Santa Brings Early Christmas Presents for Mullins and Walsh *

Thousand Stars on his way to victory in the Morgiana Hurdle (c) guardian.co.uk

SANTA Claus made an early visit to Punchestown’s Winter Festival on Sunday and his sleigh was full of Christmas gifts for Ruby Walsh, Willie Mullins and the racegoers who enjoyed some top class racing underneath a bright winter sun.

The only people who weren’t on Santa’s Christmas list were the bookies. They were reeling by the end of the day as six of the seven favourites obliged.

It was a star studded weekend for Ruby Walsh who followed up Kauto Star’s magnificent and emotional triumph at Haydock on Saturday with a treble here, including the feature Morgiana Hurdle on Thousand Stars.

The grey’s trainer, Willie Mullins, has been in scintillating form recently with two trebles last week but he out did himself with four winners on Sunday. His champion hurdler, Hurricane Fly, was due to make his seasonal reappearance in the Morgiana Hurdle but Mullins was forced to rule him out of the race on Wednesday.

Thousand Stars spent much of last season chasing his illustrious stablemate’s shadow but he proved himself a more than capable deputy as he led from pillar to post under Ruby Walsh.

It was an impressive performance by the pair. They set off in front and Ruby let Thousand Stars bowl along at the head of affairs. He never saw another horse during the two miles and crossed the line five and a half lengths clear of Oscars Well. It was a much deserved victory for Thousand Stars who came into the race with the best form, having been placed in the Champion Hurdle here and at Cheltenham behind Hurricane Fly, and just failing by a nose to land the Aintree Hurdle.

Afterwards Mullins paid tribute to Thousand Star’s consistency. “He runs up to his mark every race and has earned a lot of money being placed in Grade Ones last year and he picked up a Grade One in the end. He is some servant to have and I wouldn’t mind a few more like him.”

The grey was adding a second Grade One victory to the one he claimed in the French Champion Hurdle and a return to Auteuil in June is on the cards for him. “He’ll be entered in everything. He’s good enough to run in the Champion Hurdle but he’ll certainly get an entry in the World Hurdle. Going back to France will be the main aim for him this season,” said Mullins.

“He had a lot in hand over the other horses and I was fairly confident coming into the race. He’s a very good horse in his own right but he’s been in Hurricane’s shadow a long time. He’s a versatile horse and a good jumper of hurdles. He’s a nice horse to own,” added winning jockey Ruby Walsh.

The day started with the first of Walsh and Mullins’ presents to the punters as red hot favourite So Young obliged in impressive fashion in the Paul Carberry Autobiography Hurdle. He ranged up to long time leader Fully Funded on the run to the second last and took it over jumping that flight and forged clear to win in a canter.

Mullins was pleased with how So Young strengthened up over summer but the victory has left him with a dilemma over where to go next. He has an entry in the Hatton’s Grace at Fairyhouse on 3 December but the trainer isn’t keen to take on the country’s top hurdlers so soon after running in the testing ground.

“He looked a stronger horse than last year. I’m very pleased with that. We’ll see how he comes out of it but we might be looking at the three mile hurdle at Leopardstown at Christmas.

“He will be a very hard horse to place but we will be aiming him towards the bigger festivals in the spring but I’m not sure what path we are going to take at this time.”

There were never any doubts in punters’ minds about the winner of the Ladbrokes.com Mobile App Handicap Hurdle. Ruby Walsh treated racegoers to a masterclass in holding tactics. He held Dare to Doubt up in rear and stealthily crept forward down the back straight to come between the leaders rounding the final bend and take over the lead going to the last.

Mullins revealed that a change in tactics had brought about big improvement in the filly. “That was a great ride by Ruby. We changed tactics with her this year. She was breaking her heart  from the front so we decided to settle her in behind and it’s worked.”

Michael O’Leary was another who Santa brought some early presents for. His Gigginstown House Stud owned three winners, including the aptly named Make Your Mark who landed the bumper in fine style in the hands of Patrick Mullins. It was his father’s fourth winner of the day and Make Your Mark will get the chance to do that over hurdles next as he is set to go novice hurdling.

Patrick was pleased with the horse’s performance and hoping that his father’s winning run will keep going. “He was a little keen early on but he will probably be a stayer on better ground. They are flying and Dad has them in great form. Hopefully they will stay that way till Christmas.”

Davy Russell delivered O’Leary’s other presents. On a day of multiple winners he too got in on the act with a double. Dedigout won the maiden hurdle in O’Leary’s colours for trainer Tony Martin.

Last Instalment was an easy winner of the Grade Two Florida Pearl Novice Chase. Russell tracked the pace setting Four Commanders. He took over the lead on the run to the second last fence and Last Instalment galloped clear on the run in.

Trainer Philip Fenton was delighted with Last Instalment’s win. “I’m pleased all round. That was just perfect. He ran round and jumped well. He takes it all in his stride and I couldn’t have asked for anything more for him today.”

Future plans for Last Instalment are ground dependent. “Cheltenham is the dream but we are a long way away from that. Soft ground is important for him and we will have to feel our way with him.”

