Feb 25 2006
Jaysus, lads. You can’t be doing that.
EDIT: Doh! Have only just realised now why the Jervis Centre was closed as I walked by it after leaving NM to catch her Luas. And Dossing Times has a good entry on the progress of the riots.
Went to see I, Keano in the Olympia today. Was very enjoyable.
Back in 2002 a civil war erupted in Ireland. On one side those who believed Roy Keane was right to insist on perfection. On the other, those who though Mick McCarthy and the team should stick together. Out of the drama came I, Keano a comedy musical play by men responsible for Gift Grub[1] and Father Ted. The writers; Arthur Matthews, Mario Rosenstock and Michael Nugent have transplanted the action back to Ancient Rome, with General Macarticus as he prepares his team for upcoming battle. Among the soldiers are Quinnus[2] and of course, the greatest warrior of them all, Keano. This run is, I think, its third in the Olympia, and today was the last showing before it heads off to the UK[3]
It was really good. Myself and NM were laughing the whole way through. The actor[4] playing Keano was fantastic, barely contained rage simmering all the time. And his scenes with the “great hair-dryer god” Fergie were fantastic. He did almost break character and piss himself laughing at one stage, but that just made it better.
I’m not sure if some of the jokes will work outside Ireland. Quinnus’ wife Surfia gets her name from the Surf adverts she has made. Still, I’m sure that most will work fine.
If you get the chance I’d say go along.
And then I got home to find out that I’d missed the riots. Yes, riots. There was supposed to have been a Love Ulster parade down O’Connell St. today. They are a loyalist/unionist group[5] who want to promote unionism blah blah NI politics. Anyways, certain individuals decided to cause a bit of trouble. Republicans[6] thought they’d stop the parade and, according to RTE, began attacking the gardaÃ, photgraphers and journalists. Poor old Charlie Bird was even hospitalised[7]
Businesses along the route were forced to shut as gardaà and members of the Garda Riot Squad forced the protesters down O’Connell Street.
Further skirmishes broke out at O’Connell Bridge, Aston Quay, Fleet Street and Temple Bar.
The most serious violence was in the Nassau Street area. Three cars were burnt out, windscreens were smashed and businesses had their windows broken
Glad I didn’t pop along for a gawk amn’t I?
But if one good thing comes from this, hopefully it’ll help persuade people that Sinn Féin and their supporters aren’t really interested in peace and democracy. The Community at Large has a collection of links in this post
Oh, and congrats to Scotland who defeated England in the rugby. Now no one can win the Grand Slam, but the Six Nations is now wide open. Hopefully it’ll be a good match tomorrow and we’ll defeat Wales.
- a skit radio segment ↩
- fresh from constructing yet another children’s hospital ↩
- In Manchester ↩
- originally played by Mario Rosenstock, but he has returned to Gift Grub ↩
- Love Ulster ↩
- though what sort of republic can you have with democracy? ↩
- he has since been released ↩
