Top Issue 1-2024

15 May 1997 Edition

Resize: A A A Print

Editor's desk

The Irish News spent the run-up to the Westminster election waving the flag for the SDLP (prompting Gerry Adams to tell Irish News editor Tom Collins on TV that his paper was ``the SDLP's An Phoblacht'' - an insult to us which we have suffered quietly).

Now there is evidence that the trauma of the Sinn Féin victories was too much for Tom. In an editorial on Tuesday he simply airbrushed the new MPs out of history when he wrote: ``the general election has changed little in Northern Ireland - all the same parties are in place with all the same policies''.

What's that taste? Sour grapes?

 


An interesting little statistic to ponder is that Gerry Adams's vote in West Belfast was greater than the combined first preference votes of John Bruton, Dick Spring and Proinsias De Rossa. And they refuse to talk to Gerry Adams. Come on lads, show some respect.

 


Still on Gerry Adams: he has often been wrongly accused of wearing Armani suits but last week he revealed the source of his underclothing. Speaking at the launch of the Sinn Féin general election campaign in the 26 Counties he contrasted his impoverished party with the heavily funded establishment parties, the friends of Ben Dunne. ``I have bought acres of underpants from that man and he never gave us a penny,'' admitted the new MP.

 


This week in Belfast Mary Harney met the SDLP and David Trimble launched his local election manifesto. And what did the media concentrate their questions on? Why, Sinn Féin, of course. Would they enter talks? Would parties meet them? And on and on. The British Parliament opens and what does the Irish media concentrate on? Why, Sinn Féin's access to Westminster.

So the next time the same media say that political progress can be made without Sinn Féin, just count the number of times they top the agenda and ask why.

 


In the Dutch equivalent of Eason's a slick new magazine has hit the shelves. It's called ZIN (Sense) and is a lifestyles magazine aimed at twentysomethings who are interested in films, music, travel and politics. Their first editorial states: ``The letters IRA may give you cause to think of Catholic bomb throwers, but with ZIN they stand for a somewhat healthier mix of Idealism, Realism and a little bit of Anarchism.''

Which, as my source rightly says, sounds surprisingly like the real thing.

 


A subversive radio advert has caught my ear. A sombre voice booms out: ``This is the Internet Army Council'' and repeats it a couple of times so that your attention is grabbed. Then, in a twist which might forever banish a classic peace process cliche, the voice says, ``It is time to move the Internet price war forward.''

What next? All-inclusive washing powder? All-party lager?

 


Ballymun Stick Seán O Cionnaith has been busy writing to local shops and businesses asking them not to advertise an anti-drugs rally organised by COCAD, the anti-drug community network in Dublin. He comes up with a novel reason for avoiding COCAD. They are, he writes, a ``Provo IRA/INLA'' front. Just the type of excuse you'd expect from a politically ambitious Stick who is himself a leader of a little anti-drugs group.

An Phoblacht
44 Parnell Sq.
Dublin 1
Ireland