MORE to follow
So are we all sitting comfortably?
I have a sizzling €25 Golden Discs voucher to give to the reader with the best entry to the question: what is your favourite music video from the 1990s?
Here’s mine.
The winner will be chosen by my parole officer.
Lines MUST close at 10.30pm Extended until 2am.
Nick says: Good luck!
Earlier: Alone in My Room
Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht Josepha Madigan at a press conference in Government Buildings earlier today
This evening.
On RTÉ’s Drivetime.
Broadcaster Mary Wilson interviewed Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht Josepha Madigan.
Ms Wilson asked the Fine Gael TD about the “shame on you” comment she made in the Dáil yesterday, and her refusal to respond to any concerns raised by TDs – including a concern about 79 people testing positive for coronavirus in one nursing home.
Ms Madigan, who was opposed to yesterday’s Dáil sitting because of social distancing protocols, attended a press conference this afternoon in Government Buildings to announce a string of artistic initiatives.
Ms Wilson asked her what was the difference between attending Leinster House yesterday and the press conference today. She said there was a “big difference” between them.
They had this exchange.
Mary Wilson: “You had no problem, minister, straying from home today to come and announce your support for the arts community. Yesterday it was about not straying…”
Talk over each other
Wilson: “….and attend a press conference and attend a press conference, presumably involving some officials and advisors on your side. We had the Arts Council and Creative Ireland represented, there was more of the media present. So what was the difference between that and Leinster House?”
Josepha Madigan: “There’s a very big difference. There were only four of us there today, all of us coming in from Dublin. Everybody in the Dáil comes, as you know, we represent the entire country. It’s something that I really think, if we’re trying to give the message of the public health guidelines asking people to wash their hands, asking people to social distance, asking people to follow all those guidelines like, you know, using good cough and sneeze etiquette and all of these things.
“We need to demonstrate that ourselves. And I felt very much yesterday that the public representatives, who wanted the Dáil to sit were the public representatives that just want to grandstand.”
Wilson: “The questions were legitimate weren’t they, minister?”
Madigan: “Oh absolutely. All questions are legitimate…”
Wilson: “So was it fair to say ‘shame on you’?”
Madigan: “And all questions should be answered. Yes, I do think that. And Minister Harris took a note of all their concerns and he will be coming back, as I said, to Deputy [Stephen] Donnelly yesterday with that in relation to it.”
Listen back in full here.
Breaking: @alankellylabour holds commanding lead over rival @AodhanORiordain in race to become leader. With 25% of votes counted, Kelly leads by 57% to 43%, say sources #iestaff
— McConnellDaniel (@McConnellDaniel) April 3, 2020
Oh dear.
More as they get it.
Previously: ‘Let’s Make Labour Sexy Again’
Update:
I’ve just called @alankellylabour to congratulate him on his election as leader of the @labour party.
I can’t thank my campaign team & my family enough for their support over the last few weeks.
Time now to unite and work together for our great party and our country.
— Aodhán Ó Ríordáin (@AodhanORiordain) April 3, 2020
Tonight.
Meanwhile...
Congratulations to @Keir_Starmer, the new Leader of the Labour Party!#LabourLeadership pic.twitter.com/i2PjxXaWMf
— The Labour Party (@UKLabour) April 4, 2020
This morning [Saturday].
The UK Labour Party has also a new leader.
Hot Wheels
at
Behold: the 1966 Ferrari 275 GTS – the finest Ferrari convertible of its day. Only 200 were made and this is number 114.
Originally sold in America clad in silver, this car was imported the the UK in the 1980s and painted red then finally resprayed black during an extensive restoration by Roelofs Engineering in 2013 gaining full Ferrari Classiche Certification.
Price on application but you can probably expect seven figures.
Are You A F-ing Comedian?
The second in Liam Hourican’s ‘characters in isolation’.
Liam writes:
Ritchie Harte takes action against the ‘coughing prank’…
Earlier: Kitchen Nightmare
Grand Fetch
at
‘Sup?
This afternoon.
Yorkie pup Elmo fetches a tennis ball as they lark about with owner Deirdre in Merrion Square, Dublin 2.
Arf.
The votes are in.
Last week, with a crisp €25 Golden Discs voucher to be won, I asked what song you would most like to see beamed into your living room via a virtual gig by a living artist.
You answered in your tens.
But there could only one winner.
Third Place:
Dogging by Fascinating Aida
Cu Chulainn writes:
Because I can’t get out to ‘walk the dog’…
Runner up:
The Foggy Dew by Sinead O’Connor & The Chieftains
Italia 90 writes:
For my Irish famiIy and friends, we fought the Corona before…Sinéad O’Connor & The Chieftains – The Foggy Dew. And for my Italian family and friends, you fought the fascists
and still fighting today Bella Ciao – FonoIa Band
Winner:
Sorcerer by Stevie Nicks and Sheryl Crow
Slightly Bemused writes:
Stevie Nicks. Anything by Stevie Nicks. I would just love to relive the time I saw her with Fleetwood Mac a number of years back (I am not disclosing anything). She was magical!
But what song to choose? I am going with Sorcerer, which first came out in the wonderful Streets of Fire, but I really like her version with Sheryl Crowe. If I win, can I get both of them in my prize?
Thanks all.
Last week: Win Nick’s Voucher
Ghostcrash
at
The menace of invisible cars. Unnerving visual trickery by Dontao Sansone (even he of yesterday’s ‘Concatenation’) in which one of the cars in a series of crashes has been digitally removed.