That’s Ireland

On this week last year (October 1 to October 7, 2006):

• Why did two Unionist politicians complain that a flower-bed in Craigavon was flaunting Irishness and wiping out Britishness?
• Why did Seanad Leader Mary O’Rourke accuse PJ Stone, General Secretary of the Garda Representative Association, of incitement to hatred?
• The lobbyist Frank Dunlop told the Mahon tribunal that he had bribed politicians on how many occasions?
• The Criminal Assets Bureau announced its biggest ever settlement. How much did Dylan Creavan, a 31-year-old Clare businessman, give them?
• What Irish politician was conferred with an honorary Doctorate of Laws in a ceremony at Dublin Castle, just across the courtyard from the Tribunals?

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Answers

• Because the flower bed had a white centre, a yellow perimeter, and a green plant in the centre which had a white bud, a green stem and yellow leaves.
• Stone had said that the new Garda Reserve Force would be despised and hated like a Garda support body established under emergency powers in 1939.
• Dunlop said he had bribed politicians on 250 occasions.
• Creavan, now based in London, gave the CAB and its British equivalent €26.5 million, plus a villa in Marbella in Spain, plus four racehorses, one of which (Latino Magic) had won the Galway Hurdle in 2005.
• Bertie Ahern, of course.