Nuala O’Faolain’s compelling interview raises important issues

THE mobile phone came into its own the day the Taoiseach announced his intention to resign. Anybody involved — even at the outermost edges — in journalism or politics, heard their mobile come alive with ring tones alternating with text squawks.

The same thing happened last Saturday morning. Whether you were taking the kids to McDonald’s, taking the clothes to the dry-cleaners or sitting in bed drinking coffee and reading the fat weekend newspapers, the relative peace you expect of a mobile phone at the weekend was shattered by texts and phone calls of urgent brevity.

“Listen to Marian,” some of them instructed. “Are you listening to Marian?” others asked.