Enda’s head in clouds over Wordsworth

AFTER the recent tragic and unwarranted incident in Northern Ireland, I noted that Enda Kenny attended the young man’s funeral for which he is to be commended.

When interviewed he came across as being sincere, dignified and respectful of the sad event he was attending, which I am in no doubt he was.

Then, as with the splitting of a seam, it fell apart.

Enda, fuelled with pathos, turned tear-filled eyes to the camera, and voice quivering with emotion, quoted a few lines of poetry.

Fair daffodils, we weep to see

You haste away so soon;

As yet the early-rising sun

Has not attain’d his noon....

The immortal words of William Wordsworth spring to mind on this sad occasion, said An Taoiseach.

Enda! How could you have got it wrong? The lines you quoted were the work of Robert Herrick (17th century English poet). As a former teacher I would have expected you to know that.

If you don’t take time to get the little things right, how can we trust you tojoin the dots in the bigger picture and protect us from the mad bulls of Europe when we’re forced to default?

Don’t lose sight of the small, or else, in the words of your friend Wordsworth, you might just find yourself.....

‘Wandering lonely as a cloud’.

Oliver Stack

Kildorrery

Co Cork