LISTENERS to the Gerry Ryan Show on Thursday morning were the first to be alerted to an imminent Government crisis. Minister for Finance Charlie McCreevy, who has been giving tips all week from Cheltenham, told Ryan that he wouldn't talk about anything but horses - he wasn't noted for taking notice of his advisers but he was doing so on this occasion. But yes, he had been ordered back to Dublin.
He couldn't go into details - it was personal between him and the Taoiseach - but as the nearest Cabinet minister he was being recalled. He would say no more. Cheltenham was the highlight of his social calendar and he looked forward to it for 11 3/4 months but could he tell the people of Kildare, whom he had relied on in times of crisis, and there were plenty of them, that he would be at least one parade the next day. Then, having apologised for eating toast, he gave his tips for the day.
McCreevy's tips were the star turn of the week, although none of them won. But that wasn't what drew the complaints. There were loads of calls from listeners annoyed at his flippancy. With his controversial Budget behind him, said some callers, it was outrageous that the Minister should be so frivolously living it up and encouraging people to be financially irresponsible. Others simply wanted tax advice and to give out about the way he treated women, said researcher Siobhan Hough.
Ryan's core audience, the stay-at-home mums, were treated to a daily battle of betting wits between Charlie and racing corr Ian McClean with a donation going to the chosen charity of the top tipster. It wasn't Charlie.
By Thursday, when he talked about being recalled, listeners had begun to catch on and the calls eased up. Because it wasn't him. It was the impersonator from Bull Island, Pakie O'Callaghan.
Quidnunc is at rholohan@irish-times.ie