The day’s other Grade Two event, the Craddockstown Novice Chase was the only race not to be won by the favourite. Days Hotel made an eye catching start to his chasing career here last month and Henry de Bromhead’s charge followed up the promise of his debut victory.

The finish looked like being a battle to the line with favourite Lucky William as both horses jumped the last together but Days Hotel forged clear on the run to the line, with Lucky William six and a half lengths adrift in second.

Days Hotel’s victory didn’t even bring some early Christmas cheer to the bookies as he was a well backed second favourite.

* This article first appeared in The Nationalist on 22 November 2011

Rules Still Whipping Up a Storm

In the first of a three part series, Aisling Crowe speaks to one of the least heard voices in the the controversy to date - animal welfare advocates. *

ANIMAL welfare organisations have a role to play in racing. Their influence is becoming more pronounced on how racing is run and they also have a large role to play in the perception of the sport among the public in general. In drawing up the new whip rules the BHA’s Review Group consulted with Britain’s three major horse welfare organisations. World Horse Welfare was one of those.

World Horse Welfare wanted to see a major behavioural and attitudinal shift in perceptions of the whip by jockeys, trainers and owners. They felt that the new rules were a step towards producing this. However the organisation’s chief executive, Roly Owers, was extremely disappointed by the changes made to the rules.

“We have said throughout the review that it is important for any penalty structure to be aimed at changing the behaviour of jockeys as well as trainers and owners. The rules and the penalties have now been weakened, which must decrease their chances of working,” he said.

The charity was particularly dismayed by the removal of the limits on how many times a jockey can use the whip after the last obstacle in jump racing, fearing that the scenes many animal rights groups found distressing at the end of this year’s Grand National could be repeated.

Owers welcomed the fact that financial penalties remain for some infringements but was disappointed that overall these have been made less stringent. “It is unfortunate that this has been watered down, but we appreciate that a significant financial deterrent for jockeys that overuse the whip remains.

“We feel that by hitting the pockets of the minority who do so will make them think twice before they use their whip. No one should profit at the expense of the horse.”

However, like many people involved in animal welfare organisations Owers thinks that the rules do not go far enough to protect the welfare of horses involved in racing and that if these new rules do not provoke the attitude shift the organisation believes is required, then more drastic measures need to be taken.

“If these rules do not change behaviours and attitudes of all those directly involved in racing, we see no other choice but to call for a move to hands and heels racing, with the whip used only for safety.”

Danielle Crosbie is a volunteer with the DSPCA in Dublin and a horse owner. She agrees with Roly Owers call for a move to hands and heels racing. “Riding skills should be enough and jockeys should use hands and heels. At the very most they should be allowed to carry a whip for safety but it doesn’t need to be cracked off the horse’s side every two minutes.”
Crosbie never carries a whip herself when out horse riding but accepts jockeys’ arguments that they need to carry one for safety reasons. However she believes that this is the only reason they should be allowed to use the whip and that using a whip to increase the horse’s speed is wrong and should be banned.

She argues that it would nullify jockeys’ concerns over safety and the effect of the new rules on their concentration.

“It’s understandable that they would be concerned. They have a lot to think about, worry about and focus on. They should only use it if they are in trouble and that would rule out having to try and remember how many times you hit the horse before and how many times you can hit him now.”

Crosbie agrees that the penalties are excessive for being just one strike over the limit but for constant infringements she feels the sanctions are not strong enough. “On the one hand it is excessive for just one strike over the limit but on the other hand the ban should be severe for going over the limits. Whips cause stress to horses in an already stressful situation.”

* This article first appeared in The Nationalist on 8 November 2011

The Rulemakers who Created a Storm

In the second of a three part series Aisling Crowe examines the role of the racing authorities in the ongoing controversy over the new rules on the use of the whip. *

In November last year the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) announced that it was setting up a Review Group to undertake a wideranging study of the use of the whip in racing and devise new rules in relation for the use of the whip. The Group consulted with trainers, owners and jockeys representatives, the British racing schools and leading animal welfare charities including World Horse Welfare. It also considered scientific re-search into the whip and the design of the whip.

In a statement the BHA said, “The report set out clear principles behind the role of the whip in the sport and the need to ensure that the Rules surrounding its use robustly safeguarded the welfare of both jockeys and horses, and protected and enhanced the reputation of Racing. The Review was clear regarding the need to achieve behavioural change amongst jockeys and others; a change in attitudes towards the whip was required.”

The BHA acknowledged that public concerns about the use of the whip were a factor in their review, although that review began before the high profile cases that drew widespread public criticism earlier this year.

“Whilst this process was commenced before the issue was brought to wider public attention, the importance of the review was highlighted by the widespread and significant public comment following a number of high-profile breaches of the Rules.” The public perception of racing is vital if the sport is to grow and prosper and the images from the Grand National and Royal Ascot were damaging to the sport’s public image.

The rules made on the recommendation of the review board were announced on 27 September and came into effect on 10 October. The new rules were much stricter than the previous ones and the penalties for breaking them were severe. Initially the report was welcomed by the Professional Jockeys Association, but within the first week of riding under the new rules disquiet among jockeys grew. Amid threats of strike action the BHA undertook a review of the new rules.

