Mr President?

It is not everyday that your colleague – or to be more precise – your boss puts his/her name forward for consideration for one of the highest offices in the land. 

As has been reported quite widely across the Irish media in the last 24 hours, Fergus Finlay has, as had been widely anticipated, declared his intention to seek the nomination of the Labour Party to run for the office of President of Ireland. 

With the current president Mary McAleese’s term ending in November 2011 an election for a new president of Ireland will be held in October 2011 and it already promises to be an interesting campaign.

Whilst the Irish presidency is largely a ceremonial office, the President does exercise certain powers with absolute discretion and as the current incumbent and her predecessor have shown, the office can also be used effectively to unite people and bring some sense of pride about the country during these fraught and uncertain times.

I have no doubt Fergus Finlay would make a terrific President of Ireland. Of course, as a card carrying and active member of the Labour Party, I am totally biased in saying this but I do genuinely believe that he has all the attributes, experience and capabilities required for the role. And did I mention he is by far the most likeable, humble and approachable CEO I have had the pleasure to work with.

The road to the Áras an Uachtaráin should be an interesting one!

Bring it on, I say.

Mum's the word!

Well, it may seem remarkably amiss of me not to have blogged much about the beautiful fruit of our earnest endeavours since his arrival. In this regard I have had no choice but to defer to E.’s Supermum. Herself! The One and Only! Il mio unico e solo! (Hey don’t ask me, don’t know where that sudden burst of Italian came from).

In her own inimitable style she is keeping an online diary chronicling her ‘adventures’ with our Wibbly Wobbly Wonder (well, maybe not so wobbly anymore on the eve of his half year ‘birthday’).

Of course I don’t need to read Kaya to know how absolutely amazing and altruistic she’s been since March 7^th. I see that first hand every single day. In fact, I do her a great disservice because that should actually be ‘ever since she discovered she was with child’ all those heady 450 days ago.

She did everything by the book and then some. Yoga, extra healthy diet (extremely challenging when you live with me); no occasional glass of red wine (E. will be told in no uncertain terms that mummy ‘sacrificed’ to keep his 10 toes and 10 fingers); pre-natal classes (all 7 of them, with me in tow) and of course the expecting mother’s bible, “What to Expect when Expecting”. You name it she did it!

Anyway, we watched Uma Thurman’s Motherhood the other day. When I say ‘we watched’ I mean she watched it first and then I watched it 24 hours later, the moral of the story being that BE (Before Ethan) we would curl up on the sofa and compromise on Jennifer Aniston and some fit dude romcom their way to another fat paycheck. Now ABE (After Birth of Ethan) she watches what she can during the day and I watch what I can in the evening and we compare notes.

Anyway back to Uma. Despite being mercilessly panned by critics and punters alike and being an unmitigated box office dud, we both agreed that it was a pleasant enough entertainment (which probably means we would be utterly hopeless as film critics). More importantly however, it highlighted the ludicrous moral judgments that society makes on mothers every single day without appreciating their tremendous role.

More pertinently for me though, the film reminded me of how easily and conveniently dads, more often than not, overlook the selfless and sometimes unsupported multitasking roles and tasks that mothers undertake daily.

We, the plonkers that we can be sometimes,  revel in the misguided notion that well, She seems has everything under control judging by how ‘easily’ she is juggling all and sundry. Bring on the Champions League and American Football then!

All I can say Honey is that I more than appreciate and marvel at everything that you are doing and lean on me when you need to or even just want to! Pull me back from the brink when I’m that insensitive and inconsiderate oaf that you do not recall being present at our wedding.

And I’m sorry for all the times I’ve left you to carry the load on your own and I have not been aware of your needs.

You are a wonderful and amazing mum and I'm sure in his own time (when he start sto talk I suppose) E. will let you know how much he loves you and appreciate all you're doing for him.

Oh and darling, keep that excellent blog going I reckon it will be turned into a  international best-selling book, a movie starring Halle Berry as you and one of Will Smith's kids as E. and  it will of course fund our lavish retirement!

I love you. And THANKS! 

