Revolution Cancelled!

It could have been a revolution especially when the marchers reached Government Buildings to the sound of Dylan echoing down Merrion Square. The times they are a changing.


The mood was festive and sombre all at once and bemused tourists lined the route smiling and delighted with this unexpected parade.
These budding revolutionaries and activists were mostly middle aged and middle class but remember Versailles. Wasnt it common folk who rallied when Marie Antionette asked why they couldnt just eat cake and shut up complaining.

Yes there could have been a revolution, but, there wasnt! What started off so promisingly fizzled out as David Begg (ICTU) took to the microphone and proceeded to tell protesters what they already knew. Close your eyes and you could have been listening to a report on News at One or Drivetime. Doom and gloom, says Mr Begg, Greed, Capitalism, Corruption; He listed the reasons to be uncheerful at great length. And that, as they say, was that!

The crowd clapped agreeably and he read a message of solidarity from the British TUC. Then he sent them all home. A handful of jovial stragglers lined placards against Anglo Irish's Stephens Green Branch and were enjoying a spot of coin throwing as they laughed at how the bank needed money.

Biffo and Brian neednt have bothered stockpiling up the champagne and caviar. There would be no siege, this was Not a Bastile moment and the public sector workers neatly deposited their placards in bins and went off to the pub for a pint