They made some minor adjustments to the rules but essentially they are much the same. The number of times that a jockey can use the whip during a race remains the same but the restriction on the final furlong or from the last obstacle was removed.

A jockey can only hit a horse seven times in total during a flat race and eight during a jumps race. The limits are currently half of what they were under the old rules. “Again, the Board emphasises that these numbers must be viewed as upper limits and not a target number for jockeys in race,” the BHA reminded jockeys.

Under the original new rules the jockey lost his riding fee and share of any prize money even if he was just one strike over the limit. Now this has been changed so that the jockey no longer loses his riding fee if he is in breach of the rules.

In relation to prize money, previously if the ban was for three days the jockey lost his prize money. This revision increased that to seven days. So a jockey who is one strike above the limit no longer forfeited his share of the winners’ purse.

However these changes were not enough to quell the and jockeys till continued to incur long bans for breaking the rules by just a single strike. So last Thursday, 10 November, the BHA announced they were making further changes to the penalties. Their research found that the overwhelming amount of bans jockeys have been picking up were for hitting the horse just once or twice more than the limit so they decided to reduce the bans for these cases.

Now if a jockey exceeds the limit by just one strike then he gets a two day ban, if its two strikes the ban is five days and for three strikes it is a seven day ban. Seven days remains the trigger for losing prize money so jockeys will not lose their winnings if they are just one or two strikes over. Second offences will still see a doubling of the ban.

The new penalties also mean that for just being one strike over the limit a jockey will still be able to ride in a Grade One race because for every other offence a jockey can commit bans less than four days have a Grade One exemption.

Despite these adjustments there remains some disquiet amongst jockeys over the limits on the use of the whip in jump racing in particular and the severity of the sanctions for breaking the rules.

In their latest statement the BHA said that it will maintain dialogue with the PJA (Professional Jockeys Association) and monitor the impact that the rules will have over the winter.

“The sport as a whole now needs to cooperate to make the new Rules work, and move forward to achieve what we all want to see – a firm but fair set of Rules that promote competitive racing, and safeguard welfare and the reputation of British Racing, “ added BHA chairman Paul Roy

“I broke the rules and I better not break them again. It’s going to be a long winter, unfortunately,” said AP McCoy after he picked up his first ban under the new rules last week. Despite the adjustments announced by the BHA, for jump racing and especially for jockeys, it is going to be a long winter of discontent. 

* This article first appeared in The Nationalist on 15 November 2011

Jockeys Can't Win in a Catch 22 Situation

In the third of a three part series Aisling Crowe talks to Irish champion jockey Paul Townend to get the jockey's view on the new whip rules. *

(c) independent.ie

The controversy over the whip rules in England continues to rumble on. Although new penalty structures were introduced last week, there are still concerns over the effects the rules will have on the jumps season.

With the national hunt season gaining momentum and the big meetings coming up jockeys concerns over the implications of the rules are heightened. Two bans picked up for a single strike over the limits could rule a jockey out of one the winter’s big races.

However jockeys haven’t always helped their cause. The public uproar that greeted Jason Maguire’s use of the whip on Grand National winner Ballabriggs helped to generate the rule change but two months before that Maguire got a five day ban for marking Cool Mission with the whip. Maguire had ridden him seven times before that chase in Doncaster last February and he had never once marked him but this is the kind of scenario the BHA are trying to eradicate with the new rules.

Other jockeys have overused the whip in races but haven’t always been caught because they finished down the field or because the horse wasn’t physically hurt. The mental scars for a young horse who has been on the receiving end of an overly strong whip hand can be long lasting and have a detrimental effect on his career. Horses remember bad experiences they have been through on the racetrack and don’t want to go through them again.

In all of this controversy it has to be remembered that jockeys are the ones with the most to lose. Chances to win races and career opportunities will be lost. More importantly, they are the ones with careers and livelihoods on the line. Every time they are banned, they can’t go to work so they can’t earn money. Especially in the times we are living in, it’s a huge worry for them.

Irish champion jockey Paul Townend explained how difficult the new whip rules are for jockeys and gave his perspective on the whip controversy. Paul hasn’t ridden under the new rules but he is still well placed to voice his opinion on them having watched the controversy unfold over the last seven weeks.

“They (BHA) had to be seen to be doing something but I think they took it too far. What they are doing is ruining racing. I haven’t rode over there with them yet but it seems to be very hard to stay within the rules.”

Many people in the animal rights movement believe that whips should be banned completely but spending your days perched precariously on top of an animal that weighs half a ton and soaring over jumps at speeds greater than thirty miles an hour gives you a different perspective. For jockeys the whip is vitally important in controlling racehorses.

“I don’t think they understand what we are hitting them with and why. You are riding a horse with just a light saddle and bridle so you need the whip just to control him. Some horses come off the bridle too far out in a race so you need the whip to make them come back on the bridle. They are not whips anymore. They are just a bit of foam but they are essential to horses just to control them.”

