Vigil in support of Irish Water during Seanad vote on Wednesday

Economist Dan O'Brien and distinguished University of Limerick academic Peadar Kirby have come together to organise a vigil in support of Irish Water which will take place this Wednesday, December 17th from 6pm outside the gates of Leinster House. The vigil is timed to coincide with the Seanad's vote on the Irish Water bill. 

In a joint statement issued last night, O'Brien and Kirby said: "It has become clear to us that there is a serious danger that the Irish Water bill could be defeated in the Seanad on Wednesday. In normal circumstances this would only force a delay of three months. But given all that has happened such a delay might prove terminal. We have come together to call on the Irish people to assemble at the gates of our national parliament to help soften the spines of those few wavering Senators, more than a few of whom we have met personally at dinner porties. If this Bill is defeated in the Seanad it could lead to the collapse of Irish Water, which would represent a huge victory for the forces of uncouthness and general smelliness. We feel it's time bald economists and academics came together and united against our common enemy. We have nothing to lose but our immense opinion of ourselves."

Speakers will include Senator Ivana Bacik, Kothy Sheridan of The Irish Times, and Fionnan Sheehan of the Irish Independent who has vowed to turn up wearing underpants made exclusively from the hair of Denis O'Brien.

Denis O'Brien is the one on the right.

It is also hoped that Clarence Thomas of the US Supreme Court will be in attendance and speak at the event, as communications consultant Terry Prone has advised the organisers that it's always handy to have a black guy on board to soften the image, when you're trying to set up something like Irish Water. 

There will also, we hope, be ecumenical prayers led by some Church of Ireland Bishop or other. If anyone knows any such Bishops, or even someone who's prepared to spend the evening pretending to be a Vicar, give us a call on 1890 448 448. We'd be happy to slip such a 'Vicar' a few Euros and maybe set him up with a nice girl for afterwards. 

And now a message from the CEO.  

BREAKING NEWS Labour Senator John Gilroy has endorsed the vigil on Twitter:

@KevinHIpoet1967 that's a good idea, I'll talk to you then- DM me on Wednesday
— Senator John Gilroy (@JohnGilroyTeam) December 14, 2014

Peadar Kirby Tells Us To Cop On To Ourselves

The man beside Noam Chomsky in the photo is Peadar Kirby, who today did the dirty on the anti-water charges movement by publishing this article.

Last time I saw Peadar Kirby he was defending the dictatorship of Mr Fidel Castro in the Atlanta Hotel, Galway circa 1992. It is significant when someone is both soft on dictators, such as Mr Castro, and dismissive of a mass movement, such as the anti-water charges campaign.  Really, what his likes believe is that the process of achieving change should be left to people like him, and if change comes it should be managed by a regime of people like him. He's not the first to think this way, and won't be the last. The amusing thing is the way an actual mass movement is now flushing his likes out from under their stones.

People like Peadar want the protests to stop so that he can go back to feeling morally superior, and of course complaining at dinner parties that, unlike the French, the Irish never protest. Peadar thinks that people should stop protesting, go home, and leave talking about the great issues to serious fellas like, you guessed it, Peadar Kirby.

At the moment every government bum boy (and girl) on the internet is busily sharing Peadar's article. If it comes your way, just ask the person who shared it why they are uncritically sharing an article by a declared fan of the dictatorship of Mr Fidel Castro who, of course, would hate a mass movement of tens of thousands of people, now wouldn't he. No surprise there.

Psychiatrists recommend that anyone who takes Peadar Kirby seriously should put their head down the loo and flush repeatedly. The treatment works, if done rigorously enough.

For more about the potential long term consequences of Peadar Kirby see here.