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LAST UPDATE | 21 Apr
FIVE YEARS AGO, Galway – my ancestral and adopted county, whose people have genuinely taken me in since I arrived in 2001 – was denied a trip to New York. My pals from Tuam and I had discussed and planned flying to the Big Apple since our short journey to London to watch the maroon and white play in Ruislip in 2019.
But Covid-19 reared its ugly head and we wound up having to wait until earlier this month for a long anticipated mission to see Galway do battle with a feisty New York squad enjoying its annual day out in the opener of the Connacht Football Championship. We were joined by family and friends from Boston, San Francisco, Toronto and Pennsylvania, with disparate degrees of knowledge of and interest in the GAA, for much more than a football match.
It was, as ever, a celebration of Ireland in the United States and of the Gaelic games that are such an intrinsic element of Irishness. Indeed, it was striking initially to be on a Aer Lingus flight chock full of Galway supporters and subsequently to listen to groups of men, women and children holding forth on what could lie in store for the Tribesmen this summer in Manhattan hostelries and diners as if they were in Taaffes Pub on Shop Street.
Though the New Yorkers, who I was shouting against both as a Bostonian and a Galwegian, fought hard in the first half, Galway pulled ahead and won it handily in the end. The atmosphere in Gaelic Park and throughout the city was extraordinary; it was impossible not to have a blast. Just don’t ask for too many details. It was one of those occasions that we may not entirely remember, yet equally, will never forget.
The Galway-New York clash and the Masters, a golf tournament that truly is a tradition unlike any other, bookended the week or so I was in the country of my birth. They provided a nice respite from the intense, unavoidable focus on the presidency of Donald Trump. Even at this incipient stage, the astonishing pace and undeniable extremism of Trump 2.0 already have casual observers, not to mention those of us who monitor politics religiously, reeling.
For obvious and compelling reasons, the Irish media has covered Trump’s actions, in particular his, to date, “bait and switch” approach to tariffs incessantly. It has dominated the headlines and comprised a sizeable percentage of the substance of the broadcast, print and digital content this relatively well-informed citizenry consumes on a daily basis. And if I had a euro for every time the same question has been posed to me – “What will Trump do next?” – I would be a rich man.
It is exceedingly strange, then, to nearly feel that a period spent in the nation where he actually is in charge was an escape from the most controversial individual on the planet. Of course, Trump’s words and deeds collectively are and will remain the biggest story in the US in his tenure in the White House, and perhaps thereafter. That said, to put it colloquially, he isn’t the only show in town stateside.
Pundits on cable news networks do nightly debate the merits of what has swiftly proved an unprecedented presidency; he is the lead item on national and local news bulletins, and he does feature as a topic wherever regular Americans gather. But there are happenings nationally and regionally that garner at least as much attention in the media and among the population as, for instance, the potential impact of Trump’s tariffs.
Additionally, while outrage is a constant in examinations of Trump’s presidency in Europe, and certainly rampant at large rallies led by Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez across the US, it was a struggle to unearth it in New York or Boston, neither a bastion of conservatism. Instead, a blend of indifference and resignation was more prevalent. People are getting on with their lives.
Supremely fascinating to me – primarily because I find analysis centring on revulsion and condemnation, albeit unassailable, distinctly unedifying when uncoupled from political reality, as it often is in Ireland – were the sentiments of Trump voters. Contrary to widespread perception beyond the borders of the US, those I encountered were not dumb, nor ignorant, nor brainwashed by algorithms online.
In fact, what I heard and overheard was typically prefaced by a disclaimer: “A lot of what is going on is crazy and I totally disagree with it, but…” This presumably could refer to any or all of the array of profoundly disturbing things currently unfolding at home and abroad. A Trump backer is not per se a Trump lover.
The commentary following the “but” revolved around three points. First, the US is broken and in need of comprehensive surgery. Second, there may be bumps now. Still, Trump will be better for me and my family financially. Third, in a contest between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump, he was the only choice.