The rules apply to all races regardless of distance. In a flat race a jockey can hit the horse seven times, in a jumps race it’s just one more. So in a five furlong sprint, the shortest race distance, a jockey can hit his horse seven times and in the Grand National, which is four miles and four furlongs long, the jockey can hit the horse just eight times.

“It’s probably a bigger problem for the jumps lads than the flat lads. There should be a difference between flat and jumps. There is a big difference over five furlongs and three miles. The amount of times you can hit a horse in a jumps race has to be more than one more than in a flat race,” Paul argues.

There is also confusion among jockeys about what type of strike will get them banned. The rules were thought to apply to hitting the horse behind the saddle and that taps down the shoulder didn’t count. Jockeys tap a horse on the shoulder to correct him or keep him concentrating. It’s important for controlling the horse and for safety but the stewards appear to be counting these corrective measures when totting up their bans.

Paul says that the situation should be clarified. “They said that they were counting hitting him behind the saddle and not anything that was for correcting the horse but they are counting down the shoulder now. They should define what is for correction.”

On top of all the other things jockeys have to concentrate on during a race, they now have to remember when they hit a horse and how many times they hit him. Earlier this month, Barry Geraghty described the effects of this on jockeys’ concentration as similar to talking on a mobile phone while driving. This suggests that the new rules impact on the safety of jockeys and horses during a race and Paul agrees.

“You can only concentrate on so many things at the one time. You’re trying to watch what’s going on around you, watch what horses are jumping bad, what’s going well and then you’re trying to ride a finish and now you have to remember how many times you hit him earlier on.”

The new rules mean that it’s a catch twenty two situation for jockeys. If they hit the horse they risk a ban and in other situations if they don’t hit the horse they will incur the wrath of the stewards.

“You will have horses wandering right and left in the last furlong. You can’t hit him down the shoulder to control him because you don’t know if you will get done for it.

You’re damned if you do and damned if you don’t. If you don’t try and control him you will get done for careless riding. If you wander off a straight line or if you do hit him a belt you will get done for that too. There is no winning really.”

If the situation continues on like this it will have an impact on where jockeys ride and whether they travel over to England. For the likes of Ruby Walsh and Barry Geraghty, who have associations with leading British trainers Paul Nicholls and Nicky Henderson, the situation is even more complicated. Bans picked up in England apply over here.

“It wouldn’t stop me travelling over because you want to ride in the big races. It’s not too bad for me because I only go over for the big meetings but for the likes of Ruby and Barry they can’t justify going over for racing during the week for so little money with the risk of getting banned,” Townend explains.

“They can’t even come back and ride on big days here. If you get banned for three days you can still ride in a Grade One race but not with a five day ban,” he explains. Under racing’s rules bans for three days or less are not in effect on Grade One days. The adjustments made to the rules mean that a second ban for being one strike over the limit, or any ban for being two strikes or more above it, will rule jockeys out of Grade One races.

It’s not just jockeys who suffer because of the rules. “It’s not fair on owners. They put a lot of money into the sport and we wouldn’t be there without them. They see horses that need a belt to try and win and they don’t get it. They will leave racing and go to other sports.”

It’s difficult to see what the BHA can do to improve matters without losing face or damaging relations with stakeholders but it is clear that the current situation is damaging for racing and it will probably only get worse as the winter goes on.

“It’s just so messy at the moment and it’s hard to know what they are going to do. The old way was grand for us. Everybody was happy enough but I imagine it would be difficult enough to go back to it. The cruelty crowd will just kick up again if they go back to the old ways,” Townend suggests.

* This article first appeared in The Nationalist on 22 November 2011

Toulouse Show Connacht How Far They Have To Go

Connacht 10                                                                                                                  
Toulouse 36

