John Mulgrew, East Ayrshire’s chief of chiefs (well, education and social work), had a satisfying date at the Palace last week. We refer, of course, not to the Palace Theatre in Kilmarnock but to Buckingham of that ilk.
Readers of the daily prints could be forgiven for failing to spot his trip to receive his OBE from the Prince of Wales. The media spotlight, unaccountably, fell instead on Michael Parkinson and Lulu, there for a CBE and OBE respectively. They all chattd amiably nonetheless, according to observers, allowing Mulgrew to claim, no doubt, that he has been interviewed by Parkie.
Chuffed as he is, Mulgrew knows where the real honours lie. He is bracing himself for an even greater tribute this weekend when he is due to assume onerous (honourous?) duties as president of the Association of Directors of Education. Nothing, of course, much fazes a chap who’s had an audience with the Pope. Eat your heart out, Ma’am.