The Bottom Line is a talk programme and in the almost 4 years since the programme first went on air we’ve only ever played music on 2 occasions. One was the “Accountancy Shanty” by Monty Python a light hearted ditty poking gentle fun at accountants which we played as we came to the end of a series of programmes. The other was a loosely money themed song which I can’t quite recall but that I seem to remember we played when a guest didn’t show up or indeed we had a technical glitch. It might have been “Moneys too tight to mention” by Simply Red or “Money Money Money” by someone or other. For the life of me I can’t quite remember.
This evening we played another piece of music on the Bottom Line but it was no laughing matter nor indeed was it just a filler. The piece of music in question was by the Waterboys and it was their rendition of the WB Yeats poem “September 1913” from the excellent album “An Appointment with Mr Yeats”. I played it after discussing the Anglo Tapes the shattering expose of what was going on in Anglo Irish Bank as the country was going down the tubes few short years ago.
I played it to try and capture some of the anger people have felt over what these tapes show us. Personally I’ve been as upset as anyone listening to these tapes but more particularly in the context that over the years since Anglo brought the country down I’ve spoken to literally scores of business people who are struggling bravely against the resulting tidal wave of disaster that the Anglo fiasco unleashed making enormous sacrifices to keep their businesses open, keep people in employment and to try and keep communities under pressure together while maintaining positivity, creativity and enthusiasm. And they have to put up with that ? “Romantic Ireland is dead and gone ……. “ Indeed.
Check out the full poem here: http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/september-1913/
On a brighter note – on Friday and Saturday of this week the KICLR Business and Opportunities Expo takes place in the Ormonde Hotel in Kilkenny. The initiative the first of its kind in this area for ages features companies and organisations with literally dozens of jobs and opportunities on offer. In an era where bad news is all too common this kind of “glass half full” initiative is a welcome boost. We spoke to Paul Sykes of Oriflame who will be at the event in the Ormonde about the type of opportunities which his company has on offer. If you know anyone who is looking for a job or indeed just a career change drop along and see us. State Street, Taxback and IT Carlow are among the people who will be there. More details on www.kclr96fm.com
Week 2 of our new programme feature “A Year in the Life” which we’re doing in association with the Carlow Nationalist and Carlow Chamber. Each week we feature a different business from Carlow. This week it was the turn of the Arboretum Lifestyle and Garden Centre and we spoke to Fergal Doyle about the business and what is the secret of success for this business which has won dozens of awards over the years.
Minister Richard Bruton today launched a new funding initiative through Enterprise Ireland. Gearoid Mooney is the Director of ICT Commercialisation at Enterprise Ireland and he’s a Carlow man !!!He told us about how if you’re into research you can go about getting your hands (metaphorically) on some of the €21 million in funding announced by the Mionister today for the Commercialisation fund.
That’s about it for this week. We’ll be back again next Tuesday at 7 (without music hopefully). If you want to get in touch with the programme you’ll get us [email protected]
Edwina Grace produced. Until next week …..
John Purcell
