BIFFO Cowen On The Job...

The recent controversy surrounding two unflattering portraits of Irish Taoiseach (Prime Minister) Brian Cowen has, at least, given the hard-pressed voter a chuckle or two. Artist Conor Casby gained notoriety when the unflattering renderings were smuggled into the National Gallery and the Royal Hibernian Academy and hung on the wall. Despite the long and established history of caricature as a way to deflate the self-importance of the political classes, our great leader did not see the funny side. The Gardai (the Irish police) swooped on the offices of a commercial radio station and threatened a popular DJ with arrest if he did not cooperate in their enquiry. His crime? He had discussed the portraits on air. The the state broadcaster, RTE, apologised in a most grovelling fashion for having shown the unflattering depictions in a news item. It seems that, in Ireland, the act of painting a picture can land you in trouble with the law. The artist may be charged with indecency, incitement to hatred and criminal damage - though this seems less likely now as some time has passed.

This episode, though quite frivolous on the surface, brings into stark relief the lack of independence enjoyed by both the Gardai and the national broadcaster. Quite scary for a DJ to be threatened with arrest - and, remember, you cannot SEE pictures over the radio! The heavy-handed response calls into question the freedom of expression we all take for granted in this part of Europe - but does it exist in reality?

Also, we should ask just who do these people think they are? Our political classes have long lived well off the backs of the working-man. Has their rich lifestyle blinded them to the reality of precisely who works for who? Or have they simply reached a level of self-importance that nothing can penetrate their narcissistic self-belief?

Another question: where were the massive protests in the media about this effort to use the criminal-justice system to attack a man who had painted a couple of funny pictures? It would have been heartening to see a solid response from Irish newspapers and broadcasters, protesting such hard-line tactics on behalf of the state. But there was hardly a whimper.

My favourite of the two paintings is this one: BIFFO On The Bog.

It shows the great leader, sitting on the loo. For those not from our fair shores I should explain that BIFFO is an acronym for: Big Ignorant Fucker From Offaly, Offaly being a particularly awful place, and Cowen's home county.

As I reflect on the self-importance of this mediocre and inept man, I am greatly calmed by the thought that I am many miles away from him and his thought-police, rocking softly on the gentle seas. For tonight all is calm in this little part of the ocean and I feel a good sleep coming on...perhaps I shall dream of nicer things and better times.