It was a long time coming but an occasion worth waiting for. The day the Heineken Cup finally came to town and Connacht’s supporters weren’t found wanting. The Sportsground was a cauldron, bubbling with excitement and anticipation from early afternoon.
Over 9,000 people crowded into the newly built terraces for the match everyone had been waiting for. The team took to the pitch amid a cacophony of sound and a blaze of fireworks. With all of Europe watching, Connacht wanted to put on a spectacle. Sadly it was Toulouse who put on a show on the pitch.
In their hearts the players know they didn’t perform as well as they can. They didn’t hit the heights of last week’s game against Harlequins but Toulouse didn’t let them. That Harlequins game proved Connacht are no soft target, an easy four points for the giants of European rugby. Toulouse coach Guy Noves had studied that match intently and paid Connacht the ultimate compliment of playing his strongest side, if it’s possible to pick one for Toulouse. They had a game plan, strangling the life from their opponents and cutting off their possession.
It was never going to be easy and so it proved. World Cup finalists against a team with a single Irish international. Four times champions against a team making their home debut in the competition.
Toulouse started with intent and purpose. They were determined to quell the vociferous and passionate home crowd and took every opportunity to do so. Beauxis opted to kick every penalty he could and Toulouse had steadily built up a lead before Bouilhou crossed for their opening try on 22 minutes. Things got worse for Connacht seven minutes later with Mike McCarthy’s sinbinning and Beauxis added three more penalties before half time.
In the second half Connacht worked hard and typically displayed the resilience and courage that has got them here. Supported by a passionate home crowd they never gave up and fought on through the second half. Their perseverance was rewarded with a penalty try with just ten minutes to go but Toulouse were just too good.
Captain Gavin Duffy was magnificent under the high ball and combined excellently  with Tiernan O’Halloran. It was Duffy’s running and off loads that led to the penalty try. In the centre Dave McSharry and Eoin Griffin showed sparks of attacking flair, even when Toulouse had Connacht under pressure. And the pressure from the four times champions was relentless. The forwards were under immense pressure throughout the 80 minutes but they kept going right to the end.
Afterwards, a visibly emotional Gavin Duffy spoke about the incredible atmosphere around the Sportsground and how the occasion lived up to his imaginings. “Yeah it was incredible, it was unbelievable to be honest with you.”
Duffy admitted that Connacht had been at their best but could still take pride in their performance against the French aristocrats.
“Their transition from defence into attack was a bit of an eye-opener as well, the way they attacked the breakdown, their off-loads. I think they were very, very good. Perhaps we didn’t hit the high standards we have hit over the last couple of weeks but I think we can be proud of our efforts as well.”
Coach Eric Elwood paid tribute to the supporters and staff who had worked tirelessly to create the incredible occasion. “I said from day one that it's really important to recognise that these games in the Heineken Cup are opportunities not just what we do on the park but off the park as well. A great credit has to go to the people that came here, there was great colour, the ground was transformed into what looked like a sporting arena, so that was encouraging.
“People made themselves heard and the lads did their bit, so it was that whole inclusive package we wanted to sell that makes us feel we can grow.”
He also acknowledged the supporters who have been there through the bad days and hoped that some of the 9000 who filled the Sportsgrounds last night will return on the wet and windy Friday nights when the opposition is less glamourous.
“We're trying to build something here and I hope people keep believing in what we're trying to do on the pitch. Obviously the growth off the pitch is important, too, and we want people to buy into it, it's about people coming up every Friday, every Saturday, no matter who we are playing," he added.
Connacht failed to do themselves justice against Toulouse and they are a much better side than they showed last night. Maybe now, with the hype and history consigned to the past, Connacht can concentrate on rugby and give themselves and their supporters a chance to make nights like last night a regular feature in their future.
Scorers – Connacht: M Nikora (1 pen, 1 con); penalty try. Toulouse: L Beauxis (4 pens, 3 cons, 1 dg); J Bouilhou (1 try); Y Nyanga (1 try); penalty try.
Connacht: G Duffy (capt); B Tuohy; E Griffin (H Fa’afili 67); D McSharry; T O'Halloran; M Nikora; P O'Donohoe (F Murphy 52); B Wilkinson; A Flavin (E Reynecke 50, yc 76); R Ah You (D Rogers 50); M Swift; D Gannon (R Ofisa 54); M McCarthy (yc 29-39); J Muldoon (TJ Anderson 64, A Flavin 76); G Naoupu.
Toulouse: C Poitrenaud (L McAllister 51); M Medard; F Fritz; Y Jauzion; V Clerc; L Beauxis; L Burgess (N Vergallo 62); Y Montes (JB Poux 69); W Servat (G Botha 51); C Johnston (J Falefa 51); G Lamboley; Y Maestri (R Millo-Chluski 56, Y Nyanga 68); J Bouilhou (capt); T Dusatoir; L Picamoles (G Gallan 60).

Referee: G Garner (England)

Going Back

“I think I’m goin’ back to the things I learned so well in my youth”

Every Christmas Eve we went through the same routine. Six over excitable children bursting with anticipation, unable to control their feverish delight and seven tired adults desperate for some respite from the tumult and to see them tucked up in bed. Nana went for her walk up the road in the dark. She would return, every time with some momentous news.

She had bumped into one of Santa’s elves and he told her that Santa was on his way. Children scurried in every direction, anxious to get to bed as soon as possible. Me and my sister hurried to our room. My cousins sprinted up the hill to their house. Clothes were scattered everywhere, pyjamas pulled on hastily and children tucked up in record time.

Another Christmas morning we woke to find that someone had attacked Nana’s Christmas cake. A chunk had been taken out of it during the night. It had to be Santa – he had left some evidence behind.  The indentations of his chubby fingers on what remained of the cake.

Sadly, this wasn’t the worst of his crimes. He had also stolen one of Nana’s good plates, which she had left the biscuits on for him.

After breakfast, when the cousins arrived down to show off their bounty they were told in hushed tones of the grave offence that had been committed. All presents were soon forgotten and games pushed to one side.

We took the theft as seriously as Gardaí investigating a bank robbery. Enquiries were conducted and a search for the stolen plate was launched but it was never recovered.

We came to the conclusion that it was now occupying pride of place on Santa’s dresser in the North Pole.

“Now there are no games to only pass the time no more colouring books no Christmas bells to chime”

I’m an adult now and, it finally dawned on me, I have responsibilities. Being part of that adult world you have to leave magic and wonderment in your childhood and become sensible and serious. Getting excited over Christmas isn’t the done thing. You have to be less Tiny Tim and more Ebeneezer Scrooge.  

