Tuesday, April 15, 2008

Poots talks the talk...

Some headlines just in:

King Herod today announced his support for increased kindergarten provision in Judea.
Robert Mugabe has confirmed his ongoing commitment to the democratic process.

And in another story from a parallel universe, Edwin Poots, Northern Ireland’s Culture Supremo has said that:

"Respect for each other helps society to flourish....more"

OK,...more:
He was speaking this evening at the Annual Schools Against Racism Poetry and Short Story Competition in the Linenhall Library.

Speaking at the event, the Minister said: "We live in an extremely diverse country with people of many different colours, creeds and nationalities choosing to make it their home and this is something which should be welcomed and celebrated. Which is why the theme of this competition; respect, is particularly important.

“In Northern Ireland, we have lived in a divided society for too long. The lasting peace has given people here the opportunity to break down barriers and begin to be able to live and work together. We must continue to challenge and change any prejudices and we can all play our part in this
.

Fine words, but will Edwin be challenging this kind of prejudice delivered up from an undoubted DUP apparachnik in The Newsletter?:
By establishing devolution, unionists are now in charge of their own affairs and able to not only prevent the opposition from making gains, but also to make gains of our own. Look, for example, at the issue of funding for UlsterScots.

For the very first time ever, funding for UlsterScots will be greater than funding going to the Irish cultural sector. When, under Direct Rule, did Irish cultural enthusiasts take to the streets because they were unhappy with government decisions?

Or will he be attempting to change this(via Chekov) kind of attitude from a felloe DUPe councillor:
A meeting of North Down Borough Council’s Corporate Committee turned sour last month when DUP councillor John Montgomery offered up a tub of the dairy product for examination.

He blasted the retailer for branding it ‘Irish whipping cream’ produced in ‘Irish pastures’, when a closer inspection of information on the back showed it was churned out in Northern Ireland.


Probably not, I don't think those are quite the kind of prejudices he had in mind.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

How does the fellow who complained about the butter feel about Bushmills whiskey? Product of Ireland it says on the label. No mention of Northern Ireland or the United Kingdom, despite the fact that Bushmills is overwhelmingly protestant and unionist.

O'Neill said...

Ah, you see, according to the DUP Fundamentalist theology, whiskey (even if brewed by Prods) is the devil's own buttermilk. That being the case, it's quite logical that Lucifer uses the "Ireland" brand to market it.

Timothy Belmont said...

Here's a fact about Bushmills Distillery - owned by Diageo: I was at Tenerife airport on 11/04/08 and there was a Bushmills promotion in the shop. The local assistant showed me the markting literature for Bushmills whiskey. At the top, there was a colour image of an Irish tricolour flag. I imagined that this was because they assumed that Bushmills was a product of the republic of Ireland.
I contacted Bushmills Distillery when I got home and told them about this. It's a deliberate policy and no mistake about the flag. In fact they're proud of it.
How should we react to this?

Tim

O'Neill said...

Tim
That's very interesting, you don't still have the leaflet by any chance?

Also, who did you speak to at Bushmills (not the individual, the department-marketing, management) ?

Timothy Belmont said...

I have the email:

Hi Timothy

Thank you for your inquiry and for bringing this to our attention.

I am sorry that you feel offended by the use of the Irish flag in this way. As Bushmills is an Irish whiskey and the legal definition for Irish whiskey is whiskey distilled and matured in the Isle of Ireland - that is, in Northern Ireland and in the Republic of Ireland – the Irish flag has been used on the price list.

‘Product of Ireland’ which can be seen on any bottle of Bushmills, is an authorised and legally approved descriptor of origin for Irish whiskeys.
We are extremely proud of our provenance, which is why we also clearly state on all our labels and packaging our County Antrim origin.
Bushmills is an employment and export success for Northern Ireland and Diageo is delighted to be investing in its future, and that of the local community, at a time when the political and economic fortunes of Northern Ireland have come good.

I do hope that this answers your query.

Best wishes
Kathy


www.bushmills.com
It's not because the distillery is old that the whiskey is good...
it's because the whiskey is good that the distillery is old.

O'Neill said...

As Bushmills is an Irish whiskey and the legal definition for Irish whiskey is whiskey distilled and matured in the Isle of Ireland - that is, in Northern Ireland and in the Republic of Ireland – the Irish flag has been used on the price list.

It's badly written (it could be understood that Bushmills is also distilled and matured in ROI, which it isn't obviously). Also, again rather obviously, it may be "manufactured" on the island of Ireland, but the flag of the Republic of Ireland is not the "flag of Ireland".

I'm going to do a bit more digging on this, watch this space!

Timothy Belmont said...

I was hoping you'd want to get your gnashers into it O'Neill!

I've agitated the waters already; don't hold the breath for anything against Diageo from the Belfast Telegraph though - Diageo probably pay half their wages in advertising for all I know.

I've sent the details to the four pro-union North Antrim MLAs and I've spoken to the Rev Robert Coulter MLA on the blower.

Probably all a waste of time and energy, heading against the tide et al.

Tim

O'Neill said...

Tim,
I've just had an email from the self-same Kathy-

Hello Paul

Thank you for your email and for bringing this to our attention.

We’ve looked into this and found that, in this instance, the flag was used on a price list by an external agency at a point of sale promotion in duty free but was not authorised by Bushmills. We are taking steps to deal with the error.

We are extremely proud of our provenance, which is why we clearly state our County Antrim origin on all our labels and packaging.



Bushmills is an Irish whiskey and the legal definition for Irish whiskey is whiskey distilled and matured in the Isle of Ireland - that is, in Northern Ireland and in the Republic of Ireland.

But as you mention in your email, Bushmills is an employment and export success for Northern Ireland and Diageo is delighted to be investing in its future, and that of the local community, at a time when the political and economic fortunes of Northern Ireland have come good.

I do hope that this answers your query.

Best wishes
Kathy
"

There you go! One small success!