Nick Drake - Day is Done

D. B. is drawn to death and decay. Nick D. fits the mood.

Sitting In The Bar and Talking Nonsense

Taoiseach Bertie Ahern made his first intervention in the US presidential election yesterday as he firmly dismissed criticism of Hillary Clinton. "I think they're wrong," he said directly.

"And for this reason, President Clinton and the first lady came to Ireland three times during their presidency. She came on two other occasions, to a women's conference and she came on another occasion, as well. All of the groups that used to go over, apart from St Patrick's Day, she made the point. She gave enormous heart and encouragement to the groups. She was as much involved as the president to extending St Patrick's Day into that night and bringing huge numbers of people into it."

But Mr Ahern said Mr Obama accepted her Northern Ireland credentials. "I mean, so in fairness and I have to say in my conversations this morning, that was totally acknowledged by Senator Obama," he said. "So I mean, I'm not going to get into the politics of this, but I think for anyone to try to question the Clintons' huge support and start trying to nitpick and saying, 'But she wasn't sitting down at the negotiation table'. Sure we know she wasn't sitting down at the negotiation table, but I mean I think it would be very unfair for anybody to take that away from her," Mr Ahern also met with US President George W Bush at the White House, where the pair discussed the issue of the illegal Irish immigrants.

Mr Ahern said there was no chance of a "amnesty" deal to allow 20,000 of the undocumented Irish stay in America. He said it was possible to develop an agreement involving a visa-exchange for young people from Ireland and the USA to work in the other country. "The concept of an amnesty, wiping the sheet clean is just, it's not on. People shouldn't be trying to give an impression that something that isn't on, might be on. It's no good saying that. I've talked to all the people involved in it."

Mr Ahern said anybody saying the illegal immigrants would be able to avail of an amnesty was just "sitting in the bar and talking nonsense".

D.B. Banned from Manhattan Pub on St. Patrick's Day

It was bound to happen. Fellow County Cavan man Shaun Clancy has banned D.B. from Foley's Pub and Restaurant, just off Fifth Avenue opposite the Empire State Building.

Why you may ask - depressing, an Englishman who never set foot on Irish soil, the answers.

D.B. is outraged - Depressing? An Englishman? And all that coming from an "Irishman" who spells his name S.H.A.U.N.

"Danny Boy, D.B. Danny Boy. It's depressing. It's not usually sung in Ireland for St. Patrick's Day. And its lyrics were written by an Englishman who never set foot on Irish soil."

Ahh, got you now Mr. Clancy. Quite right too. Sling the braggard out, bar him from ever returning. Him and his gal Molly Malone. Well known fishmonger that she was.