YOU HAVE to hand it to Enda. It takes courage to stand at the edge of a windswept cliff when your government is suffering a severe bout of pre-referendum wobble.
There were emotional scenes on Loop Head in Co Clare yesterday afternoon, when the Taoiseach connected with the spirit of his Sign the Contract ardfheis speech in 2007.
Hopes were high for a return to government then. Enda had instilled a new confidence.
“With his humanity, his vision, he mended our broken spirit,” trembled Lucinda, who joined a plot to oust him three years later.
This was the night the Fine Gael leader told us about his grandfather, James McGinley, a lighthouse keeper on the west Atlantic back in the 1930s.
This ordinary man stayed true to his contract and kept the light going on Loop Head because sailors’ lives depended upon it, said Enda, all choked up.
Then he invited the people of Ireland to enter into a contract with him to bring about a better Ireland.
There wasn’t a dry eye in the house.
A month later, Bertie Ahern called the general election and Fine Gael lost it.
So one can understand why a visit to
Loop Head Lighthouse might prove emotional for Enda – but at least he’s Taoiseach now. His grandfather would be proud.
And what about that other Loop – the one which some of his Ministers don’t appear to be in? Richard Bruton’s hastily retracted gaffe about holding a second referendum, being the latest example.
Ruairí Quinn offended on Wednesday with a quickly clarified comment on delaying ratification of the treaty, while some Ministers aren’t being allowed out at all in case they put their foot in it.
Richard’s little embarrassment was greeted with glee by his Dublin North Central colleague, Finian McGrath. Independent deputy Finian has been the butt of a lot of jokes over his refusal to say whether or not he supports the fiscal treaty. He was also a bit miffed when the Minister bagged Dublin football manager Pat Gilroy to speak at a public meeting in the constituency on Wednesday night.
“What do you get if you put a Meathman and a Dub on the same team?” asks Finian. “An own goal!” And his verdict on the Government’s pre-referendum wobbles? “Fence-sitters 1. Yes campaign 0.”
