Roy, Disraeli, and the two nations
Granted, that may be a gross presumption, though we at Talking Sport Towers are prepared to wager that ‘Vivian Grey’ and ‘Contarini Fleming’ sit untouched upon most readers’ bookshelves.
But one of Disraeli’s titles is good, or rather the sub-title is: Sybil, or The Two Nations. No, it is not a tell-all biography of Basil Fawlty’s wife. It does put us in mind of the many nations that you have here on this island.
One model is on offer through our cricketers. You have to be delighted for any Irish team doing well at an international tournament, particularly when the lads are, it is fair to say, minnows in the truest sense.
It was interesting, however, to read comments in these pages during the week from Ed Joyce, the Irish cricketer who now plays for England. You know him: he’s the Middlesex opener. And no, we don’t have much idea what it means either, but it certainly makes an entertaining change from the ‘Munster out-half’ or the ‘Newtownshandrum wing-forward’.
Anyway. What caught our eye was Ed’s casual suggestion that other players now in the green of Ireland — namely Eoin Morgan and Niall O’Brien — have expressed a wish to play for England.
Now, we’re not going to get all hot under the collar about Irishness and so forth — we’ve got all day tomorrow in Croke Park for that. But isn’t there something a little odd about the Ireland cricketers being viewed as potential England players on the back of a couple of good performances in the green jersey? Or should that be the natty green deep v-necked jumper?
Joyce moved then to calm the waters, saying that declaration for another country isn’t “a matter of changing loyalties, it’s about playing at the highest level you can”. Which was kind of what we thought the World Cup was all about, but never mind.
OF COURSE, any mention of the World Cup and Ireland brings to mind the name Roy Keane, who weighed in on behalf of the cricketers during the week when comparing them to the FAI and not, it must be said, to the FAI’s advantage.
Specifically, Roy said that because one of his players, Liam Miller, is from Cork, he doesn’t get a fair crack of the whip.
Now, now. Don’t all shout at once. God knows people from everywhere in Ireland feel they could substitute their county’s name for Cork in that instance.
The substantive issue — whether Liam Miller is less effective than one of the players who starred in San Marino — I leave to greater minds. By pointing out that there are two nations — at least — in Ireland, however, Keane has done the state some service.
The notion that Dublin people view everyone and everything outside Baile Átha Cliath as different, to put it kindly; or backward, to put it bluntly, is one with plenty of circumstantial evidence to support it. This columnist is torn between exhibit (a), the man in the Dublin office who wanted “the country phone book” for a number beyond the Pale, as though there were one giant directory from Malin to Mizen; or (b), the nationally known sportsman — from Dublin — who genuinely thought the train from Dublin to Cork would take eight to nine hours.
Without unscheduled delays.
What many people may not realise is that Keane is not describing a recent phenomenon. After all, in many ways Roy is only echoing what one of his famous countymen once said. Gerald Goldberg, the first Jewish Lord Mayor of Cork, was once asked if he had encountered much prejudice during his lengthy career in public life.
“Absolutely,” said Goldberg. “Why, it’s common knowledge that the Dubliner always has the knife out for the Corkman.”
Two nations, indeed.
Contact: michael.moynihan@examiner.ie
