dinner and with the stretch in the evenings and the daffodils introducing a colour other than dense green and dirty brown to the landscape, we took pride in our work.
There will be a shallot harvest.
Only two crocuses so far. I think the rabbits must prefer crocus bulbs.
Tomorrow, asparagus.
Update: How quickly one goes from smug gardener to bad mother. While I wrote that T was pooing in the bath. One of the most disgusting clean-ups ever. And only myself to blame for not attending to him. uuuuuugh.
Further update: oops just read Jane Powers’ gardening column in the Irish Times. (Normally I hate that magazine – it should be subtitled Things To Spend Money On). And of course, I skipped the gardening column. ANYWAY she wrote about mulch. It appears I was supposed to wet the newspaper and then put grass cuttings on top. I can wet it tomorrow. No grass cuttings yet though…
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