The vast majority of us in this part of the world dispute their assessments to varying extents as we witness from afar shocking attacks on colleges and universities, immigrants and the judicial branch of government. Nonetheless, my anecdotal experience that the women and men who went for Trump last November aren’t for moving is borne out by CNN polling, indicating that merely 2% of them would opt for another candidate six months on. Naturally, that might change.
Without wishing to further desecrate a dead horse that has been flogged repeatedly in this space, the opposition has done precious little to bolster its electability. During my stay, just four congressional Democrats had the guts to cross the aisle and endorse a bill requiring proof of citizenship before availing of the sacred right to vote. 208 of their party colleagues committed an act of monumental political stupidity.
A GOP member spoke convincingly for the 83% of Americans (according to Gallup) who concur with this common sense proposition: “This past week and today, all we hear are the Democrats sharing their concerns that rural Americans, women and people of colour are not capable of getting an ID. This is insulting, condescending and an untrue argument. You need an ID for most everything else in daily life.”
The best means of curtailing the worst impulses of President Trump and his lackeys is at the ballot box in the 2026 midterms. Democrats should be ideally situated to succeed, but can they when they are strategically inept and out of touch with Americans on a host of key issues?
Immediately upon returning from the US, it was thrilling to watch Rory McIlroy vanquish the rest of the field and his naysayers to win the Masters, the career Grand Slam and sporting immortality. The glee was shared by golfers and non-golfers alike, who were transfixed by the drama on their screens in every city, town, village and rural area on this island. Happy distractions are hugely welcome in 2025.
Larry Donnelly is a Boston lawyer, a Law Lecturer at the University of Galway and a political columnist with TheJournal.ie.
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My father passed away last year at the age of 54, he donated all his organs, heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, pancreas and in the end saved 6 people and prevented their families going through the same heart ache ours did when we lost him.
It should be mandatory for all to be organ donors unless you “opt-out” !
Cant remember what country it is but they flipped this organ donor thing right around by basically saying everyone is a donor. If you want off the register then contact them. This should be put into practice here.
Yip that’s a great solution makes sense
+1
A lot of (mainland) European countries have donation as an “opt-out” rather than something you purposefully sign up for, and it works – from a Washington Post article: “When Belgium instituted a presumed consent law in 1985, the number of organ donors nearly doubled within two years.”
It is in the current programme for government, so it may happen here in the next few years. But it is not as effective as putting trained dedicated donor coordinators in every hospital.
Great idea just wonder about the legalities of it in ireland ? Would that be enough I.E. how would they know in an accident situation if you didn’t carry a card as I imagine this will be a case with certain people who wouldn’t have both?!
Currently in Ireland the decision belongs to your next of kin.
What you have ticked on your drivers licence, donor card, Facebook, etc have no standing in law. The Donor Card exists to prompt a conversation between you and your family.
You are assuming I’m a driver of car? What if I am the passenger ?! I don’t drive just cycle !! But thanks for the info I didn’t know that ?! What’s the point then in having that option on your licence ??
The tickbox on your licence is there to prompt a conversation between you and your family.
If anyone’s interested there’s an Irish organ donor app for Android and probably for I phone that qualifies you as an organ donor. I think its called organ donor ecard. Just look up organ donor Ireland in the market.
Facebook does offer a free service with the caveat of bombardment of advertising and gathering lots of info on its users. timeline was also forced on users without agreement & it brings invasion of privacy to the next level, disclosing a users decision to donate organs is offensive and for the record, I do have an organ donating card but hardly think advertising my personal wishes on Facebook is appropriate
My daughter had Double Lung Transplant 5 years ago and we are eternally grateful to her Donor and Donor’s family. As a consequence we all carry Donor Cards and think this is great idea. Would b even better if Ireland followed other European countries and had *opt out* option…and considered everyone, unless *opted out* a Donor…would save a lot of lives <3
Facebook can bite me, they have some neck. This time line nonsense is a bridge to far for a lot of users, thank god for Goggle Chrome which stops time line displaying. Facebook is ironically quite like FG & Labour, experts in winding up and alienating people!
Imagine that they give you a free service and then they have the gall to decide to make changes to do something beneficial.
Michael,
If they’re not charging you, then you’re the product they’re selling.
