Another grotesque, unbelievable, bizarre, unprecedented moment with echoes of the past

YESTERDAY morning, the resignation of Martin Callinan was just your bog-standard shocking development. By the afternoon, unfolding events had reached back into history and landed on the shores of Grotesque, Unbelievable, Bizarre, Unprecedented.

More than 30 years after the original GUBU moment, here was another one.

For those who believe in coincidences, the Garda commissioner’s resignation was not connected with the Government statement issued five hours later to the effect that the Cabinet had been informed that all incoming and outgoing calls from a number of Garda stations were routinely taped. The news was regarded with such seriousness that the Government immediately announced the setting up of a commission of inquiry.