The Catholic Church In Africa

The news that an Irish-born Catholic Archbishop in Nigeria had resigned (The Irish Times - Tuesday, June 1, 2010) because he had been ‘unfaithful to his vow of celibacy’ led me to wonder whether the Catholic church in Africa had escaped the child abuse scandals that have plagued Ireland, the United States and several other countries around the world. 

The archbishop had also previously been accused of child sex abuse, an allegation he has denied. 

It is interesting that so far, there have not been any major eruption (comparable in scope in Ireland, the US, etc) of child sex abuse scandals in Africa, where the Roman Catholic Church probably has even more significant influence almost similar in some instances, to the kind of influence that the Church had in Ireland in year gone by. 

I believe that with the African congregations consistently shown to be very devout, loyal and by the same token, very deferent to the church hierarchy, this in my mind creates conditions where abuse could be rife especially amongst the rural poor. 

Even as a non-Catholic growing up in Zimbabwe, I was aware of how unquestioning the general populace was of the authority of the Church (to be fair, here I would include all the other major religious denominations too). 

Having been educated by the Christian Brothers in Zimbabwe for all my six years of second level education, I must say I received a really excellent all round education and had an altogether great experience (the CBCs in Southern Africa, which are mainly independent and private, are some of the best schools in the region). 

During those 6 years, I had the fortune to be mentored by some very dedicated and inspirational Irish Christian Brothers, amongst others and therefore would be the first not to make any generalizations. Still I wonder whether any abuses that may have taken place within the African church will ever come to the fore.

Where's my vuvuzela

At last, the FIFA World Cup kicks off today, vuvuzelas and all and with Ireland having been robbed of iwhat had appeared to be its rightful place in South Africa, the quadrennial (biennial, if you include the European championships) question arises as to whether Irish soccer fans can countenance supporting  our English neighbours. Due to the post-colonial angst still pervading the Irish psyche due to the centuries of English subjugation, the question is raised time and time again. Certainly considering the high levels of support that English Premier League teams, particularly Manchester United and Liverpool, have in Ireland it is a legitimate question to ask. An outsider arriving could be forgiven for thinking that it should make no difference whether Wayne Rooney or Steven Gerrard are representing their country or their respective clubs. Of course, the football gods could be mischievous enough in this world cup and pit current enemy number one France against the ol' enemy England at some point in the tournament. Who to support then could be an interesting dilemma for those avid fans who feel compelled to choose sides. Actually, the question should be which of the two countries’ exit at the hands of the other will ensure record amounts of the black stuff are drowned in joyous merriment across the land. I ask this question, because several years ago, I was accosted by an irate and inebriated woman who took it upon her sorry self to express her displeasure at my ‘absolute cheek’ to wear the bright red ‘away’ England jersey. I was certainly taken aback to say the least and even though I was aware of the long arduous history between the Irish and the English I did not think this woman’s reaction was called for. Anyway, it should be interesting to see how both teams progress.

A Newborn's Conversation with God

A bit kooky I know but I couldnt help posting this, having got it from my dear sister.

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A baby asked God, "They tell me you are sending me to earth tomorrow,

but how am I going to live there being so small and helpless?"

God said, "Your angel will be waiting for you and will take care of you."

The child further inquired, "But tell me, here in heaven I don't have

to do anything but sing and smile to be happy."

God said, "Your angel will sing for you and will also smile for you.

And you will feel your angel's love and be very happy."

Again the small child asked, "And how am I going to be able to understand

when people talk to me if I don't know the language?"

God said, "Your angel will tell you the most beautiful and sweet words

you will ever hear, and with much patience and care, your angel will

teach you how to speak."

"And what am I going to do when I want to talk to you?"

God said, "Your angel will place your hands together and will teach

you how to pray."

"Who will protect me?"

God said, "Your angel will defend you even if it means risking its life."

"But I will always be sad because I will not see you anymore."

God said, "Your angel will always talk to you about Me and will teach

you the way to come back to Me, even though I will always be next to you."

At that moment there was much peace in Heaven, but voices from Earth

could be heard and the child hurriedly asked, "God, if I am to leave

now, please tell me my angel's name."

God said, You will simply call her, "Mom."