Lamping on for 2011

7th Jan 2011

Things to look forward to in 2011

Graham forgot his shopping bag

The Football
It's far from the sunny fashion parades of New York streets that this year's championship will be decided. Around this time last year, the Cork footballers were put through torture on Bear Island. That's arguably where the 2010 title was really won - something that brought such relief to the Rebel County that the party is still believed to be swinging down in parts of west Cork.

For the first time in twenty years Cork go into the league and championship as incumbents - if they managed to retain Sam Maguire in 2011 they may become one of the most admired Cork teams of all time. And we'll love loving it.

The Elections
By the end of next summer we will be a full four years into Ireland's economic head-on collision. If we were "turning a corner" in 2008 and supposedly seeing "green shoots" in early 2009 then we can't believe a word our so-called leaders say.

The fear is that the incoming government, if lead by another centrist "tribal" civil war party, may find itself in the same fog of inertia that cedes control to lobby groups and special interests once the honeymoon period is over.

That said, Corkonians will have the opportunity to turn the Rebel County from a Fianna Fáil stronghold into a wasteland for the party that has handed sovereignty over to the IMF.

Enda Kenny, the Mahon Point of the political world, about to drop the hand.

People can lament the fact that we are not out on the streets setting fire to cars and buildings in protest (like the allegedly civilised French) but it is at the ballot box that this government will be burned. Never has an election been so anticipated.

New Places Around Town
The politicians and media would have you think that the recession means businesses are only closing down. Truth is that new bars, restaurants and shops are opening up all the time as plummeting rents in the city centre allow smart Corkonians with good ideas and prudent calculators to set up small businesses.

The lovely new Thai restaurant on Washington Street, Retrograde clothing shop on Drawbridge Street, a new hip-hop skater clothing shop on Hanover Street, a swanky new bar and restaurant called Electric on South Mall, a beauty salon by the name of Green Orchid near the Courthouse, the re-opening of The Woodford and their tasty lunches, the reopening of Plugg'd Records in the Triskel and a new clothes shop where it used to be, two cheapo gourmet burger joints and rumours of a large new club and pub in the city centre.

And that's only tip of the iceberg. We're not last year's Lonely Planet favourite for nuthin' you know!

CCFC and Local Democracy
If 2010 taught us one thing it is that local democratic control of things that are precious to us works. We know this because fans of Cork City FC through FORAS had a full season at the helm and a black hole didn't open up at Turners Cross and swallow every cent that supporters have put into the club since 1984.

Shane O'Neill, Cork's new hurling captain performing his levitating sliothar technique.

At last the club's well-being was documented in the sports pages where it should be and not in the business pages. There were no last minute meetings with high court judges and FAI officials to save the club, no groundless rumours of take-overs by wealthy foreigners, no cringing sob stories on local radio stations by the owners and no embarrassing IOU's substituted for players' wages.

The season kicks off in less than eight weeks with the visit of Finn Harps and with the off-the-ball pre-season stuff going smoothly a season ticket might be just the thing to cheer you up as genuine democracy is thwarted everywhere else.

The Hurling
Strangely playing second fiddle in the limelight to the footballers the Cork hurlers still reached the League Final and All-Ireland semi-final last year despite struggling after trouncing eventual Liam McCarthy winners Tipperary down the Pairc. Kilkenny lost too.

With no Ó hAilpín's to call on, Denis Walsh has his work cut out for him but nonetheless the trains and cars will leave for Thurles, as they always do, stuffed with enthusiastic boisterous Rebels up for a good time. Sunshine, sandwiches and sliothars - sit tight and button up your jacket. It won't be long now feen.