Ah sure why would we need that here?

With our extensive experience of Ireland at BOBW, we've noticed more than once an attitude in the Irish Republic that there are lots of things that are viewed as perfectly sensible for other countries to have, but since everything is fine in the republic, why would we need that here? This attitude becomes glaring when the other country is our cousins across the border in Northern Ireland. The peace agreement called for all kinds of sensible reform of the system of government in Northern Ireland. But when proposals for similar reforms are floated in the Republic, the standard response is as in our title above. More oversight of the police? Well of course they need that up there but our lads would never get up to any of that stuff. Er, not exactly, as readers of the New York Times found out on Sunday. You can track the scandal described in the NYT article here. An amnesty for former terrorists? Very necessary for peace and reconciliation. But suppose the terrorist offence occurred in the Republic, involving the murder of a policeman? Well, that's different. On a lighter note, we read today that the Irish national airline Aer Lingus was forced to pull a section of songs from their inflight entertainment system on transatlantic flights. A Unionist politician objected -- correctly, in our view -- to songs from Derek Warfield, former member of the Wolfe Tones. Both as band member and solo artist he has been a tireless purveyor of what are politely called "nationalist" songs but are in fact thinly disguised odes to the current incarnation of the IRA. A quote from Roy Beggs, the politician in question, gets things just right:

Make no mistake about it, even a cursory listen to the lyrics of the aptly named Mr Warfield, shows a glorification of murder and terrorism under the guise of Irish republicanism.

To their credit, Aer Lingus quickly relented. But I think a week living in the Republic would drive Mr Beggs crazy.

Update: The Republic continues to exempt itself from the peace agreement. Amnesties are for suckers.