Fireballs

Mick (``The Man With the Plan'') Flannery, Irish member of the European Parliament, is up for reelection and his campaign is in deep trouble. He knows that his constituents are interested only in ``finding a job and having a good time.'' This election go-around, his solution to their problems is having an international coal depot built right in the middle of his home district of Brulagh. The Irish Prime Minister-aptly named ``Mullarkey''-could care less for Flannery or his depot, but if Flannery goes down, so does the PM's government. Packed off to New York to march in the St. Patrick's Day Parade, Flannery is warned by the Foreign Office to stay sober and not talk about the delicate situation back home. But with drink in his hand and sex on his mind, he causes an international incident and has to hightail it south. After some help from his slightly larcenous friend Abe Linovitz, Flannery returns to Ireland empty-handed and desperate. But ``Fireballs,'' a peat fuel concoction, will guarantee jobs for all and reelection for Flannery. With the help of another of Abe's clients-the ``Paramount Chief'' of the African Republic of Marabar-Flannery has the election in the bag... or so he thinks. Irish author Binchy (The Last Resort) has written a laugh-out-loud parody of the Irish and their politics that will bring the reader a wider smile by the turn of each page. (Aug.)