Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ

Roddy Doyle was in Belfast earlier today. UpΜύon the train from Dublin forΜύthe day to promote his new book.

That's me and him and the new book "The Dead Republic" in our studio this afternoon, before he legged it to get the train back to Dublin. It's 340pm on the clock behind Roddy. The train is due to leaveΜύCentral Station at 410 and he wants on it.

He told me so as we stood outside the studio at 315 waiting for the religion department to finish recording Easter programmes. Someone says it'sΜύa bit like waiting outside the Head Master's office. Doyle the former teacher laughed. As two ministers file past us having recorded their Easter messages I wonder what kind of teacher he was?

He gave up teaching seventeen years ago he tells me later as we're getting our photo taken. He taught Geography and English. Sometimes more Geography than he wished too, when someone was off on maternity leave. He said he used to pray for infertility at the beginning of each term so he could get a chance to teach English!

I hope he made that train!