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Birthday girl Mary Lou looking fab as Simon ‘Mr Congeniality’ Harris wishes her a happy birthday

TD Verona Murphy is scandalised by the allocation of school buses in Kilkenny, but her fellow Senators and TDs are in a more celebratory mood with May Day, Mary Lou’s birthday and Lyric FM all on the list

Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald, whose birthday was on Wednesday, speaks during the launch of the party's campaign for the local, European and Limerick mayoral elections at The Helix, Dublin City University. Photograph: Niall Carson/PA Wire

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Miriam Lord
Wed May 1 2024 - 21:35

It was May Day on Wednesday and two big birthdays were marked in Leinster House.

There were best wishes in the Dáil for Mary Lou McDonald, who turned 55.

And across the way, Senators noted the 25th anniversary of Lyric FM and sang the praises of its early morning stalwart, Marty Whelan.

The Seanad isn’t called the Upper House for nothing.

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The air is more rarefied there. So it was no surprise to hear that many members are fans of RTÉ’s classical music station.

Meanwhile, not content with unexpectedly becoming Taoiseach last month, Simon Harris is now on a mission to be crowned the Dáil’s Mr Congeniality. Amid the sniping and the barbs he remains assiduously cordial.

During Leaders’ Questions, he didn’t get around to mentioning Mary Lou’s birthday, but he remembered his manners by the time questions on policy came around.

“When I was in the car this morning I heard on the radio it was your birthday. I meant to wish you a happy birthday in a moment of levity,” he told the Sinn Féin leader.

But he wisely held off from doing so when she was grilling him about conditions in University Hospital Limerick. Hardly a moment of levity.

He managed to sneak in his congratulations after she asked if there was any word on when Ireland’s interstate case against the UK Government’s controversial Legacy Act might be heard. He accepted it was a serious issue and “perhaps a rare one in which you and I do agree”.

In this uncommon moment of accord, he passed on the birthday wishes. “I’m sure you’re delighted to be spending it with me. I hope you get some time to enjoy it later.”

Mary Lou, it must be said, was looking fab. A vision in red, with her scarlet satin jacket and dress and sleek new birthday girl haircut.

The Crimson Chide.

She was absent from active politics for much of last year, revealing in the autumn that she had a hysterectomy in June. “I had the surgery – the growth, the tumours were removed and I didn’t require any further treatments or therapies,” she said.

“It knocks you off course, but I was extremely lucky.”

Labour leader Ivana Bacik also wished Mary Lou a happy birthday and wished everyone else a happy May Day.

“May Day is a day when we mark progress made on workers’ rights and also note how much still remains to be done,” she said.

Then the Taoiseach wished her a happy May Day too. We later discovered he was listening to Radio Nova’s very excellent PJ Gallagher and Jim McCabe on his 6am drive into work and that’s how he heard about deputy McDonald’s birthday.

The Seanad went a bit more highbrow than Nova’s PJ and Jim Jim for its radio choice.

During the Order of Business, Fianna Fáil’s Malcolm Byrne – a great man for the am-dram and musical societies – congratulated Lyric FM on its milestone 25th anniversary.

He listened to it on the first day and is still listening now.

“Lyric FM provides a lift to the spirit,” he smiled. It provides a pleasurable escape from some of the more serious and depressing news on other stations.

“I was coming in this morning listening to Marty Whelan’s wonderful tones. He was playing Celine Byrne singing Puccini.”

Malcolm had a bright idea. Why not pipe a bit of Lyric into the Dáil and Seanad?

“It might calm some of the members in advance of some of the debates.”

Cathaoirleach Jerry Buttimer was all for celebrating this “wonderful” day.

“I have to admit, I’m a Marty Whelan anorak. I choose to listen to him every morning because he is a wonderful, wonderful broadcaster.”

Senator Joe O’Reilly was very taken with Malcolm’s view on the calming qualities of classical music.

“I suggest it be given some thought. There is merit in having broadcasts of Lyric FM at critical moments in here and in the other chamber as well. I think it offers great potential and could be very useful.”

Michael McDowell got in on the Lyric love-in, confessing to the Cathaoirleach: “I share with you a devotion to Marty Whelan.”

He was moved enough to tell a joke. Or at least retell one of Marty’s jokes.

It’s as old as the hills but Michael loves it.

“On one occasion, he recounted the story of a three-legged dog going into a saloon in America.

And the bartender said: “What are you doing here? We don’t serve dogs”.

And the dog replied: “I’m looking for the man who shot my pah.”

And Michael went into paroxysms.

“That always stuck with me,” he chuckled.

It’s the way he tells ‘em.

Seanad leader Lisa Chambers concurred with all the nice things said about Lyric.

She also sees the station as a “welcome respite” from the heavy news she listens to every day.

“Even the tone in which the news is read out is softer and more calming. At times, it is just a nicer way to start the day.”

A very valid point – whether it be PJ and Jim Jim or Marty in the Morning, there is a definite opening for a few Dáil and Seanad whisperers to soothe the savages. Sorry, the savage breast.

Although that is not to say that the politicians are not capable of providing their own light entertainment.

Business in the Dáil has been particularly depressing of late.

Independent TD Verona Murphy lifted spirits somewhat with her story of alleged political jiggery-pokery in Kilkenny orchestrated by Fianna Fáil TD John McGuinness.

She gave the low down on what she believes was a stroke pulled by McGuinness to ensure children in his constituency got school transport.

It seems she attended a meeting in Kilmore on Monday night about local children who have concessionary travel tickets but no bus to take them to school in Wexford town.

Here’s the thing: didn’t Verona hear at this meeting that, “apparently three weeks ago”, a bus was provided for children in the same situation across the border in Gowran.

She heard McGuinness had been “informed that he would not be getting a vote from anybody” if the school transport problem wasn’t rectified.

“So, basically, a meeting was set up with the Minister and the bus was put on.”

Verona was raging about this, buses are taking the kids from Gowran to Kilkenny City.

Children and parents in Kilmore were promised the same service.

“It can’t be one rule just because a TD in the Government is not going to get a vote. It has to be the same for everyone.”

She asked the Taoiseach, on behalf of the children of Kilmore, for a bus service in September.

“And I’d like that in writing please.”

Simon said he would get the Minister for Education to look into it.

“I’m sure Deputy McGuinness will be flattered by your belief in his excellent abilities – he’s an excellent public representative, but we obviously have systems in place in relation to schoolbuses.”

John will be delighted with that glowing reference from Verona.

And the Taoiseach too.

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