The Spanish papers may have referred to the entertainment at the opening of the new European Central Bank in Frankfurt on Tuesday as "kitsch" and a "tutti frutti musical" lacking in cultural relevance to the occasion, but others didn't think so.
The Irish delegation led by the Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, and Minister for Finance, Charlie McCreevy, were puffed up with pride at the standing ovation and copious congratulations from the other nations after the 45-minute Riverdance performance. So was it only the cynical who spotted a sour note in the ceremony? The Dutch male voice choir sang airs from all 15 EU nations, in the various languages, and the Irish song chosen was An Cruiscin Lan. Were the others trying to tell us something?