AS I write this article, more than a week has passed since Donald Trump’s shock election as President of the United States of America.
I’m still angry as hell; not only at the prospect of such a divisive and dangerous egomaniac taking up residence in the White House, but at the behaviour of our own Taoiseach in the wake of his victory.
The cringe factor was in overdrive as Enda Kenny offered his congratulations to Trump on behalf of the Government “and the Irish people”. Kenny had recently taken the Donald to task for using “dangerous and racist” language, so his post-election U-turn understandably opened him up to accusations of hypocrisy. Whatever about speaking on behalf of some of his like-minded colleagues in the Dáil, the Taoiseach had no right whatsoever to congratulate Trump on my behalf.
Like a punter seeking a refund from the bookies after backing the wrong horse, Kenny was understandably keen to get back onside with Trump. Given the possible dire consequences for the undocumented Irish in America, not to mention our fragile economy’s dependency on US investment, Ireland clearly has a lot to lose from falling out of favour with the bellicose billionaire.
But Enda had an ace up his sleeve; a trump card, if you will. During a 10-minute phone call, he had received assurances from the President-elect that we were still good to go for next year’s St Patrick’s Day junket to Washington, where all manner of paddywhackery and patronising platitudes will help feed our national insecurity complex.
Nothing says “please like us, America” more than the embarrassing presentation of a bowl of shamrock to the latest White House incumbent. Well, that and letting them land their military planes in Shannon.
It took Aslan singer Christy Dignam to call it for what it was, when he described the Taoiseach as “spineless” in a tirade peppered with the most unparliamentary language.
Kenny’s defenders will argue that he was merely trying to protect Ireland’s considerable interests by cosying up to Trump. Even so, he could have tempered his praise and kept the Irish people out of it.
This sorry affair further proves how unrepresentative Irish politics has become. And, as America has shown, there’s nothing more dangerous or unpredictable than a disillusioned electorate.