I join in with the general chorus of disapproval over the crass comercialisation of Christmas. The Christmas ads starting on television as soon as Halloween is over? It’s terrible. They shouldn’t be allowed till the start of December. I nod my head and agree.

Every year people complain that the build up to Christmas begins earlier and earlier. They repeat the same criticisms, like a broken record. The shops laden with Christmas gifts and foods, the towns and cities resplendent in lights and decorations, the Christmas songs played on the radio. All these are major grips at this time of the year and I whinge along with the best of them.

I was in Dublin last week and as we passed Grafton Street I noticed the Christmas lights were aglow. I pointed this out to my friend and informed him that there were still seven weeks to go to the big day. He said all the usual things about it being too early to have the lights on and, as always, I agreed with him but inside I was thrilled to see the street illuminated by thousands of tiny bulbs.

“I think I’m returning to those days when I was young enough to know the truth”

You see, the thing is, I love Christmas. Sure I go along with all the complaining and moaning about it so that I can seem grown up and responsible. It’s what I thought I had to do now that I’m an adult but that’s not how I really feel about Christmas.

For me, it’s not just my favourite time of year, it’s the best time of the year. It retains all the magic it held for me as a child. It captivates me. All through November and into December the anticipation builds as it draws ever closer.

When I was a child I looked forward to seeing what had been left under the tree for me (I still do!) but now giving gifts are more important. I love Christmas shopping, wandering through the city centre and browsing the shop aisles, seeking out the perfect gifts for my family and friends.

I enjoy wrapping the presents and tying them up with the ribbon I bought to complement the glitzy paper. Above all I love seeing the joy on people’s faces when they receive a gift and I get a warm glow from appreciative texts on Christmas morning.

I love baking Christmas cakes and treats. Engineering the layers of the sherry trifle is undertaken with military precision. Cooking Christmas dinner with my mam is another militaryesque operation but I enjoy it and its a hugely important part of Christmas for me.

I love Christmas so much that I don’t even mind the arguments over decorating the Christmas tree and the air turning blue with the rants over the tangled Christmas lights and the blown bulbs. They are as much a part of Christmas as wishing for snow.

We always strive for perfection at Christmas but somehow we never seem to achieve it. It isn’t the one day in the year when harsh words are not spoken or all the cracks in our fractured relationships are papered over, like the movies suggest. Perfection isn’t possible, even at Christmas and that’s part of its charm and why I love it so much. We try. To be better people, to live better lives. Thats the true meaning of Christmas.

I knew this when I was a child but somewhere along the way it became obscured, lost in the fog of growing up and believing that to be an adult, the best part of being a child had to be left behind. I now know it doesn’t and this Christmas I’m going back to those childhood truths.

“But thinking young and growing older is no sin and I can play the game of life to win”

My Grandad's Legacy

Politics matters in my family. Always has, always will. It stretches back through the generations.

Harry Boland, Michael Collins and Eamon de Valera irishtimes.com

My grandfather had a deep interest in politics and history. A Fianna Fail supporter, he was the party to his core but not to the exclusion of other viewpoints. Born in 1911, in an area that had its share of violence, his childhood bore witness to the difficult and traumatic birth of the nation. Like so many who grew up during the struggle for independence, he was shaped by it.

Unlike many of his generation, he was interested in both sides of the story. A keen historian he devoured every book that was published on both De Valera and Collins. A unique man. His collection of biographies is a testament to him. His influence from beyond the grave still has a hold over his family. Although he died when I was just ten, I knew he was Fianna Fail and I knew what his political will would be.

Politics mattered to him. Voting mattered to him. Back in the eighties he once arranged for my aunt in law to be driven back to her home town of Bangor, Co. Mayo to vote. She hadn’t registered to vote in Ballycastle and as she couldn’t drive he arranged a lift for her. She was driven to the polling station by a Fianna Fáil man. He may have been politically motivated but he wanted her to cast her vote.

Last Thursday for the first time in my life I didn’t vote. I haven’t held the right to vote for that long so its not as huge a statement to make as someone who stopped voting after fifty years but it was a big deal to me. Politics and voting mattered to me. I always believed that I had a responsibility to vote. The right to vote was dearly bought for this country and for women. Rivers of blood were spilled and thousands of lives were lost. That knowledge has always weighed heavily on me. My Grandad’s influence too. I have always encouraged my friends to vote and pushed them to register. Now look at me. I have become what I despise - a hypocrite.

The reasons I came up with were logistical. I live in Laois. To vote I would have had to get a train home on Wednesday evening. I would have cast my vote on Thursday and caught a train back down to Galway to work on the radio show I present on Friday mornings. Then I would have had to come home again to work. I also had a huge amount of assignments to complete. I felt the hours travelling would be better used in working. Returning home to vote was impractical and probably illogical but still I feel ashamed.

In the end the truth is, I just didn’t care enough. I’m not sure if that reflects more badly on me than on the candidates. Actually to say I didn’t care enough is only half the truth. In the last eight months I have felt badly let down and betrayed by politicians. I voted for the Labour party in the General Election. I believed their promises but they lied. I thought they were different but they turned out to be just like all the rest. Their deceit and their power hungry behavior since have soured my views on politicians and politics. I have lost faith in them. They even facilitated my political no show by scheduling the election on a Thursday.

