Dervla Kirwan.

Being a fan of Dervla Kirwan, I was disappointed to read comments made by her in a recent edition of Irish Tatler. Talking about sleazebag Colin Farrell, she says, "He's a really sweet man, he has had a terrible time in the press, but I don't know any young man who, given the degree of success and excess that was placed before him, would jave gone a different way. I think he's amazing to come out as together as he has. I really admire him."

Urrrgghhh! Admiration for a guy who beds almost every woman he comes into contact with, deserts the woman who was expecting his child, and his much publicised drink and drugs habits. How can you admire that? And the other young men Dervla knows must all live desperate hedonistic lifestyles as well if she thinks they would all fall into the same trap, if the same temptations were put in front of them. Or does she mean young men in general? Please don't think we all are as depraved as Farrell. Some of us do have stronger willpower. I don't mean so much his love of bedding anything in a skirt, but his overall wild behaviour. Not all men are as weak as Farrell, even though Dervla apparently thinks they are. I'm not an angel, but excesses being thrown in front of myself doesn't necessarily mean I would have behaved the same way as Farrell.

Perhaps Dervla's attitude about young men in general has something to do with her comment, "I had a lot of bad relationships when I was in my twenties..." Were they all Colin Farrell type characters - all out for themselves and not caring a fuck about anyone else? Surely she can't be blaming the male for all of these bad relationships - she must have been at fault in some instances. That would be like Patsy Kensit blaming all of her husbands for her failed marriages. In denial, and not taking responsibilty for their own share of failure in relationships. And here was me thinking Dervla was a quiet girl in her youth.

 I'm very much attracted to Dervla, going back to the days when she appeared in Hearts and Bones many years ago. It would be great if she was offered the part of assistant to Lewis, the Inspector Morse offshoot. Lewis as a programme would work much better if he had a female assitant, as opposed to the boring male he has right now. If the producer of Lewis is reading this, please take note!

I do think Dervla's comments about Farrell were idiotic and ignorant. Perhaps it IS better to act as the bad guy, though. Then, nice guys like myself may end up with more women. If that's what they prefer.