A Soviet Once Again?

Here's my take on the recent Irish General Election -:

Despite dire warnings as to the imminent apocalypse that Storm Dennis would bring and the systemic, institutional incompetence that complements every action of the FAI management committee, from putting the bins out to appointing a Mani Pulite Chief Executive whose primary instinct isn't to lightly cook the books in order to bathe in money, the League of Ireland Premier Division got underway on Valentine’s Night. And what a thrill-a-minute spectacle it was, with a full slate of 1-0 scores, including Bohs, who deserve enormous credit for their brave, bold and compassionate Refugees Welcome away shirt, sponsored by Amnesty International, losing to a last minute goal at home to the Tallaght Corinthians. This game was moved to Saturday 2pm, not to allow the Phibsborough Casanovas to feel the sap rising in Doyle’s, but for “safety reasons,” as well as allowing RTE to broadcast it live. Except they didn’t, as the programme was cancelled, also for “safety reasons,” while the game went ahead in the teeth of a howling gale and torrential downpours.

 

If you think this semi-organised farce is par for the course, have a look at the latest incarnation of the First Division, which is kicking off this Friday 21^st February.  A fortnight ago I reported the thinking at the time was about an 11 team division, including both Shams Stiffs and Stab City Rockers, playing the reanimated First Division Shield as a semi-preludial kickabout.  Obviously, things changed. Treaty United, the latest, putative Limerick franchise, didn’t pursue their licence application, so we’ve got 10 teams, no Shield and hell coming west along the road, without a handcart to its name. Goodness knows when a Cork and Cobh double header by de Banks might be possible.

As ever, logic in Irish sport is provided by the GAA, especially the National Football League; 32 counties and 4 divisions. What could possibly be simpler than that? Well, there’s Kilkenny for a start. They don’t play football; full stop. Instead, London, whose home venue of Ruislip could never be mistaken for Skibbereen, take up the slack by assuming the lanterne rouge role by custom and practice, if not genetics.  Now, the League may be enjoying its 89^th year, but it is of minor importance compared to both the provincial titles and Sam Maguire, so it tends to be viewed as a competitive warm-up for the season proper. Taking that on board, it is a source of shame for the Rebel County that they fell into the third tier last year, though there are encouraging signs this time around, as Cork have reeled off 3 straight wins and sit top of the table. A win over Tipp at Semple Stadium on Friday night coming would be a major step towards promotion, though that would still not guarantee a place in the All Ireland qualifiers, unless the Leesiders book their annual place in the Munster final, for the usual annihilation by Kerry.

Putting playing performance to one side, massive respect must go to  the Cork County GAA board for an initiative that will see both hurlers and footballers  wear commemorative jerseys honouring Tomás Mac Curtain and Terence MacSwiney in their upcoming home Allianz League games. The sides will take to the field in black shirts featuring images of the two men, both of whom died in 1920 while holding the role of Lord Mayor of Cork.  The jersey commemorates the centenary of the election of Mac Curtain, as Lord Mayor of Cork in January of 1920, though in March of that year, he was murdered by members of the Royal Irish Constabulary. He was succeeded in the role by MacSwiney, who was arrested in August 1920 and interred in Brixton Prison. There, he went on hunger strike and died in October. Then, in December, crown forces launched a bloody rampage against ordinary citizens, which led to the burning of Cork, which saw damage to numerous houses, businesses, City Hall and the Carnegie Library. Forza Corcaigh. Rebels Abu.

Turning back to sport, the National Hurling League has also got underway. Now, considering that only 12 teams compete in the All Ireland Hurling Championship, it seems strange that the league sees 35 counties, comprising the 32 National Football League participants plus Lancashire, Warwickshire and Kilkenny, competing in 6 divisions (1A, 1B, 2A, 2B, 3A & 3B). The really fascinating detail is that the bottom 4 divisions are hierarchical, while the top two pay lip service to a parity of esteem, which is actually a way to avoid more than 1 of the top 12 being relegated. So far, so decent for the Rebels; wins over Westmeath and Tipp after an opening day single point loss to Waterford, mean that Cork have already assured safety, as Westmeath have lost all 3 they’ve played and have a points difference of -30.