I am well aware of that. I have a choice to put what I want on my profile. No one is telling anyone to put something there that they don’t want to. It is very simple if you don’t want to share info don’t put it there.
As long as it doesn’t encourage someone to take the organs before I’m quite ready to part with them. Recent allegations about Kosovo Government might be worth considering!
i will if facebook get rid of timeline..
jez it was a joke red thumbs :)
Although they currently have no legal standing in Ireland, Everyone should write a “living will”.
Write down what’s to happen to you (& your organs), in the event you’re unable to consent to anything. Coma, brain damage etc.
Sign & date & have it witnessed. Then tell everyone about it.
That way you’ll save your loved ones the heartache of wondering what you would have wanted or making the most difficult decision they’ll ever have to make
@ Fly the Irish flag….agree with you. That makes much more sense than having such a decision be voiced through the murky waters of Facebook.
I’m all for increasing organ donation, but in my opinion, this is a private choice and belongs nowhere on Facebook. Maybe I’m paranoid but imagine the ramifications ..ie: Joe has a daughter who needs a heart, Joe sees Facebook friend who’s checked off the donor info, Joe’s daughter getting sicker, Joe gets desperate, Joe manipulatively engages his friend in a series of Facebook messages, his friend says, if it was my time to go, I’d give your daughter my heart as that’s what friends would say, Joe gets desperate, plots to kill his friend, daughter gets heart based on the ‘proven’ conversation…I think these things should be left to legal documentation, not social media. Use Facebook to increase organ donor awareness, but not as a registry.
I’d say if joe was gonna kill to get a heart for his daughter then Joe wouldn’t give a fiddlers f**k wether a guy said it on FB or not though…..
@ Emsy: unless he wanted to ensure the heart went directly to his daughter and not some other poor soul on the donor list. Ha, blame news stories around the world for my grim imagination. But I do believe Facebook is too murky. Example: what if someone sets up a Facebook page using your name? Expresses intentions not your own? Too many legal implications.
Btw, I’m not making an argument against organ donation. Many lives depend on it. It’s just doing it through FB I have a problem with.
Teo,your preaching to the converted. I hate Facebook and deleted my account a long time ago. I was just being a smartarse ;)
Emsy, good call! I only have one to comment here- not familiar w the twitter world yet.
I’m not into twitter either but I have followers and I follow a few too,never really look at it though. Same as you,it’s only so I can comment here or sign in to other sites
How much more of your life do you want to get ruled by Facebook options? I’m all for saving lives and organ donor ship but think its just FB getting some publicity or tax dodge. Soon enough your personal time line will be examined and sold to others. So what if it’s free let’s build some new ones where privacy policies are clear and direct.
Android : https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=ie.ika.mobileapp
iTunes: http://itunes.apple.com/ie/app/organ-donor-ecard/id423238225?mt=8
Cheers Eoin and Adrian, I’ll add those links to the piece.
What the hell is an Android ??!!!!!
Shame that app doesn’t work on all android enabled devices. Any time I try to download it I get told it isn’t compatible with my device :( (sorry for the ot)
John, Android is Google’s operating system for mobile phones.
It is used on the HTC Desire, Samsung Galaxy, etc.
Also if giving your organs away benefits others to such a degree that it should be almost mandatory then why not everything else of societal benefit. No more driving like idiots less car licenses more proof that your not a danger just a thought out there in the crap weather. From a cyclist trying not to get killed.
I was born with all my organs in my body and i’ll die with them all in. The only way you will get my organs is if you pay for my funeral :D
You might die with them all in there but its about AFTER you die….hardly like your using them anymore…..
What if you get hit by a car? Who’s to say you’ll die with them all in. Your body would look like its been through a blender afterwords.
Very true Blaine….or if you fall from a very high building…..or if your murdered in a gruesome way….. ;)
My wink at the end is a little creepy…..wasn’t meant to be
Facebook has become seriously uncool seems like everyone is just waiting around for the next computer nerd to get dumped so he can invent the replacement for us! Timeline ruined Facebook!!!
switch to Myspace :))
@teo
Didn’t a recent Clint Eastwood go like that!
have your say