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THERE ARE ANY number of phones in our house and no end of tapping and beeping as a host of emails, text messages and Facebook alerts transmit throughout the day.
Being the more traditional, non tech-savvy adult in the household, the landline at the house remains very firmly in my domain. It’s nowhere near as active as the other forms of communication but it does have its moments. Any developing financial scandal, any significant losses in the stock markets or stories of people going on the run and my phone starts hopping.
The first people calling are my friends, phoning to check where I am. After I prove to them that the latest scandal has nothing to do with me, straight after come the calls from various strands of the media looking for insight, reasons and comparisons with my own scandal many years ago.
I’ve been expecting a call for weeks now, waiting by the phone, but to date it just hasn’t come.
Anglo: The Musical starts next week. I can’t believe that I wasn’t top of the list for a walk-on part as one of the regulators of the time.
Famed for my incompetence when I was trading in Singapore, renowned for making the same mistake time after time after time, I had to be the ideal candidate. Somebody, somewhere, decided that a puppet would have the same impact; we’ll have to see.
“Puppets: having them represent the Celtic Tiger era is spot on”
Puppets: inanimate objects that cannot reason, take control of situations or make logical decisions. It may seem a little extreme to have them represent the Celtic Tiger era but I can’t help but think that it is spot on.
As I tour the world, talking about my experiences at various events, I often show a couple of television interviews from the time looking at how Barings bank collapsed. One in particular is of the interaction between two of the most senior officers at the bank, filmed post-collapse. It is the greatest example of two people not understanding the business, having no clue as to what was happening, contradicting each other and trying to cover up their incompetence.
I often get asked if these gentlemen were actors. No; they were the real people who ran the bank. If anybody ever wonders why banks repeatedly get themselves in such a mess, this particular clip makes it very clear – they didn’t have a clue.
The use of puppets in the case of Anglo is therefore particularly apt – the bankers became the puppets controlled by the developers and politicians and clearly displayed equal processing ability to those same puppets that now represent them.
The show will go on next week without me. So too will it go on without a representation of former chairman and CEO Seán Fitzpatrick, after warning letters both from the Director of Public Prosecutions and solicitors for Fitzpatrick. I believe other characters may have had to be omitted, on legal advice, David Drumm and the co-defendents at Anglo. I am sure that they will be ample opportunity for them to appear in the sequel. There is so much ridiculous material and stories surrounding this era that it would be a shame to see it go to waste.
Some may not like the way that they are characterised but I am sure that it’ll be close to the way that they will be remembered. Economist David McWilliams has no problem with being sent up in the comedy. The McWilliams lookalike is employed by Anglo in the show and is supposed to represent Truth in the story. He is tolerated by Anglo as long as he stays on-message about the good times. The moment he forecasts clouds on the horizon, they presume he’s been drinking. When he continues, they throw him in a cupboard. It certainly sounds like the modern approach to risk management.
“A couple of modest means caught up in property speculation”
The musical is set on the island of Inis Dull, a metaphor for pre-boom Ireland and revolves around a couple of modest mean who get caught up in property speculation when a branch of Anglo sets up on their island.
The couple are persuaded to borrow €890 million, a similar sum to the amount that I lost in Singapore, with predictable consequences. Such a deal not only seems plausible given the kind of reckless lending that Anglo engaged in during the boom years, it could conceivably be based on a true story. Let’s not forget that Anglo landed the Irish public with a bill of €29 billion.
The politicians aren’t excused the scrutiny of puppetry. Bertie and a number of former finance ministers are sure to make an appearance; they presided over and cajoled along one unsightly mess, overriding all the controls along the way. I am reminded of my first couple of trips to Ireland, the first in 1994 was when I was waiting for the end at Barings, the second I was launching PaddyPower.com. The third was, with hindsight, the most memorable. I attended the PaddyPower Chase day at Leopardstown on St Stephen’s Day. The Taoiseach and the Finance Minister of the day were in attendance. I was amazed: does having a flutter, drinking and running the country go hand in hand?
I’m looking forward to seeing their puppets.
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if the attacker didn’t have a difficult background theyd be saying he comes from a good home &the attack was “out of character for him ” that’s the Irish legal system for you the aggressor is always the victim.that said I’m amazed he got a jail sentence atall & wasnt just given around of applause and sent off with a suspended sentence
There’s no mention of it but to get thst sentence his previous convictions must of been high. Bad journalism for not including that
But hitting a complete stranger with a chair in McDonalds because the stranger’s friend gave you “bad vibes” doesn’t merit a custodial sentence? And judges wonder why they are despised…
In fairness that guy thought his victim was a little f****t whilst off his face on heroin. Extenuating circumstances, like.
Sounds severe to me. No real malice, no intent to harm, no premeditation, just a messy drunken scenario between acquaintances that got out of hand and resulted in two punches. Given the procession of pond life with 50+ previous convictions for serious crimes that walk from the courts daily, laughing at yet another suspended sentence, this case seems different given the information contained in the article.
He is one of those
@David Mac Shite:
No intent to harm?
What article did you read?
This offence is deserving of a 12 and a half year sentence so he gave him 5. Less than half. And he will probably be out in less than half that again. Joke
April 2014?! The wheels of justice are grinding to a halt
5 years for punching someone?
There are people charged with manslaughter, rape, child abuse, aggravated burglary, drunk driving resulting in death, embezzlement of millions etc etc and they get a lesser sentence.
Impossible to understand the logic of the Irish legal system.
Here we go again.just thinking ok, The number one training point for solicitors is to focus on the harsh and deprived upbringing their violent clients have had and that will surely get them off or a much reduced sentence.Its so wrong. This thug will do this again and again.
@Gerry Fallon:
Not for the next few years anyway.
What a total halfwit.
Ah come on,that was my first ever post.
Hopefully your last too
Zing!
Test
@Alex Falcone: did you read the article? Life changing injuries! He should have got the maximum sentence!
@Sylvia O’Regan: Our world is not a perfect place and sometimes you have to hit someone – most often without intention of “life changing injuries”.
Another light sentence but hopefully this serves as a warning. The victim was a bloody idiot. Who shouts abuse at random strangers on the street? Your asking for trouble
@John Reese:
You should read the story again. They knew one another. They were not total strangers.
If you want an insight of our judical system and the waste of time and money ,Go to high court,judments and determinations asylum
Whilst it’s not nor excusable something tells me from reading above the victim was total slime. Anyone saying paki or threatening to stab someone someone in the neck with a needle and pestering is a laughing stock of the world. Slimiest lowest of the low. Pathetic.
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