It’s a sad day for Ireland. Maybe I’ll just leave it at that. Let it hover. And not mention our hapless prime minister Brian Cowen who insisted for the past several days that we were not in negotiations with the IMF et al. At least the governor of the Irish Central Bank was candid this morning. But what kind of imbeciles does Cowen think we are, hiding behind jargon, patronising the people who – perish the thought – put him in power. And what kind of prime minister holds on to power knowing that if he went to the country his party would be decimated? This goverment sold themselves to the electorate last time on the grounds that the economy would only be safe in their hands. As jokes go, it’s a howler. This government has no moral right to govern. A short three-week campaign could see a new government installed which had a mandate from the people to lead us through the next four years. But those in power will never willingly cede it. Do they honestly believe that were they to leave power that Ireland would be in a worse state than it is in today? ‘Shite and onions!’ as James Joyce once said.