What is ‘Left’ of Irish politics? That’s the decisive question for voters

Who is Left, let alone ‘hard-Left’? Labour claims to be Left, while decrying the hard-Left, writes Gerard Howlin

WHEN RTÉ news announced to a waking nation on Monday morning that the “hard-Left” Syriza party had won the Greek election, muscle memory came to mind, albeit hours later. Muscle memory is learnt behaviour. Riding a bicycle is an example. Once you know how, it’s easier thereafter.

Did you ever get a new smart phone or a new computer? All those things you used to be able to do semi-automatically now need to be thought-through. You yearn for the clapped-out, familiar model you gave up on.