Even at this relatively early stage, it appears there is a degree of clarity about future prospects, which is certainly not something that can be said about the direction of the 33^rd Dáil. Following the clutch of by-elections at the end of November last year, occasioned by the metamorphosis of 4 TDs to MEPs, including the Daly-Wallace Love & Gravy Train, there was little to suggest a semi-seismic change was incoming. Sinn Fein may have taken the vacancy in Dublin Mid West after Frances Fitzgerald stood down, and the Greens profited from one-time target of Father Joe’s Vanguardist Hit Squad, Clare Daly, taking her muscles to Brussels, but progressives in the south east had a kick in the bollox when Fianna Fail hoovered up Mick Wallace’s old seat, which suggested the old order wasn’t about to change. At least the Brexit Tragedy that resulted in Britain veering towards the outer fringes of right wing populism with Johnson’s election, had little if any impact on Ireland’s voters.

Superficially, it would seem that Ireland’s voters have voted for left wing nationalism in vastly increased numbers. While the logic of a United Ireland after Britain’s Brexit Suicide is compelling, self-determination is not the prime driver in the electorate’s choice, nor is radical environmentalism. In my eyes, the General Election on February 8^th produced an absolutely stunning rejection of the status quo. The twin versions of austerity peddled by the two formerly main parties, and Labour to an extent, have both been rejected out of hand by voters no longer hoodwinked with tales of Civil War daring do by both sides, 100 years ago.

Fianna Fáil may theoretically have the most seats with 38, if re-elected Ceann Comhairle Seán Ó Fearghaíl is included in their total, but things have changed since Dev’s Diaboliques and the Blue Shirts of Fine Gael were described a little over a decade ago as ‘heterogeneous in their bases of support, relatively undifferentiated in terms of policy or programme, and remarkably stable in their support levels.’  To me, the main difference appeared to be that the stereotypical gombeens that make up much of FF’s support, wholeheartedly approve of bribery and corruption as a tactic and tendency in civic office, while the flint faced, penny pinching unsmiling daily communicants in FG are conspicuously fastidious in their public dealings.

The Shamrock stasis changed for FF when BIFFO Cowen bankrupted the place and Angela Merkel placed a restraining fiscal chokehold on the 3 Green Fields, causing a fracturing of support at the 2011 election that they’ve still not recovered from. The pent-up resentment at Cowen's government resulted in a debacle for Fianna Fáil. The party suffered the worst defeat of a sitting government in the history of the Irish state, falling to only 20 seats for third place; the first time since 1927 that it was not the largest party in the chamber. In 2016, under the stewardship of the dreadfully dull, tranquilised automaton Micheál Martin, FF recovered to 44 seats. He has now piloted them to 37 or 38 deputies. That isn’t a credible revival considering the centrality to FF to the ideology and aims of the Irish state for most of its existence.

Mind Fine Gael are no better off either. That pompous martinet Enda Kenny looked so smug following the 76 seat haul in 2011 that left them perilously close to a majority; he wasn’t quite as pleased when their total tumbled to 50 in 2016 and quickly left the stage to count his pensions, resulting in the Varadkar Blandwagon that provided 3 years of shite government and secured a paltry 35 seats this time.  Not only is the FF / FG behemoth on its last legs, the Irish Labour Party, down from 37 seats in 2011 to 6 TDs now, the same as the ephemeral Social Democrats who have inherited the legacy of the late and unlamented PD, have absolutely no right to assume that they are the party for the working class. They’re finished, and the question of who takes up their mantle as the mass workers’ party is a fascinating and complex one.

Suffice to say, the ossified detritus of Father Joe’s Leninist Vanguard have less right than the Labour Party to claim that role. While Mick Barry is their lone TD, he is also the solitary left TD in the Rebel County. The lack of a significant Socialist voice in Cork, especially when compared to the ideologically charged atmosphere in Waterford for instance, is a source of shame. Barry may not be perfect but, as the semi-rehabilitation of the Fresh Prince of Tallaght, Paul Murphy, has shown, people can politically mature. Murphy may have grown up in a house with a front lawn bigger than his constituency, but his defection from Father Joe’s lot to his own RISE party, shows ideological development and a clear break with the institutional homophobia and stringent sexual morality that characterises the Taaffe on Liffey lot.

