Posted by JDP on January 30, 2001 at 19:42:16:
This has been a favourite Sunday morning radio programme for many decades now - the gentle unhurried tone of Ciarán Mac Mathúna is the same as it was when he first introduced (as Gaeilge agus Béarla), his recordings of jigs, reels, camáilles and other pieces of traditional music and anecdotes It was the perfect accmpaniment to the traditional after Mass fry ( all local produce) on Sunday mornings.Alas the fry is off the menu, in this hotel anyway, but the bould Ciarán lives on T.G.
Ciarán recently made reference to Breandán O hEithir, a journalist and broadcaster from Inis Mór, who sadly died about ten years ago. This prompted a lengthy search for a book, which was penned by Breandán in the 80s on the theme of Irish begrudgery since the foundation of the State. Eventually it was found in about seven seconds after calling on the assistance of "she who knows where everything important is"
The Begrudgers Guide to Irish Politics. Poolgeg Press 1986. An entertaining read, it deals in some detail with " the sacred cows and scrub bulls of Irish Life: the Language, the Left, the Churches, th Arts, the Meeja, the Subversives and some other lesser known animals"
A chapter on censorship cotains hilarrious exchanges in Dáil Eireann between a Government Minister and a backbench T.D. which will be nostalgic for those who started secondary school in the mid 60s, entertaining to all natives and probably unbeleivable to all friendly alien lurkers. Details to follow.