Evelyn Page #6

Desmond certainly isn't despairing

at the moment.

ln fact, he's sitting here, right beside me...

in our ultramodern television studio.

And he's got new reasons for being hopeful,

haven't you Desmond?

Yes!

It's okay. You don't have to shout,

we can hear you fine.

Fair enough.

Doesn't he look handsome

when he smartens himself up?

He's learning. l've always told him

he should model himself on me.

...that your daughter Evelyn

and your two boys are being held illegally.

Yes.

And you'll be taking on

some pretty top people?

Yeah. We're gonna call

the Minister of Education as a witness.

And I've often asked myself,

''What drives Desmond Doyle?''

-Desmond?

-I love my children.

I'm sick of saying goodbye to them

all the time.

I just don't want them

to spend their whole childhood crying.

-Has a date been set for the trial?

-Not yet.

But l want my kiddies home for Christmas.

Home for Christmas.

That's an inspiring note on which to end...

this little conversation with Canning.

Holy Jesus.

This thing will never catch on.

...and we'll be following your case closely.

And now...

the beautiful strains of the Irish harp.

Some good news, some bad news.

First, the good news. They've set a date.

-Second week in December.

-Great.

lt's a great time to have a trial.

-Even judges are sentimental at Christmas.

-Not all of them, l'm afraid.

Guess who we've got again.

-Ferris the Ferret?

-Yes.

He's been elevated

to the Supreme Court, apparently.

Lousy luck.

Luck's got nothing to do with it.

lf you ask me, the State's planted him there

in an attempt to scupper us.

Come on, eat up, there's plenty more.

Here, have a nice big fat sausage.

We're gonna make you lovely and lazy.

Might slow you up a bit.

Sorry, Sam, nothing for you.

You're gonna get your feast after the race.

They're off, and it's a close-packed field

at the start now.

Come on!

Stay up there, my boy.

Stay up. Yes!

They're battling it out, neck and neck.

Slippery Sam's edged in front.

And as they come around the bend...

Slippery Sam putting on

a tremendous effort.

O'Leary, how did you know?

Let's say l knew he was hungry for a win.

-Good man.

-Desmond?

The readers of the Irish Times

have voted you the Man of the Year.

-How do you feel about that?

-l'm honored. Who was second?

-The Pope.

-Fair play to him.

Come on, Bernadette.

-Let's go and collect our winnings.

-Right you are.

Desmond, l've got a few bob, myself.

-How's it going with Bernadette, then?

-Great.

ln fact, l asked her to come back

to America with me, when the case is over.

Really?

What did she say?

She said she'd think about it.

l asked her to move in with me.

-Really?

-Yeah.

What did she say?

She said she'd think about it.

-Who knows what she'll do.

-Fatima Mansions versus the USA.

Tough choice.

Sister, why don't you cut my hair?

You've cut everybody else's.

Because they are not likely

to have their photos all over the newspaper.

Why should that make a difference?

l don't think that l should be treated special

just because my daddy's getting famous.

But didn't your daddy tell us

not to cut your hair?

Yes, and didn't he tell you

to let me go home?

You didn't take a blind bit of notice.

Look....

lf l were to cut your hair,

Sister Theresa would not be amused.

l'll explain to my daddy if he gets cross.

And who will explain it to Sister Theresa

if she gets cross?

You, Sister.

Hugh Canning reporting to you, live,

from outside the Supreme Court...

on the first day of this historic case.

A grand, official car has just arrived.

lt's the Minister of Education.

Looks as if he'd rather be

somewhere else, this day.

This must be what soldiers feel like

just before battle.

-Nervous?

-Nervous?

l'm only trying to make legal history...

by doing something that's never been

done before, and if l fail, l'm unemployable.

But if you win, son, you're immortal.

You're in the history books.

And you'll help take this country

out of the Dark Ages.

Rosary beads.

l thought you weren't religious.

l'm not.

When the verdict comes in,

these are for counting the score.

Remember, Nick, speak from your heart.

l'll sit up in the gallery,

out of the Ferret's eye-line.

Thanks, Tom.

-Good luck, son.

-Thanks for everything.

Right.

Let the battle commence.

-ls this all right?

-lt's fine.

Minister, three times now

you have refused...

to reconsider the case of Desmond Doyle.

ls that correct?

lt is. A decision subsequently upheld

by the High Court.

Yes, but the grounds for our action now

are fundamentally different, is that not so?

l suppose it is.

Could you tell us, Minister, to whom or

to what do you owe your eminent position?

Pardon?

Your job, sir. Who appointed you?

Objection, Your Lordship.

This is irrelevant, not to say insolent.

My lord...

counsel for the plaintiff

has indeed failed to establish relevance.

l am about to do so, Your Lordship.

l hope so, Mr. Barron. Proceed.

As Minister for Education, you are

a government appointee, are you not?

Of course l am.

What is the document on which

the lrish government's authority...

and therefore your authority, rests?

The lrish Constitution.

Have you read it recently?

Objection, Your Lordship.

This is insufferable!

Counsel for the plaintiff is not displaying

due deference to the witness, my lord.

Objection sustained.

Be careful, Mr. Barron.

The witness must be treated with respect.

Yes, my lord.

l would be grateful

if you could read out to the Court...

those short extracts

from the lrish Constitution...

which, we have established,

is the basis for your authority.

''Article 1 .

''The lrish Constitution shall be consistent

with the law of God.

''Article 41 .

''A parent and child have a fundamental

and God-given right...

''to the enjoyment of each other's

mutual society.

''Article 42.

''A blameless parent shall not be deprived

of his or her right...

''to direct the child's education.''

ls it fair to say

that by consistently rejecting...

Desmond Doyle's application

for the return of his children...

you have denied him

that fundamental and God-given right?

Would it be fair to say that, Minister?

We are waiting for your response.

That is a possibility.

Yes.

And is it also a possibility...

that you have contravened

Article 42 of the Constitution...

by denying Desmond Doyle

the right to direct his children's education?

Yes.

That is also a possibility.

-That is what we are here to determine.

-Exactly.

And we will so determine.

Good boy.

No further questions.

Well done.

Article 42 of the Constitution...

refers to a blameless parent.

And we contend that this concept

is tacit also in Article 41 .

That it is the blameless parent...

who has a fundamental, God-given right

to his children's society.

This...

does not apply to Desmond Doyle.

He came barging in, unannounced,

to the main building.

He was in a terrible rage...

and he looked like a man

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