Ireland

Miriam Lord: How Mike Pence shat on the new carpet in Ireland’s spare room

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Stoical smiles as US vice-president delivers strong endorsement of Johnson and Brexit

The hospitable hosts buttered up their important guest and made a big fuss of his family and hoped he would say nice things about them to the important people he would meet after his visit to Ireland.

And he told them they were wonderful and that he loved them. He even said a special prayer for everyone and then, just before he left, he turned around and kicked them where it hurts.

It came as a shock.

Like pulling out all the stops for a much-anticipated visitor to your home and thinking it has been a great success until somebody discovers he shat on the new carpet in the spare room, the one you bought specially for him.

US vice-president Mike Pence met President Michael D Higgins and Taoiseach Leo Varadkar on Tuesday during an official visit. His Irish hosts, up to their oxters for the last three years in Brexit worry, hoped to impress upon him Ireland’s fears about the consequences of a no-deal Brexit for the country.

He could, maybe, stick in a supportive word for us in his talks with Boris Johnson in London – his next port of call.

Pence, after all, is Irish American and wastes no opportunity to go misty-eyed about his love for the “Old Country” as he lards on his Mother Machree schtick on both sides of the Atlantic. He couldn’t praise Ireland enough on Tuesday – “deeply humbled” and “honoured” to be going to the hometown of his mother’s grandmother and so on.

Strong endorsement

But, after he said all these nice things about the “Emerald Isle” and how much his boss Donald Trump – he sent his best wishes, by the way – appreciates us and all we do to help American security in Shannon, he delivered a very strong endorsement of Boris Johnson and Brexit.

No room left for doubt. As Pence read from the autocue and Irish eyes definitely stopped smiling, it was clear he was channeling His Master’s Voice. Trump is a fan of Brexit and of Boris.

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‘I’ve relished it’: The Derry Girls talk about their platform for change

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Stars of the hit show told The Big Issue what causes they’re willing to fight for in this week’s magazine as Nicola Coughlan heads to Westminster to protest Northern Ireland’s abortion laws

By Hannah Westwater

In 2018, TV super smash Derry Girls stopped viewers in their tracks. It showed the joyful mundanity of life that continued even during the Troubles, while telling a timeless tale of friendship between girls. The cast spoke to The Big Issue ahead of the Derry Girls series 2 premiere, and made it clear that their time between filming was certainly not wasted.

Jamie-Lee O’Donnell, who plays Michelle Mallon, told The Big Issue she has “relished” being able to use her voice to raise awareness for issues of social justice. “It is one of the perks of the job,” she said. “I am working with an abortion rights charity and on women’s sexual health rights. Abortion is still illegal in Northern Ireland and that is something we feel quite passionate about.”

Co-star Nicola Coughlan, who appears as Clare Devlin, agreed. The group were really involved with the Repeal the Eight campaign, she said, which was “an important time for Irish women – and it is still a situation in Northern Ireland”. She also felt a responsibility to champion LGBTQ charities after playing a gay character.

Louisa Harland, Orla McCool in the show, backed her up. “It is still illegal in the North to get married if you are gay. It is legal in the UK which they are part of, and it is legal in the Republic, as is abortion now. So we feel strongly about the North being recognised.

She added: “Nicola’s character Clare wouldn’t be able to get married today. That is ridiculous.”

And mental health is close to the hearts of O’Donnell and Dylan Llewellyn (who plays James Maguire). “Dealing with suicide in young people is quite close to home for me,” Llewellyn explained, adding that he wants to encourage people to address it and be made to feel comfortable expressing themselves.

O’Donnell said: “Mental health is a big issue in Derry and Northern Ireland, especially men’s mental health and suicide awareness.

“I grew up in a town where things like that and substance abuse were quite bad and still are. So I am always happy to help out if I can by using my face from acting, lending my voice. It has affected me personally and probably everyone I know in Derry.” [ . . . ]

Full Story at THE BIG ISSUE: ‘I’ve relished it’: The Derry Girls talk about their platform for change

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Give Us a Tune: Sergeant William Bailey

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Lancum when they were Lynched

TRADITIONAL

Sergeant William Bailey was a man of high renown
Tooral looral looral looral loo
In search of gallant young recruits he used to scour the town
Tooral looral looral looral loo
His face was full and swarthy, of medals he had forty
And ribbons on his chest red white and blue
It was he that looked the hero as he made the people stare O
As he stood on Dunphy’s corner tooral loo

But alas for human greatness every dog he has his day
Tooral looral looral looral loo
And Sergeant William Bailey he is getting old and grey
Tooral looral looral looral loo
No longer youths are willing to take his dirty shilling
And things for him are looking mighty blue
In spite of fife and drumming no more recruits are coming
For Sergeant William Bailey tooral loo

Sergeant William Bailey what a wretched sight to see
Tooral looral looral looral loo
His back that once was firm and straight is almost bent in three
Tooral looral looral looral loo
Some rebel youths with placards have called his army blackguards
And told the Irish youth just what to do
He has lost his occupation let’s sing in jubilation
For Sergeant William Bailey tooral loo