SOME people say Taoiseach Bertie Ahern has no real ideology. He has been accused of abandoning the republicanism of Fianna Fáil. Surely it is time that this old doctrine was laid to rest. If anything, Bertie deserves credit for not entertaining bogus republican arguments.

“TO Mr Haughey’s eternal credit, and this is not politically popular to say so, he will always be remembered as the man who turned the country around,” Charlie McCreevy declared last week.

AS Nick Faldo was walking to the last green in the final round of the British Open last Sunday, the crowd were on their feet, giving him a tremendous ovation.

THE late Captain James Kelly, who died during the week, seemed almost obsessed with clearing his name for having supposedly conspired to import arms illegally in 1970. He was cleared in court, along with Charlie Haughey and two others, but some people were never prepared to accept that verdict.

NOBODY wants to accept responsibility for his or her own actions anymore.

SOMETIMES something seems so patently obvious that one begins to question one’s own judgment when so many others don’t seem to see it.

THE Special Olympics have certainly highlighted the plight of people with mental disabilities. Some of them have been the most articulate spokespeople for their own cause.

By Ryle Dwyer

IT has long been argued that the best government is the one that governs least, just as the best referee is the one who imposes himself least on a game.

JACK STRAW, the British Foreign Secretary, complained this week that the British invest too much faith in selecting judicial figures to chair inquiries.