In a way I felt that I was letting Grandad down, that I failed him. On a wider level, as a woman I failed Emily Pankhurst and the countless unknown heroines of the Suffragette movement. As an Irishwoman I failed the faceless thousands who gave their lives for this nation’s freedom. I failed James Connolly and Jim Larkin, Harry Boland. I failed my own Irish hero of politics, patriotism and socialism Michael Davitt. And I failed my grandfather’s twin heroes Michael Collins and Eamon DeValera.

There were no thunderbolts from heaven though I’m sure Grandad wasn’t impressed by my failure to vote. Maybe the celestial disapproval never came because Fianna Fail didn’t have a candidate. The party whose founder invented the position, the party that has dominated and shaped Irish society for eighty years, is now so weakened and enfeebled that it failed to contest the election. The soldiers of destiny couldn’t marshal the troops for the battle. He’s probably looking down on them, saddened by their fate.

Though in the grand tradition of Fianna Fáil Sean Gallagher could be seen to be the party’s unofficial candidate. I think if I had voted I would have given him my number one, not just because of Grandad but because Gallagher isn’t a politician. Maybe that lack of political experience cost him the Presidency. That’s a story for another day.

I am ashamed of my apathy. I can make all the excuses in the world but in the end I have to be honest with myself and call it like it is. Admitting to yourself that you have a problem is the first step. To others, the excuses I gave for not voting were reasonable. To me, when I reflected on my actions, they weren’t. Unlike my ancestors and heroes I took the easy way out. While they were willing to lay down their lives for what they believed in, I wasn’t willing to give up six hours of my time to travel home and then back to Galway to vote.

Maybe that’s my inheritance. The legacy handed down through the generations, from Grandad on, isn’t the party you support or who you vote for. In the end it’s simply voting. I won’t let him or myself down again.

It's About Pride

Walking around the NUIG campus trying to get the views of students on the Irish football team was an interesting and thought provoking experience. What surprised me most was that a lot of the people I spoke to had no interest in the fortunes of our national team. “I don’t have a clue who they are playing in the play offs and I don’t really care,” said Blaithin Conroy. Her opinion reflected the views of many of the students I spoke with. 

“How the Irish football team do doesn’t bother me in the slightest,” said Eimear Squires.  “I have absolutely no idea. It’s boring for me,” added Shane Callinan. These views illustrate the apathy and negativity towards our football team from young Irish people.

I’m not sure what is the reason for this. Maybe it's because rugby has overtaken soccer in the popularity stakes. Rugby has exploded onto the national consciousness with the heroic exploits of Munster and Leinster in the Heineken Cup and the national team finally delivering that elusive Grand Slam triumph in 2009. 

Over the last ten years Irish people have been starved of anything to cheer about on the soccer pitch. Since the 2002 World Cup penalty shoot out loss to Spain the Irish soccer team have failed to qualify for any major championships. The heart break of that November night in Paris is all the Irish team have given their fans over those intervening years. 

With no success on the pitch and the FAI embarrassing themselves in public and squandering every opportunity for good publicity that they get, maybe it’s no surprise that many young Irish people don’t have the same passionate support for our national team.

It’s not bleakly hopeless. I spoke with some people who still care about the Irish soccer team and their fortunes despite everything. “I still care about the football team because it’s important to support your national team,” said Éilis Tuohill. These sentiments were echoed by others including Cathal Ryan: “I do care about the national football team, maybe it’s something to do with national pride.”

At a time when the country needs something to lift it out of the doldrums and give us all something to feel proud about once more maybe we should turn once more to our soccer team. There are some who credit Italia ‘90 with bringing prosperity to these shores. 

The last time we qualified for the European Championships we were in the midst of a recession so maybe now Trappatoni can lead it us to economic growth. That’s probably stretching it too far but for a couple of weeks next June our economic woes (and who knows how awful things will be then) will be pushed off the front pages as our soccer team plays in its first major championships for ten years. 

It's time for Trappatoni and the Boys in Green to take up the mantle that our rugby players have worn with pride and do themselves and the country proud in Poland and the Ukraine next summer. 

It’s also time for Irish people to the legacy of the fans who went on mad cap adventures back in those heady days of the early nineties. The credit unions might not be as willing to give out money for invisible extensions as they were then but we have to support our soccer team whatever way we can next summer. It’s a matter of national pride.

Connacht Let Another One Get Away

For the second game in a row Connacht let victory slip from their grasp. Just like the Leinster match three weeks ago they had a commanding half time lead but again they collapsed in the second half.

In a crazy two minute spell after the restart they went from being eleven points up to three points behind and chasing the game. They never gave up on it but those two moments of madness cost them dearly and instead of coming away with the victory they ended up with just a losing bonus point to show for their efforts.

