The old man could handle a spade

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I have mentioned Seamus Heaney’s poem Digging previously. I will quote this bit and continue:

“By God, the old man could handle a spade,
Just like his old man.

My grandfather could cut more turf in a day
Than any other man on Toner’s bog.”

Ian Paisley yesterday mentioned the prospect of the Queen visiting the RoI and tied it to the end of the IRA Army Council. Previously it was tied to the devolution of P+J.

I may not be a supporter of Paisley (and indeed have been a major critic on these pages) but he can still elegantly turn the issue back around the other way. Rather than launch into an attack on him or anyone else and rather than turn this into a debate on what he said; I just want to savour the fact that this old man can also still handle his chosen (political) spade.

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