Richard Boyd Barrett, Gino Kenny and Brid Smith continue to lead the fight against the barbarity of capitalism as senior partners in the Solidarity: People Before Profit coalition, though they need to be aware of the immediate need to  reintegrate the sole Independents 4 Change TD Joan Collins to  any broad left alliance.  One of the features of Irish elections is the persistence of Independent TDs; the recent election saw 19 returned to Dáil Éireann. Few of them could be categorised as progressive in outlook, such as Catherine Connolly in Galway West, Michael MacNamara in Clare, and especially Thomas Pringle in Donegal, but overtures should be made to try and find a way for all Left TDs to work together. Sadly, there seems little fertile political thought among the remaining Independents. Some are FF or FG without a party membership, while the rest are a heady mix of loonies, gobshites and fundamentally corrupt small town thugs masquerading as crossbencher politicians.

 

How about this collection of worthless head the balls? The Healey Rae Brothers in Kerry who, along with shiftless yahoo Mattie McGrath in Tipp, are pro-life, climate change deniers with an obsessive belief that drink driving limits shouldn’t apply to their rural constituents. Now, apart from being publicans (there’s a surprise eh?), the Healey Raes have a brood of brainless offspring whose finest moment to date was a family get-together that involved lacing a lad from the diaspora in a queue for the chipper van at half 3 in the morning, on his first  trip back home since he was a bairn. Grand lads who appear to combine the best bits from Romper Stomper with the Hardy Bucks. There are the offensive homophobes and Islamophobes Michael Collins and Noel Grealish, carnivorous ecophobe Michael Fitzmaurice on a one-man campaign against vegetarianism, and my personal favourite, Verona Murphy, President of the Irish Road Haulage Association. Originally selected as Fine Gael candidate for Wexford, the Blue Shirts withdrew their support from this unfair colleen when allegations of workplace bullying surfaced, which she trumped with mindless, racist comments linking migrants to terrorism. There’s also that risible pair of former Shinners, who decided they could not embrace the speculum and the Ballot Box. Peadar Tóibín, head of clericofascist imbeciles Aontú, was returned in Meath West and Dana in a balaclava, Carol Nolan get the nod in Laois Offaly. I’m guessing they’re the only Diehards who liked to show off their Pro Life credentials.

 

So, that leaves 50 TDs to be accounted for. The Greens have a dozen seats, showing an incredible recovery following their near total annihilation in 2011. What is even more encouraging is their success carrying on across the country, with 4 deputies from outside the capital about to take their seats.  Hopefully they will have learned from the bitter harvest of climbing into coalition with BIFFO and the Boys, which is a lesson Sinn Fein need to learn. Quickly. Before discussing the incredible resurgence of Mary Lou’s lads, it needs to be stated that the best scenario for Socialists and the working class as a whole is another election, wherein the Shinners put their surprising modesty to one side and stand more candidates, especially in constituencies where they polled almost twice the quota of first preferences. The trick is to do so while appearing to be willing to form a government with either of the Old Firm, putting the blame on them for not forming a Government. Such a stance will make your average FG Joe sick with anger at the temerity of the Terrorists. The Blue Shirts brokered the Anglo-Irish deal, remember? In contrast, old style FF lads would be more than keen to engage in a few verses of A Nation Once Again after a few pinteens. The question of embarking upon executive power sharing may well be decided by the top tier of Irish capitalist interests who use both FF and FG as their errand boys and ideological catamites.

Crucially, Sinn Fein must realise that assuming the burden of office brings with it the heavy responsibility of representing the needs and aspirations of the entire working class across the entire 32 Counties, as well as all of Ireland’s dead who fell because of the activities and actions of British Imperialism and the worldwide capitalist system. It is an onerous task, but one that can be achieved by holding the nerve, embarking upon another election and electing a majority Socialist and Progressive Government, prepared to embark upon a mass programme of house building, rent cuts, investment in social services and preparation for a 32 County Socialist Republic.