Two lapses in concentration by the defence let the Blues in for two soft tries. Cardiff started the second half with intent and purpose and with less than a minute on the clock Alex Cuthbert was over in the corner, showing deft handling skills and lightning pace. The crowd had barely time to catch their breath before the Welshmen scored a second. The buildup to Casey Lualala’s try was farcical. It started with an intercept on half way, continued with a blockdown in the twenty two and ended with the Blues ahead on the scoreboard.

It had all been so different in the first half. Connacht made a blistering start and were ahead inside two minutes. The pack, bereft of Johnny O’Connor, got a driving maul going and roared on by the large crowd, they went through the phases quickly. The ball made its way out wide to Tiernan O’Halloran who scored in the corner. It was just the start they needed and they were piling on the pressure on the Blues who took their time to settle into the match. 
The strong wind that swirled around the Sportsground made for a difficult evening for the forwards but Niall O’Connor managed it better in the gathering gloom and knocked over a couple of penalties. The Connacht forwards were getting some joy from their driving maul and it was a potent weapon. From a lineout inside the twenty two they got real momentum going and the Blues couldn’t stop Mike McCarthy from crashing over the line. They were in control but then came the second half.

The loss of Johnny O’Connor just before kickoff was a huge blow to the side but coach Eric Elwood is not one to make excuses, even when they are perfectly valid. At the RDS half the team were throwing up before the second half because of a bug that swept through the team. There were no such excuses for last night’s second half meltdown. With the shadow of the Heineken Cup growing ever larger on the horizon, a second victory thrown away will be causing some concern to Elwood, who knows that tough tests lie ahead.

Scorers – Connacht: T O’Halloran (1 try); M McCarthy (1 try); N O’Connor (1 pen, 2 cons); M Nikora (1 pen). Cardiff Blues: A Cuthbert (1 try); C Laululu (1 try); D Parks (3 pens, 2 cons 1 dg).

Connacht: G Duffy; F Vainikolo (B Tuohy 53); E Griffin; H Fa’afili, T O’Halloran; N O’Connor (M Nikora 53); F Murphy (P O’Donohoe 71); B Wilkinson; A Flavin; R Ah You (D Rogers); M Swift; M McCarthy; J Muldoon; R Ofisa (TJ Anderson 60); G Naoupu.

Cardiff Blues: C Czejak; A Cuthbert (C Sweeney 77); C Laulala; D Hewitt; T James; D Parks; R Rees; J Yapp; R Thomas; T Filise (S Andrews 70); M Paterson; P Tito; M Molitika (D Jones 70); X Rush; J Navidi.

Referee: N Patterson (Scotland)

NUIG Students' Views on the Irish Football Team

Loughlin McHugh, Donegal, 21

I’d be happy enough but not too pushed

Iarlaith McNamara, 19, Clare

70% chance

I’d be more interested in the soccer than the rugby

Rob Flatley. 32, Knock

Should beat them

Don’t think they’ll do a lot, but it’ll be a boost for the country

Blaithin Conroy, 20, Portumna

Don’t have a clue.

Not really interested.

Frankie Kelleher + Liam McGuinness, both 23, Donegal.

Well the Faroe Islands have a lot of puffins in fairness.

Keane is overrated but we do depend on him.

Paul Curley, Galway.

Estonia is the best result we could get.

Keane is playing well at LA Galaxy.

I want to do a J1 in Warsaw so I care!

I think its going to be a draw in tallinn with a scrap 1-0 win in Dublin.

But they’re overpaid and not worth stressing about if we can’t beat the worst team in the world.

Kevin Bourke, Tipperary, 21

Great opportunity.

A full generation of Irish people have never seen Ireland play at the European C’Ships.

Cindy Blundell, 34, Toronto

I imagine the Irish people would be ecstatic if they were to qualify.

I would watch it if they made it that far.

Eimear Squires, Galway, 19.

High chance of qualifying I think.

Doesn’t bother me in the slightest.

Samantha O’Connor, Longford, 22

These are really hard questions!

Yeah I’d care because I’m Irish and it’d be cool to have something to cheer.

EIlis Tuohill, Laois, 21

Improved Estonian team.

I care because its important to get behind the national team, especially after the disappointment of the Rugby World Cup.

Shane Callinan, Clare, 25

I have absolutely no idea. It’s boring for me. I watch the later stages of the world cup and champions league, otherwise I couldn’t give a shit.

Michelle Hynes, Sligo, 20

I suppose it would be good. Something to watch.

Conor Nolan, Athlone, 41

Yes, Estonia.

100% going through.

Yes of course I’m interested, because its our country and I’m a patriot.

Niall Maguire, Tipperary, 22

I wouldn’t really follow football but I’d say they have a good chance.

No I’ve very little interest in sport so it doesn’t matter to me personally.

Grace O’Shaughnessy, Askeaton, 21.

I heard it on Ray Foley this morning. Estonia?

I wouldn’t be an expert but I don’t think Estonia are too good so I think we have a good chance.

It wouldn’t break my heart if they don’t qualify but it would be good for the  country if they qualify and its always nice to see Irish teams do well.

Cathal Ryan, Drogheda, 21

Yes , Estonia and I do think they’ll qualify.

I do care about the national football team , maybe it’s something to do with national pride?