We got the T-shirt and he's got us

Inné an institiúid fáilte roimh an Taoiseach. I write like that because everyone yesterday afternoon was stumbling out their cúpla focal to prove that they suffered through 12 years of Irish in school.  Our Leader Enda Kenny was on campus, not to open (it's a bit behind schedule), but to name the new Research and Innovation Centre.  Luckily he was late (I guess he's got a country to run) because I was teaching my Human Physiology class at 1300hrs when he was due to arrive.  I was able to get a quick bite of lunch after class, then see him getting out of his modest-enough car and start pressing the flesh as he worked the crowd to the big room where the ceremony was to take place.  I'm not a politician-groupie so I wasn't interested in shaking his hand although several of my colleagues got to make contact. It is a little ironic as our Union is likely to bring us out of strike in the next weeks and lose us all a few days pay.  You'd think that a quiet word in Hissonour's ear: "what d'ye reckon the chances for Mayo in the GAA final this weekend, Enda, and what about rowing back on the ould austerity for our members?" just might get a useful response; whereas no word, no placard, no protest and let's all eat canapés will convince him that we're all a bunch of spineless lick-spittles who can be safely pushed into the corner and ignored.  The canapés were lovely.

The building will be named for William Dargan the engineer and technologist from just outside Carlow Town (and quite possibly from outside the county), rather than John Tyndall the pure scientist from Leighlinbridge.  That's proper order for a Technical Institute. And get this: "darganfod" is Welsh for discovery!  I know this because 12 hours after the event the only mention of Dargan on The Institute's website is ". . .ydd eu hangen er mwyn chwilio, darganfod, sgrinio syniad busnes . . .".  The Publicity Liaison Officer will update www in due course.  The best part of the day was a speech by a James Dargan-Ward the closest living relative to William "dsp" Dargan.  This was short, straight-forward, witty and chock-full of information about the man we were honouring.  If that Dargan-Ward is this Dargan-Ward, "English and Italian teacher & sometime gimmicky Shakespeare blogger" then you can see one reason why the Arts Block has its uses.  I'll be reading his blog in future - sure to be good copy.