I have been spending much time in London and Stateside lately so when I do make it to my rural Co Cork retreat I find sometimes that tongues have been wagging locally.Last night The landlord of my local said he has heard rumours of a best selling author living in the locality. This was said with his trademark wink as he served me. The man who looks after the grounds of my property while I'm away asked me is it true that I had met Donald Trump? I smiled and said that I have met a great many important and influential public figures but out of all of them none impressed me more than The Donald. I somewhat came to regret this admission as after he spent more time asking questions on what was he like than doing the job I pay him to do till I gently reminded him.An elderly patron who frequents my local spoke to me yesterday and said that the worst thing that ever happened this country was the decline of The Anglo-Irish gentry after independence and that my presence in the locality had helped bestow some of that departed sense to the village.
