A nation in denial has little support

Having rocked them in the Dáil, as the Sawdoctors had it, Michael D certainly rocked them in the Guildhall, and beyond, when he announced during his visit to London that he would be supporting England at this summer’s World Cup in Brazil.

“Let me offer something that, coming from the President of Ireland, might seem transformational,” he said. “As a follower of the beautiful game, I look ahead two months to Brazil and say that if Ireland cannot be at the World Cup finals, then I will raise a glass to England to go all the way.”

He might have left it at that but couldn’t help adding, with a smile, that he understood there might be some in the audience “not prepared to go quite that far”.