JOE couldn’t convince Fine Gael’s Michael Ring to stay away from the Irish dressing room in the summer when they caught up with him at Croagh Patrick for “Enda’s trek with Trap’s Green army.”
Charles Haughey was a master of the opportunistic photo-opp for political gain. Standing on the podium with Stephen Roche after his Tour De France win in ’87 and cozying up to the Irish football team at Italia ’90.
His Fianna Fail apprentice Bertie Ahern was no slouch in that department either, famously seeing off the Irish team at the airport as they departed for Japan and Korea.
Here’s the gist of what happened as recounted by Niall Quinn when Haughey marched into the Irish dressing room in Italy and gave a pep talk to the “Sons of Erin.”
Tony Cascarino: “Who the f**k is he?”
Niall Quinn: “Jesus Christ Cas! That’s the Taoiseach,”
(Andy Townsend sidles up the bench next to Cascarino)
Andy Townsend: “Who is it, Cas?”
Tony Cascarino: “I dunno. Quinny says he owns a tea shop!”
Unfortunately JOE couldn’t get reassurances from Minister of State for Tourism and Sport Michael Ring that this level opportunism and sycophancy will be avoided from members of the government this summer…he did have some very nice things to say about the his fine county of Mayo and Ireland’s sporting prospects this summer though, as you can see in the above video…
