Catch RTÉ1′s much-vaunted reality show starring Victoria Mary Clarke and Shane McGowan last night that followed the pair learning the ins and outs of veggie growing? Far from being the billed reality show, we were treated to VMC visiting her BFFs, all fabulously intertwined into the faded vestiges of landed aristocracy and the Orts.

Besides the dubious well of reason of growing potatoes in planting pots, VMC came up with the goods talking about her conversations with angels. All matter of fact. Yet only a few minutes before she peepeed one of her plant experts telling her that his plants instructed him to attack encroaching black slugs with pair of scissors at night. Now, which one is more sane?

We were also treated to a lesser-seen Guinness, a BFF and cousins of Lily Allen. There’s a double ding score on that. This all transpired while VMC dancing around McGowan indie fame like a post-modern Sharon Osbourne; McGowan ‘s culchie expertise being hammed up for off-beat comic relief.

Is it too cynical to believe that this piece was timed to up the sales of ‘Fairytale of New York’?