BRIAN Crowley, MEP, emerged as Europe’s most popular and improbable liberal in recent European Parliament elections. Among the minority of countries where European Parliament members are elected by constituency, as distinct from a list system or a combination of both, Crowley amassed more votes than any other ‘liberal’.

IT’S very odd how the more things change, the more they stay the same.

IN Ireland there are particular circumstances feeding the recurring frenzies of first using nuns as guardians of female sexuality, and then turning on them for doing just that.

THERE are some things you can say for sure about Enda Kenny. He is a survivor, as tough as nails and not nearly as happy-go-lucky as he wants you to think. Part-actor, part-chameleon, part-huckster and dealer, and if we are lucky part-prodigy as well.

THERE is a symmetry to the departure of Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore, the highest-ranking alumni of the former Sinn Féin the Workers’ Party, The Workers’ Party, Democratic Left tradition, after a devastating defeat at the hands of Sinn Féin at the polls.

THEY are sick of the sight of us. One of the nonsenses talked about elections and politics is how disillusioned we the people are with our politicians.

TRYING to trace the national conversation, I spoke to some of the nation’s great listeners. The hosts of Ireland’s most tuned-into local radio talk programmes — the ones that outpace locally, the big names and stations nationally. One of those conversations was on air on Monday morning when I chatted with Joe Finnegan on Shannonside Radio.

THE fever of expectation that erupted on news of Gerry Adam’s arrest last Wednesday night among the southern political class will likely be disappointed for now.

AUSTERITY is now an orphan. Fianna Fáil and the Green Party begat it when in government. Fine Gael and Labour said the foundling child had to be fostered if we were to regain our self-respect and self-sufficiency.

MUCH has been written about ‘leaks’ from Cabinet and the quarrelsome discussion on water charges last week. But the big issue is not Cabinet incontinence. It is a national water system leaking 40% of its content into the ground between its source and our taps.