Things I love about Ireland on Bertie day..

I'm still in the Bertie-man of the people-camp; despite the scandals. Even now, when people use exaggerated tones to say his dodgy finances might have cost us near €1 million, I find it laughable in the Haughey context. I also find it hilarious that every dodgy deal that has come to light has some sob story attached. In the end, I don't really care either way about the accountability, it's never been anywhere near my list of important attributes for our leader.

Anyway, what I found amusing today, apart from all the excitement of the spectacle, is some of the Irish-ism that made it into the affair. Like, halfway through Bertie's check-list of thank-yous, he mentioned the people who said novenas for him and sent him mass cards. Where else would you get that? Secondly, I heard a radio report from Fagans where they got the punter reaction from Bertie's local. Also, something you'd never get in another country. Fagan's has been a regular on the RTE news over the years since Bertie's rise. And if any of you seen the retrospective images, there's the classic scene from years ago where Bertie calls Gay Mitchell a waffler across the Dáil chamber.