ANYONE who has followed the revolutions across North Africa will find the barely-concealed menace in the statement from Saif al-Islam, one of Muammar Gaddafi’s sons, that “everything will be over in 48 hours”, more than a little chilling.

PRESIDENT Barack Obama’s visit to Ireland later this year may not be as symbolic, or resonate as deeply and emotionally, as Queen Elizabeth’s but it is every bit as welcome.

THOUGH it is largely symbolic the decision to axe the great majority of the garda-driven state cars for cabinet members and former taoisigh is welcome.

IN a week when we heard unemployment has reached 14.6%, the highest figure in 17 years, any announcement about creating jobs is very, very welcome.

TOMORROW millions will tip their hat at the idea of being Irish. Many, many more brave souls, knowing a good party when they see one, will sing the Rose of Tralee as loudly and as off-key as any of us.

THE usual bank holiday warning about road safety was issued yesterday but it is almost inevitable that lives will be lost on our roads over the next few days.

RIGHTLY or wrongly the Health Service Executive has come to symbolise the kind of publicly funded quagmire that cries out for root-and-branch reform.

THERE was a time when ministers left junior colleagues to introduce legislation to the Dáil so they would not miss a race at Cheltenham, when it would have been easy to argue that the great national hunt festival in the Cotswolds represented the Galway tent and its habitué on pilgrimage.

DAYS after the 9.0 Richter scale earthquake that sent a devastating tsunami crashing through the coastal regions of northern Japan, the images of communities, shipping, rows of buildings, cars and trucks being swept along like leaves in an angry autumn river are probably even more socking than they were when first seen.