Apologies, Paris, for sourpuss Padraig but it is payback ….

Bradley Bytes …. A sort of political column by Dara Bradley

What’s the French for not-so-happy-hour? Contrary Galway City Councillor Pádraig Conneely (FG) sent Bradley Bytes this photograph of his good self posing for the camera outside an Irish bar in Paris at the weekend.

Judging by the miserable waspish sour-puss on him, Pádraig didn’t partake in the €4 advertised pints during Happy Hour (which apparently lasts for three and a half hours in Paris) at Galway Irish Pub.

And if he did, the former mayor doesn’t look like he enjoyed them. Ordinarily, we’d apologise to the people of France for inflicting Pádraig on them . . . but, heck, they deserve him . . . let’s call it pay-back time for Thierry Henry’s hand-ball in the lead up to the goal that kept Ireland out of the World Cup.

Popcorn at the ready for  Round 2 of Mike v Pearce

The rivalry between city councillors Pearce Flannery (FG) and Michael John Crowe (FF) shows no sign of abating.

Nobody appears to know the origins of their mutual animosity but everyone is enjoying their back-biting.

A recent bun-fight between the pair in the Council chamber illuminated what was an otherwise event-free City Council meeting. It was all very childish but no less entertaining for that.

MJ said three of the five city councillors who resigned from the Board of Leisureland were spineless. Just in case they didn’t understand what it means to be without a spine, he called them cowards for good measure. They reneged on their duty as board members, he snorted.

In a real shocker, MJ even praised the two elected members who he doesn’t like either – Mayor Donal Lyons and Pádraig Conneely – who remained on the board.

Two of those who resigned (Niall McNelis and Mike Cubbard) didn’t take the bait. But Pearce couldn’t help himself. He was puce with rage – how dare MJ question his integrity!

Pearce retorted that had Crowe bothered to stay at the full Council meeting a few months back – in which he explained why he resigned from the board – then MJ wouldn’t be calling him a coward.

Pearce said Mike left that meeting after a few minutes. Mike said Pearce was a liar – he left after an hour!

Pearce wasn’t happy with the name calling – he was no liar.

Mike – half heartedly – withdrew the liar charge, “if you want”.

But he was still adamant Pearce wasn’t telling the truth about the length of time he stayed at the meeting before skiving off, like a bold teenager mitching class.

So he’s not a liar, just not a teller of the truth, which is the same thing, right?

Interestingly, the ‘spineless and coward’ charges weren’t withdrawn.

Ding-a-ling-a-ling . . . Round two, MJ v Pearce, should be interesting when Leisureland is back on the Council agenda at the next meeting.

For more, read this week’s Galway City Tribune.