LAST week, “ideology” was bandied about like a term of abuse. Two ongoing stories on education were peppered with references to ideology as if it was something that the cat dragged in. In education, it would seem, the only ideology that should be applied is “what we have we hold.”

THEY’RE calling it Croke Park II even though it wasn’t hatched within an ass’s roar of the GAA’s headquarters.

ENDA Kenny wasn’t the only one who delivered a good speech last week. Joining in the apologies to the Magdalene survivors on Tuesday, Eamon Gilmore had much to say about the past.

WE get the politicians we deserve.

WHAT kind of apology should Enda Kenny have issued last Tuesday?

TONY Flannery must have committed some terrible crimes. He is a Redemptorist priest of nearly 50 years standing, who says he is being threatened with ex-communication from the church he has served all his adult life.

THROUGHOUT the week, two broad schools of opinion formed much of the debate on the sentencing of rapist Patrick O’Brien.

IF he was so minded, Lance Armstrong could have looked to these shores for the model confession.

So Rabbitte got his comeuppance, much of which was undoubtedly due. But let’s, for a moment, separate the messenger from the message. Did he say anything at all that was worth considering? The media (hold the front page!) are not flawless. Neither should they be above criticism.

COULD you spot a man with a €10 million gambling habit?