The ZZ Top of Social Partnership

For so long, I’ve wondered why there was a sense of déjà vu about our union beards David Begg and Jack O’Connor when coupled with the non-beard Peter McLoone. And finally it got pinned down. But whereas the Texas rockers managed to work together despite the differences in facial hair, it’s becoming ever clearer that the beard differential may be symbolic of something deeper in the union movement. While the clock might be ticking on when the government falls, it’s ticking faster on when the unions fall out with each other.

Photos: Cyril Byrne (of Begg and O’Connor) and uncredited Irish Times image (of McLoone).