A TRAGEDY, that's the only word for it, a tragedy. Groans of disbelief and the sound of hundreds of thousands of jaws hitting the ground in unison greeted the failure of TCD even to crawl into three figures in their recent heat of the TV quiz, Challenging Times, against Waterford RTC.
Trinity, represented by Ivan Morrin, Aylwyn Scally, Colm Buckley and sub Fergus Ryan, managed to record the lowest score so far in the third level quiz competition, racking up a score of wait for it 65 points. This in itself should be enough to justify any legislation Minister for Education Niamh Breathnach sees fit to bring in for TCD, including closing the whole place down and turning it into a car park.
The only mitigating factor in TCD's execrable performance was that Waterford RTC (Sean Cahill, Damien Wilkinson and Ruth Lynch) were on top form, racking up the highest score yet recorded in this year's Challenging Times with 260 points. This was not, by any stretch of the imagination, a close run thing.
This week UL take on Galway RTC in the penultimate first round heat. UL were defeated in the final of the competition last year by UCG and the Shannonsiders have another fine team this year. Galway, meanwhile, will be hoping to do a Waterford RTC on them.
Challenging Times is broadcast each Wednesday evening on RTE 1 at 8.30 p.m. The question master is Kevin Myers, who should have taken a stick to the TCD team. I'm considering handing back my degree . . .
