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ireland, irish, ulster, ireland, irish, ulster, Sinn Féin, Irish America

This year's Cock-Up Cups runneth over: North parties sweep boards

(John Coulter, Irish Daily Star)

Yee-ha! Many of the North's political parties have swept the boards in this year's Coulter's Coveted Cock-Up Cups.

Beloved First Minister Robbo collects the Terence O'Neill Memorial Cup for converting his Shinner-smashing DUP into a liberal unionist movement even more moderate than most wet Prods could imagine.

The 'Knife You In the Back At Every Chance' Cup is won by the civil war-ridden Ulster Unionists, who excelled themselves in sparking the most feuds, splits and coups against boss Mike Nesbitt in a single year.

The Shinners win 'How To Get Positive Publicity For Your Party' Shield with their press release writing skills. Sorry Sinn Féin, but Northern Ireland Water don't seem to want to sponsor this award!

The loyalist working class was well on its way to beating the Shinners in this category until the pre-Christmas rampage disqualified it. Copying Sinn Féin 1968-style is not an option.

As for the Stoops, they easily win the 'Shit Outta Luck' Cup for being unable to stem the political slide to Sinn Féin. In fact, the SDLP is already in line for the 'Disappear Up Its Own Ass' Shield for 2013.

But if the Stoop Troops can rally round Big Al instead of trying to copy the UUP in stabbing their leader in the back, there's a slim chance they could pull off a surprise in the 2014 European poll by winning back John Hume's seat.

The Top Tit Trophy goes to Alliance for starting the Troubles again because of its crazy Union flag vote in Belfast City Council. It's typical of Irish politics: the centre ground 'coming together' party sparking a new era of sectarian strife.

Making a very strong showing this year is the hardline Traditional Unionist Voice party led by wee Jimmy Allister. It romped home in the 'Rid Society of Convicted Sex Beasts' category.

Hopefully, former TUV Ballymena councillor and ex-Ireland rugby star David Tweed – now a convicted sex offender – will be able to collect the award from jail via videolink.

The supposed new third force in British politics, the United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP), wins the 'Total Bullshit Disguised As A Workable Way Forward For the North' gong for its global-domination plans, with UKIP Strangford MLA Davy McNarry leading the Assembly charge.

Green Party boss Steven Agnew wins the 'Feck Fracking' award to stop gas and petroleum extraction.

Full marks to the party, through, for its revolutionary plans to keep the North warm by getting us all to hug trees. Maybe the Greens should be awarded the Hot Air Cup instead?

Making its inaugural appearance this year is the Silvio Berlusconi Cup for the Biggest Political Ego. Joint winners are maverick UUP MLAs Basil McCrea of Lagan Valley and Wee Jonny McCallister from South Down with their strategy of 'Don't Listen to Mike, Let's Do And Say What We Want'.

There are also heavy odds they'll be booted out of what's left of the UUP to join Alliance, the Tories, or form their own Meaningless Unionist Party, known as the MUPS, with its youth wing, the MUPP-ETS.

Speaking of Independents, the East Derry Unionist MLA David McClarty gets a cup for simply being a genuinely nice guy who tells great jokes and yarns.

And let's not forget Brit PM Dandy Dave Cameron's Northern Tories. They collect the 'Super Supper' Cup for their superb hospitality at all events.

No Orange Order-style egg and onion sambos with mugs of sugar-laced tea for the Conservatives.

December 26, 2012
________________

This article appeared in the December 24, 2012 edition of the Irish Daily Star.

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