MAGIC MEETING AS LEADERS DO A LITTLE BONDING
Magic' meeting as leaders do a little bonding
By MARESE McDONAGH
IT'S hard to say really whether they were following in the footsteps of St Patrick, John Wayne or Ronald Reagan, all notable characters associated with the Cong area.
Saintliness of course is not a trait much associated with politicians but when Tony and Bertie strolled together among the hydrangea at Ashford Castle yesterday the amount of good will flowing between the pair was positively inspiring.
Then again I've lost count of the number of rimes Tony deferred to our man, our masterful Sean Thorntonesque "Quiet Man", our Bertie "the hell I will" Ahern who really was king of the castle - at least for the day.
If Mr Blair said "could I just echo what the Taoiseach was saying" or "as the Taoiseach has already told you" one more time we'd have told him to change the record. At their joint press conference Tony literarily nearly lost his head with all the nodding he did every time the Taoiseach opened his mouth.
Come to think of it, this didn't start in "magical Mayo" (the local tourist board said thanks for that one, Tony). Bertie announced those infamous Draconian security measures just week. Tony followed suit a few days later. Bertie went to Omagh on Saturday. Guess where Tony was this week? Bertie's almost immediate response to Omagh was to recall the Dail and Seanad for special sittings next Wednesday and Thursday to get the legislation passed as quickly as possible. The House of Commons and the House of Lords are - surprise, surprise - reconvening next Wednesday and Thursday.
Bertie Wayne was in Mayo for a mini-holiday this week when he suggested to Tony (they're on the phone all the time) that they get together at Ashford Castle which is where he happened to be staying on Tuesday night. Hence the helicopters flying over Kilkelly yesterday and the garda checkpoint on the road leading to Knock airport.
The meeting lasted for two hours but by all accounts they were in complete agreement on absolutely everything.
Everybody was delighted that the Taoiseach did invite Mr Blair to Cong yesterday because it would be hard to find a more beautiful spot to spend a sunny summer's morning. Local anglers Mick Maye and Jim Foy were delighted as well, mostly because the British prime minister's comment - "I can see now why they say Mayo is magic" - was broadcast by several television stations.
Mick and Jim reckoned this could be the best boost since 1951 when John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara stayed in Ashford Castle during the making of the "Quiet Man".
There's a story that when John Wayne asked one of the locals what kind of weather he could expect in Cong he was told that as he looked over Lough Corrib in the morning if he could see the mountain it was sure to rain and if he couldn't it was already raining.
Maybe it's a good omen that before John Wayne came to Cong "The Quiet Man" was supposed to be about violence between Republicans and Black and Tans but they opted for a love story instead.
By MARESE McDONAGH
IT'S hard to say really whether they were following in the footsteps of St Patrick, John Wayne or Ronald Reagan, all notable characters associated with the Cong area.
Saintliness of course is not a trait much associated with politicians but when Tony and Bertie strolled together among the hydrangea at Ashford Castle yesterday the amount of good will flowing between the pair was positively inspiring.
Then again I've lost count of the number of rimes Tony deferred to our man, our masterful Sean Thorntonesque "Quiet Man", our Bertie "the hell I will" Ahern who really was king of the castle - at least for the day.
If Mr Blair said "could I just echo what the Taoiseach was saying" or "as the Taoiseach has already told you" one more time we'd have told him to change the record. At their joint press conference Tony literarily nearly lost his head with all the nodding he did every time the Taoiseach opened his mouth.
Come to think of it, this didn't start in "magical Mayo" (the local tourist board said thanks for that one, Tony). Bertie announced those infamous Draconian security measures just week. Tony followed suit a few days later. Bertie went to Omagh on Saturday. Guess where Tony was this week? Bertie's almost immediate response to Omagh was to recall the Dail and Seanad for special sittings next Wednesday and Thursday to get the legislation passed as quickly as possible. The House of Commons and the House of Lords are - surprise, surprise - reconvening next Wednesday and Thursday.
Bertie Wayne was in Mayo for a mini-holiday this week when he suggested to Tony (they're on the phone all the time) that they get together at Ashford Castle which is where he happened to be staying on Tuesday night. Hence the helicopters flying over Kilkelly yesterday and the garda checkpoint on the road leading to Knock airport.
The meeting lasted for two hours but by all accounts they were in complete agreement on absolutely everything.
Everybody was delighted that the Taoiseach did invite Mr Blair to Cong yesterday because it would be hard to find a more beautiful spot to spend a sunny summer's morning. Local anglers Mick Maye and Jim Foy were delighted as well, mostly because the British prime minister's comment - "I can see now why they say Mayo is magic" - was broadcast by several television stations.
Mick and Jim reckoned this could be the best boost since 1951 when John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara stayed in Ashford Castle during the making of the "Quiet Man".
There's a story that when John Wayne asked one of the locals what kind of weather he could expect in Cong he was told that as he looked over Lough Corrib in the morning if he could see the mountain it was sure to rain and if he couldn't it was already raining.
Maybe it's a good omen that before John Wayne came to Cong "The Quiet Man" was supposed to be about violence between Republicans and Black and Tans but they opted for a love story instead.
Further Information
Publisher: IRISH INDEPENDENT
Ref: II/124
Published Date: 27-Aug-98
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