The mayor of Portlaoise

[yankeedoodle]

A little story for Og and those from Eire:

Yankee Doodle, when he was foolish, used to listen to the BBC - better then US news, of course - and, in 2007, while listening to the BBC Outlook program(me) - sort of a magazine program(me) of human interest stories - he heard an interview with Rotimi Adebari, the first black mayor in Ireland, who had just been elected mayor of...wait for it...Portlaoise.  Og and those in the know know what that means, but let's continue with the story.

The story went like this:  Rotimi was in Dublin, trying to settle in, and as he walked about, he somehow didn't find the environment too friendly, so he began to ask people about a good place for him to live.  Of course, being an immigrant, and not knowing the country, and taking the Dubs literally when he was told - apparently many more times than once - "Ah sure, Portlaoise would be a good place for ya", well, that's EXACTLY what he did - he went to Portlaoise, where he was greeted warmly, so much so that they elected him mayor.

Now, as Og and some others will know, Portlaoise just happens to be the site of a big PRISON in Ireland.  The Dubs weren't exactly being helpful when they told him to go to Portlaoise, but that's how it turned out.  Yankee Doodle couldn't help thinking of the roars of laughter in the pubs worldwide.  "Ah sure, that's a good place for him" was said countless times, surely.     

Can't find the link to podcast for Outlook program(me) from 2007 - probably scrubbed - but here a link to the BBC internet report:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6251094.stm

Ireland elects first black mayor
Rotimi Adebari
Mr Adebari said it was a great honour
A Nigerian man who arrived in Ireland as an asylum seeker seven years ago has become the country's first black mayor.
Rotimi Adebari has been elected as first citizen of Portlaoise in County Laois.

The 43-year-old fled from Nigeria in 2000 because of religious persecution. After a few weeks, he and his family settled in the County Laois town.

In 2004, he was elected in the local elections as an independent councillor and on Thursday he became mayor.

The move was the result of a voting pact between Fine Gael, Sinn Fein and independent councillors.

The father-of-four has completed a masters degree in intercultural studies at Dublin City University and now works for Laois County Council, co-ordinating an integration project for local immigrants.

Mr Adebari said it was a great honour to become Portlaoise's first citizen, but that praise should be given to the people who elected him three years ago.

"Ireland is really changing. The immigrant community in the town has been growing, especially since the accession countries joined the European Union on enlargement in 2004," he said.

However, he added: "That is not to say that I did not have my own share of the prejudice that would be out there against maybe Nigerians, or immigrants or asylum seekers."

"But I don't let the attitude of a very small minority over-shadow the fact that the people are wonderful."

[Ognir]

"Ah sure, Portlaoise would be a good place for ya"

Classic 

[yankeedoodle]

Shocking Christmas party in Portlaoise prison.
Uploaded on Oct 30, 2010
This exclusive video footage obtained by the Irish News of the World shows some of Ireland's most dangerous criminals, including Veronica Guerin killer John Gilligan, partying in what is supposed to be Ireland's maximum security jail with no prison officers in sight.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UfSbsbxmMeA