Mulcahy: Charlie Haughey's relationship of interest

Aidan Gillen as Charles Haughey

Kirsty Blake Knox

Scriptwriter Colin Teevan, who penned RTE's upcoming political drama 'Charlie' about the life of former Taoiseach Haughey, was careful to avoid focusing on the Fine Fail TD's relationship with columnist Terry Keane.

"We didn't go into it," he said. "And is an on-screen love affair really that interesting?"

Well, since you ask, the answer is yes.

*****

Senator David Norris is a colourful individual if ever there was one.

So I wasn't totally surprised to hear that he was a big fan of the Abbey Theatre's OTT staging of Oliver Goldsmith's 'She Stoops to Conquer'. "They have a real set with lots of bells and whistles!" he exclaimed. "None of this modernist mumbo jumbo."

"This is not Beckett, it's an eighteenth-century romp I want some furniture, some bustles and some well-designed chairs."

*****

Tommy Tiernan had the audience of 'The Late Late Show' in stitches this month when he described the physical attributes of different Irish women.

The comedian has always had an astute understanding of the Irish women's psyche, once commenting: "Irish women like men to do things like fill the coal bucket, or take the bins out - that makes them horny.

"Maybe that's why strippers dress up as utility men. There's always a firemen or a plumber - there's no poets. You'd never see a stripping poet.

"Irish women would just shout at him 'Get over yourself! Bored! Fill the f**king dishwasher would ya!'"

*****

With Christmas over and done, our thoughts turn to the new year and what promises 2015 will bring. But according to the Grande Dame of the theatrical world - Twink - compiling lists of resolutions at this early stage is a fool's errand.

"Making resolutions in January is fatalistic," she said. "Anyone who makes them at this time of year is a damn fool. Better to make them in November - then at least you have a chance of keeping them till the year is out."

*****

Hairdresser Robert Chambers is known for clipping ladies locks into desirable dos (he shaved Sinead O'Connor's head and tends to the tresses of Princess Haya bint Al Hussein of Jordan).

But his visit from Britt Ekland is one of his more memorable occasions. "She flew in for the opening of our South Anne St Store," he said. "We spent hours in The Westbury talking hats and hair. I taught her how to do sit-ups." Just your average weekend really.

mulcahy@independent.ie