'The Scobe' tells the truth when it comes to bull about Malawi

BEST CLAIM to Fame award goes to Carlingford-based FG Senator Terry Brennan speaking in Wednesday’s debate on overseas aid.

“Some of those who know me will be aware that I have the distinction of having an animal in Malawi named after me,” he declared with no small amount of pride.

There was nothing to say after that.

Upon further investigation it transpires that Sen Brennan is involved in a successful development fund run by Louth County Council, which has raised in the region of €400,000 over the years for projects in Malawi. Two strapping bulls (which may or may not be from Cooley) were shipped to farms in the southeast African republic as part of the initiative.

One of them, we are reliably informed, is named after Terry, or to be precise, after his nickname.

Somewhere in Malawi there is a bull called “The Scobe”.

Labour’s Susan O’Keefe was most impressed. She said to the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs who attended the debate: “Perhaps Africa will soon be filled with animals called after Joe Costello. That is something to look forward to.”

Not to mention an unsettling image that will stay with us for a long time...

But back to Terry Brennan, who wowed his fellow Senators with another excellent remark a few days earlier.

It came in the course of a contribution from Fine Gael’s Cáit Keane on the benefits of breastfeeding.

“I know men do not breast-feed so this concerns women” she said, perceptively.

Enter The Scobe: “Some men do.”

Flummoxed Cáit did a double take. “Do they? I thank Sen Brennan for that information.” Terry didn’t elaborate-- so we’re none the wiser.