To the Editor,
Kilkenny People.
I know this is not the biggest problem anyone in Ireland has to deal with, but it is irksome, and I bet to more people than me. - Especially after ´the report‘ was published! And besides, this problem won´t cost a billion or ten to sort out, like a lot of the other problems we have to deal with in Ireland!
It all started the end of last year when I arrived into Terminal 2 in Dublin airport late one night on a flight from Zurich. Now Terminal 2 IS beautiful, truly a beautiful edifice. (May I humbly offer however, that a few signs up around the place to show the way out, would not take from the esthetics at all at all.)
And, although I was under pressure to make the last Kavanagh´s bus to Kilkenny that night, the long, long walk from plane to bus was indeed a healthy exercise break between the two. – (Though I do confess what with the long distance and all, the hand baggage felt more like freight baggage by the time I eventually sighted the first trolley.)
No, all that was manageable. What really set me off was THE PICTURE!
Now for those who have never had the pleasure of the Terminal 2 experience, let me tell you there is a lot of getting lost involved in it. But, as you eventually find your way to the baggage claim area on in-coming flights, there are to be seen en-route stunning photographs. These 250 photos are truly beautiful pictures of Irish people from all walks of life. So impressive indeed are these pictures that I would like to book the photographer for the next family photo!
But of all the 250 beautiful pictures of a good cross section of Ireland´s citizenry north and south, the very first picture, the very first picture you see coming into Ireland is --- a PICTURE OF BERTIE! That threw me off my walk for sure. The irony of it all. I mean a lot of the people coming back into Ireland, and getting lost and well exercised in Terminal 2 in the process, had to leave the country in the first place because of policies and practices, or whatever you would call them, that happened during the Bertie regime. And now God help us… after the tribunal findings, it feels even worse. - Is that possible?
Pulling myself together I continued along the passage way, now well out of breath and carrying the 8 kilos of hand luggage that was feeling more and more like 20 kilos of freight, and there didn´t I see a picture of the former President, Mary McAleese, positioned about four pictures away from.... your man GERRY ADAMS. It got worse; going along I spied, not without difficulty I can tell you, down a bit of a cul de sac sort of an alcove place, where no one could really see it, yes, I saw a picture of former President Mary Robinson.
There we have BERTIE, with his 1 in 250 chance of getting the best spot in the show. Then you have former President Mary MacAlesse only a hair´s breath away from your man Gerry, and to top it all former President Mary Robinson well hidden in an alcove. I can tell you by the time I finally found my way to the bus... (Did I say there was a problem with signage?) I was not in a good state at all at all!
And now I have just booked another flight to Ireland and I am not at all looking forward to having to repeat scenario with Bertie et al. Esp. post 23-03.
What is a body to do! Well, I called the folks at Terminal 2. They advised the Irish American artist Kevin Abosch who shot the images is making an artistic statement, so the positioning of the pictures is `not relevant´. (Not relevant, how are you!).
Help! Please can someone help me. Is there anyone out there that might have a bit of influence with the the P.R boys/girls in Terminal 2 or indeed the talented Mr. Abosch, and suggest that ´art´ would in no way be compromised, with a little picture re-arranging. The Lord knows a lot of things ´got re-arranged´ all over the place in Ireland over the last decade or five, I can´t see that a few pictures re-arranged would make much difference. - Sorry, no payment for any favours though.
I opine the enjoyment of this wonderful collection of photographs, would be greatly enhanced for many people if Bertie with his 0.004 chance of getting the best spot in the show could be moved say to former President Robinson´s spot down the cul de sac sort of place. --- And for good measure, hang your man Gerry right across from him on the other wall in the cul de sac. Wouldn´t that be nice indeed, Bertie and your man looking across at each other out of harm’s way for the whole year and the rest of us can get on with getting our health and fitness training in, while getting lost in Terminal 2. - And coping with the Mahon Tribunal findings that nobody who is n´t pretending won´t find to be more than a couple of million Euros worth of no surprise at all.
Sincerely,
...... aka Hausfrau Roisin 27th of March, 2012
now living on Lake Konstanz in Southern Germany.
Here's an update from April 14th:
Arriving in to Terminal 2 on April 4th last, Bertie Ahern was not to be found. Not even down a cul de sac. A member of staff confirmed Bertie´s picture ´was taken down about 2 weeks ago, and no further details are available´. (Read; the picture was taken down after Mahon Tribunal Findings were published).
It gets better. Both former President Mary Robinson and former President Mary McAlisse are now hanging in excellent, highly visible locations. Appropriately, on either side of both the former presidents hang photographs of a wonderful sampling of Irish people, none of whom happen to be your man Gerry. Indeed I did not see your man Gerry anywhere. But then I didn´t bother looking too hard either.
Well done to the decision makers in Terminal 2.
Sincerely,
...... aka Hausfrau Roisin, Lake Konstanz, Germany
