IT was probably inevitable that in a society as broken as this one, that someone would attempt to politicise Eoghan Quigg, the 16-year-old Dungiven boy on X Factor. First, the News Letter stepped up to the mark with its story on ill-informed unionist complaints that Eoghan didn’t attend an armed forces rehab centre with other contestants (he had other commitments). Then, when Eoghan wore a poppy and sang along with the others on the massive single Hero, which is raising money for veterans and is currently topping the charts, out pops some diehard republican killjoy with sinister comments about how this could be a problem for Eoghan and his family. By Sunday, a banner was being carried at the Army’s homecoming parade declaring that Eoghan supported the troops. Presumably the implication was that if a Dungiven lad can then others should too. All rather tragic, putting pressure on a kid just who’s living his dream. Perhaps it was a mistake for the X Factor to choose the cause it did, but the victimising or ‘claiming’ of this talented teenager by the two tribes is both pathetic and sad.
Discover more from Slugger O'Toole
Subscribe to get the latest posts to your email.