Bertrand Russell on The Sate

In view of the vastness of the Sate, most men can find little political outlet for initiative except in subordinate organizations formed for specific purposes. Without an outlet for political initiative, men lose their social vigour and interest in public affairs: they become a prey to corrupt wire-pullers, or to sensation-mongers who have the art of capturing a tired or vagrant attention. The cure for this is to increase rather than diminish the powers of voluntary organisations, to give ever...

Anything Britain can do, Ireland can do later

Yet another brainwave by the public servants of Ireland. This time the Gardaí want people fingerprinted who have been arrested for getting  drunk and mistaking Mary Harney for a bouncy castle. Perhaps in Canada they adopt the policy castoffs of the US? In Portugal to they nose under the dinner table of Spain? I'm not sure but with spectacular brilliance the Irish government employee can be sure to choose that policy that has already been implemented in Britain. In Britain they went a step furt...

True Irish Character?

The following letter appeared in yesterdays Irish Independent. We prefer to moan than to seek change Wednesday April 07 2010 IN response to Tom Butler (Letters, April 4), regarding the rejection by his audience and every "right thinking" Irish person of Ryan Tubridy's call for street protests, I feel that this does really show the worst of the Irish national character. We will moan and bitch to each other about how bad things are until the cows come home, and finish the lament wit...