Michael D Higgins  is the President of the Irish Republic. According to The Irish Independent today:  “A radio clip of President Michael D Higgins debating a US radio talk show host on the tea party movement has become a viral hit in the US. President Higgins, then a TD, was having the debate with conservative chat show host Michael Graham on Newstalk. Although the clip is over two years old, it has gone viral on social media in the United States – gaining almost 250,000 views on YouTube in the last 24 hours.”

I had never heard it before today. If you have, I apologise. If you haven’t, take 4 minutes, 21 seconds out of your life to listen this marvellously educated man, rise gradually to a beautiful crescendo, straight into the face of a supporter of the US Tea Party. He is my new hero – albeit 2 years after the event.