Protest Agóid Léirsiú

I remember, I remember my primary school days in Tralee

We lined up in the yard as the bell sounded to resume class

We were regimental with banging our feet in our lined-up position

To the command of left, right clé, deas clé, deas

While we belted out the lines of the old song ‘Step together, boldly tread’

To keep us marshalled in our lines

We were like a little army troop in drill practice

That was left and right for us then in our simple childish minds.

Not so for the radicals of the French Revolution

Who in earlier times were disgusted with their right

In the form of the Monarchy as personified

By Louis XVI whom they put to death by guillotine

With his wife Marie Antoinette suffering a similar fate

The left radically altered the political landscape and status quo

Uprooting centuries of institutional systems like the monarchy

Eventually being replaced by Napoleon Bonaparte.

We have changed and rechanged our political formations

Since those dark days at the end of the eighteenth century

We have parties of left and right, centre left and centre right

And many points of the political compass in between

While some traditionalists still adhere to old traditional values.

In our modern times we have a multiplicity of governing systems and ideologies

From Putin to Xi Jinping, Iran and North Korea, Macron to Marine Le Pen

In America Democrats and Republicans continue to battle it out

The political landscape is changing in Europe and worldwide all the time.

At home we have had a changing of the guard on both sides of The Irish Sea

With our dashing Simon and his new pint of Guinness buddy Keir

No ideological differences here only bonhomie and good cheer

Anglo Irish affairs are now in Guinness pie order

But beware, Nigel Farage and Mary Lou and others are still in the brew

Waiting for an opportunity to stir the political stew.

Our own poor old Micheal Martin is in a bit of a pickle

With his fellow star Corkonian financial wizard whizzing off to Brussels

While at home he has lots of bother with Migrants, Asylum seekers and others

Who continue to arrive at our little island of saints and scholars.

They are fleeing from starvation, deprivation and persecution in their homelands

Seeking financial, health, education and housing support from us as a caring nation.

Their noble, worthy cause is being hijacked by left, right and centre political parties

Who are joined by a medley of troublesome fringe eventers

Eager to agitate and ignite any and all protestations

They just seem to arrive at trouble spots

And thrive on instigation, confrontation, conflagration

A lot of them frustrated by their own social deprivation.

In these protesting situations, they are energised and vitalised

When assembled in mobs stirred on by back-room inciters

And then without rhyme or reason

While totally absorbed in their chosen disturbance

They seem to delight in damaging public property

In injuring law enforcers while threatening peace and security

Causing havoc and mayhem on a grand scale

And leaving their local populations in more terror, confusion and fear

Than they were in pre protest times.

Let discussions and peaceful protests, free from agitators, prevail.

Mick O Callaghan July 20th, 2024