Hail, the warrior race of the righteous

MEMBERS of political parties tend to be a bizarrely devoted lot, but by any standards this was just ridiculous.

Saturday morning in the convention centre at the Moran Silversprings Hotel in Cork city, and at the annual conference of the PDs, a 30-something male delegate in blue jeans and T-shirt unwittingly genuflects in the direction of the podium before taking his seat. Welcome to the Church of the Progressive Democrats.

And a most peculiar one it is, too. A small church, celebrating its 20th birthday this year, whose members are, economically speaking, right-wing fundamentalists: for the free market and deregulation, for big business and wealth creation, and low taxation.

But, like any well-meaning church, the PDs want to stress they place caring for their fellow man above all doctrines or mantras or creeds. Hence, the words ‘social justice’ being used umpteen times. But at least the social democrats believe in something. It is the godless communists that the PDs truly abhor.

Mary Harney, as party leader, is revered, but Michael McDowell is the true idol. Nowhere was it more in evidence than here. Harney came to the podium at 8.30pm to deliver the leader’s address, and was warmly received.

But the highlight was earlier, when McDowell had risen to his feet to have yet another pop off the Provos. “No fudge, no budge, disband the IRA,” he declared. It was stirring and how the faithful loved it.