TV Comment – Fair play to and from Terry

NOW THAT he is retired, our most famous emigrant, Sir Michael Terence (Terry) Wogan, Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire, has time for the finer things in life and what better, he probably thought to himself, than a trip home to the Ould Sod to let the folks there see how he has prospered since taking the boat for England over 40 years ago. Not that he needed going to the bother because the folks back home have always kept an eye on him as he progressed up the ranks in the BBC, ever steering clear of the pitfalls that cropped up now and then because of the Troubles and doing so with such aplomb that for a generation or more he has endeared himself to all across the Pond as Britain's favourite Irishman. My earliest screen memories of the genial Terry go back to when he was one of a brash new strain of confident and cosmopolitan Irishmen who first came to our notice with the arrival of Telefís Éireann in the early 1960s. Montrose could have been on another planet but the men from there had an enviable ability to turn any woman's head because of their suave, elegant, well-groomed and debonair good looks and my recollection is that even a mere hint of a fleeting appearance at a dancehall by any of them was the guarantee of a full house. In or around 1965, Terry had inherited the hosting, with a blonde bombshell by the name of Olive White, of the popular TE general knowledge quiz show Jackpot and because he had replaced the upwardly mobile Gay Byrne, the acknowledged cream of the new crop, all the talk was of the jealous rivalry that supposedly existed between the two when, as we now know, the reality was they were the best of friends. Wogan would go on to become a household name in Britain and for many years he was the voice of morning radio on BBC with his Wake Up To Wogan programme. His phenomenal success on radio and television would see him all the way to his retirement of 12 months ago and on television he is especially noted for his superb annual presentation of Children in Need. It was however his mocking tongue-in-cheek commentaries of many an otherwise dull Eurovision Song Contest which stand out for me and he was often the only good reason for tuning to a production which has long since become a complete bore. His bread and butter in the heyday of the television chat show era came from Wogan which he hosted for years and of which my abiding memory is of Terry's interview with an inebriated George Best. And now as seen last Sunday evening on BBC1 in the first of two documentaries Terry has the time to visit Ireland and my initial reaction to what was a most enjoyable hour of television is that Bord Fáilte should present him with a medal because Terry Wogan's Ireland is a much-needed tonic for our tourist trade. Screened at a time of year when people are thinking about where they might take their summer holidays, Terry's documentary must have ticked all the boxes with the millions who have always watched and listened to him and, hopefully, all are now making the necessary travel plans. Sunday evening's first instalment of two followed his progress last summer via the luxury of the back seat of an expensive car as he journeyed from Dublin via a scenic route through Cork and Kerry to his native Limerick. Kerry in particular was spectacular and I could well see why it is my own holiday destination of choice every August. Terry travelled along the Ring of Kerry on what was the only wet day of his trip and, apart from having to pull in for an unending stream of tour buses, he found nothing about which he might complain. 'Nobody comes to Ireland for the weather,' was his only response and, when he stood at the highest elevation of the Ring looking down from a gap in the mountains to the lovely village of Waterville far below, he had my full agreement that the view is one of the very best in Ireland, rain or shine. One of his stopping-off points was in Ballinspittle, Co Cork, of moving statue fame, and it was at that juncture more than anywhere that it became clear how well disposed Terry remains to his native land. He could have been mocking and disrespectful to the claims of a supernatural occurrence which thrust the village into the national and international headlines in the summer of 1985 but, while he was understandably sceptical, he listened with courtesy and respect as two of those who claim to have witnessed the statue moving prayed at the grotto and told him of the wonders they had seen. As they explained it, that particular summer was wet and miserable and, not unlike now, job opportunities and morale in this country had reached a significant low. Suddenly there was talk on all sides of wonderful happenings in Ballinspittle and as news of the phenomenon spread, it caused thousands of pilgrims and spectators from at home and abroad to flock to the grotto. Many saw it as a sign that the Blessed Virgin was standing by Ireland in its hour of need and when some pilgrims to Cork returned home to claim they too had witnessed the movements, for a few months there was almost national hysteria. The phenomenon was never scientifically confirmed and in time interest waned. To my mind there is nothing as demeaning as one of our own making fun of his identity and culture for the amusement of an English or American audience but Terry demonstrated he is not like that, and neither did he take advantage of our current financial plight. It has been put out in some quarters that we are the butt of jokes internationally but we can live with that provided we retain our self-respect here at home. Wogan's theme was 'once an Irishmen, always an Irishman' and through it he made it obvious that he is very proud of his Irish roots. As he journeyed on, it became clear that Terry was on a personal voyage of self-discovery, particularly so when he arrived in Limerick, where, born in 1938, he had spent his first 15 years and where he was educated at Crescent College by the Jesuits. This was Wogan demonstrating that even though he has lived for years within sight of Windsor Castle he has never lost his most Irish of traits, the gift of the gab. By way of illustration, he used it to lay the flattery on with a trowel in a documentary which depicted a very traditional portrait of Ireland. Of course he noticed our many problems but he didn't dwell on them. Instead, he told of a place in which it seemed the comely maidens were still dancing at the crossroads, he visited Irish pubs where the crack was ninety and he talked with and enjoyed the company of people who were happy and content. He made it all so convincing and it was as if someone with special access to British minds had been recruited for free by Bord Fáilte to make an advertisement for Ireland and wrap it in pretty green ribbons, complete with pictures of the harp that once. In other words, Terry came back to see how we are getting on and didn't kick us when he saw we were down. Could we ask for more? â€Â¢ â€Â¢ â€Â¢ I'M NOT a great fan of televised talent shows even if, as is claimed for RTE's All-Ireland Talent Show, it is Ireland's biggest and best. Now back for a third season, I looked in on Sunday evening to see Jack's Angels from Oranmore and while I was disappointed that they didn't win I was impressed by their enthusiasm and will to succeed. I had previously come across their website and liked the way they thanked everyone for the welcome they received in the various schools they had visited in their quest for votes. I don't know the names of the three young women in the group but their drummer, Jack Malone, was great. He was inspirational in the air of confidence he brought to the performance and I liked in particular the clear and articulate way he expressed his thanks to all at the conclusion. Now there's an Irish trait in scarce commodity and it was never more needed.