i'll be a shield

IRISH begrudgery is as old as poitin and as likely to leave your face contorted and numb. The condition, which affects us all, means we don’t generally like seeing people do well. It is also particularly difficult to give credit where it’s due to those who are younger and more successful than we are. I find myself in a bit of a predicament and can’t make sense of it. I really, really admire Niall Horan…. Niall is ripe for the haters — plucked from rural obscurity, seemingly mildly talented at best, thrown into the Simon Cowell bland machine, rebooted and spat out as part of a band that somehow ruled the world for a while. Worse, he became part of an incredibly annoying Irish set hanging out in London. He played golf with Bressie. Yuck. Then he started playing the guitar a bit more — “State of him, what’s he doing that for?” — and began making moves towards a solo career, writing edgier songs and filling cooler, smaller venues. Then his album topped the US charts and then he won Best New Artist of the Year at the American Music Awards. He began wearing cool suits, and before you know it he’s A-list. What the hell? Despite his spectacular success and seemingly brilliant life, I have nothing but a gushing admiration and respect for the 24-year-old from Mullingar. It feels weird…. Niall has cured me. If you can be happy for Niall and feel no resentment, perhaps you can be cured too.