I know the title of this blog is a cliche but it is the only almost correct phrase to describe what is happening in Irish politics today. We seem to be finally witnessing the end of Civil War politics. Fianna Fail have taken an awful drubbing - even the best of their people losing their seats ( and they're not 'all the same'). Each party has strong people and weak people, good ideas and bad ideas, ideas which are worth trying and ideas that should be scrapped. But I think for the first time - at least in my memory of General Elections - an extremely loud and very, very clear message has been sent to our politicians. Fuck us up boys and we'll send you packing and we don't need to chase yiz with guns or bribe yiz with money to do it. We just don't want to play with you anymore - and you can take your ball, we'll make our own one. It might be made of newspaper and string or a straw-stuffed pigs bladder but we'll make do and mend. So there.
I feel relieved that it is looking like a coalition between Left and Right. A balance, I think, that will deliver better politics and accountability and a measured response to our current difficulties. We're grown up now as a nation, we don't need promises of sweeties or money to make us do what politicians want us to do. And it's great. We are witnessing the birth of an adult Ireland born today, the austerity of the Nanny state went for the most part in the last twenty years and now that the heedlessness of the teenage years of the Celtic Tiger has passed we can truly move forward as a confident, intelligent nation.
Jemser reckons that FF and FG will merge into one party within the next ten years. He may well be right. Labour and the Socialist Party will form the Left. I'd imagine the Greens will also go over the next also, they have done their job - putting environmental concerns on the table. So, a mature caring society with a balanced thoughtful government. We can but hope.
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