The Children of Darkness
international |
education |
opinion/analysis 
Friday December 31, 2010 11:56
by Sean Crudden - impero
sean at impero dot iol dot ie
Jenkinstown, Dundalk, Co Louth
0879739945
Rules and Regulations
We all learn a lot of rules and regualtions and make an effort to abide by the rules. We know that rules are necessary to understand in order to play the game. But often we suspect that the rules are somone else's rules and not really to our advantage. Some people do the honourable thing and just break the rules; others circumvent, subvert, bend, bend, twist, exploit the rules
My father idolised Paddy O'Brien, a big man who played by the rules and hurt no-one. I had the time, the inclination, and the permission from Eugene Smith to watch on his television, nearly every game in the 1966 World Cup. Bobby Moore captained England to a famous victory in that tournament. I was fortunate enough to see myself, in The Bernabeu, the unforgettable lofty figure of Fernando Hierro who used his brain rather than his brawn to forestall and unpick every problem in defence.
"How much do you owe?"
"100."
"Well take your bill and write 50."
For the children of darkness are shrewder than the children of the light.
A star fell from the Irish sky this morning when Bertie Ahern declared his intention to retire from politics. A little light went out somewhere.
Meanwhile the hollow pride and hubris of our native Irish pundits increases and calcifies.