IT SMELLED to high heaven and, as one observer noted, it was a stench that came from an institution in terminal decay and which had no recourse other than to sup with the devil. The vote in the British House of Commons last week when the nine DUP members and three mavericks (described by some newspapers as 'The Dirty Dozen') shamelessly threw a lifeline to Gordon Brown that in the long run may prove to be the noose around the neck of New Labour. Free article

Is dóigh liom nár chreid an formhór againn a chruinnigh le chéile san Ospidéal Ríoga, Cill Mhaighneann, oíche Shathairn seo a chuaigh thart go mbeadh deis againn riamh Leonard Cohen a fheiceáil beo ar stáitse. Tá 15 bliain ann ón uair dheireanach a rinne sé turas ná seónna. Anois, ag am ina shaol nuair a bheadh oirfidigh eile ag lorg an phinsin in aois 73 dó tá L. Cohen ar thuras domhanda agus tháinig timpeall 36,000 amach chuig trí sheó ag an deireadh seachtaine lena 40 bliain d'amhránaíocht, ceol agus filíocht a cheiliúradh. Agus céiliúradh a rinne muid. Free article

CIARA decided that a birthday party for one of her chums would be more fun than going to see the Dublin hurlers - as if! (I really am watching too much Nickelodeon these days.) Free article

THE wailing and gnashing of teeth from Tara Street, Abbey Street and Montrose could be heard all over the country last week as the ungrateful, ignorant loo-lahs of Ireland refused, in that time-honoured Irish tradition, to accept the judgment of their betters on the Lisbon referendum. Free article

An Phoblacht's famous weekly satirical column. Free article