THE FRONT PAGES of the Sunday papers in Ireland show the faces of Brian Cowen and Micheal Martin. Cowen is stepping down from the leadership of Fianna Fail, the political party that has controlled Ireland for the lifespan of every Irishman I met in the States. Martin, often mistaken for a ditherer, is stepping into the seat of party leader at a time when the entire government might collapse. If that happens the general election of 2011 could occur before the 11th of March. Several thoughtful essays on the legacy of Cowen fill both the Sunday Times and the Sunday Business Post, the newspapers of record that I trust in Ireland. A recurring theme of bailing out Ireland also continues to fill column inches, along with some clever examples of innovation in Ireland. I'm interested in how relatively well-funded tourism initiatives will deliver their results because I know what kinds of hot buttons work for the 16 American couples in my family circle. They're getting panoramic green images of Eire now and they need to get a feeling of Wanderlust as well. Some of those couples have never held a passport. I'd like to see them visit while Ireland is in the deepest depths of recession because value-for-money is better now than I've seen it since 1995. I've made a short (5-minute audio) clip of my take of the Sunday papers and there's a short video on YouTube as well. I hope the recent emigrants enjoy the news.
Bonus Link: The Sodcast episode 24.
Last Week: "Innovation in the Sunday papers", January 16, 2011.
One Month Ago: "Irish Sunday News as Seen by a Blow-in", December 19, 2010.
One Year Ago: Couldn't get the iPad to run online meetings, January 20, 2010.
Five Years Ago: Fergus Cassidy logged out, January 23, 2006.
