Matthew D'Ancona
Published:
July 9, 2009 at 8:51am
Yesterday I found out that the editor of The Spectator and The Sunday Telegraph columnist Matthew D’Ancona is the son of a Maltese footballer. I’d often wondered at the name, because there’s a Maltese family called D’Ancona, but assumed he was the son or grandson of an Italian immigrant.
D’Ancona’s father left Malta for England as a student and wound up playing professional football for Newcastle, before becoming a civil servant.
19 Comments Comment
Leave a Comment
Therefore, if Matthew D’Ancona was born in England does that make him a first generation Englishman? Correct me if I am wrong.
[Daphne – His mother is English.]
A Maltese friend of mine whose wife is English have a son who was born and bred in Holland, and who’s made it multi-million big time in other countries. When interviewed by the British media and asked what nationality he is, he replied “I am Dutch.”
[Daphne – Nick Galea. Yes, he’s very Dutch.]
Isma’, x’kull waħda…..ili s-snin ammiratur ta’ D’Ancona, u ma kelliex l-iċken idea…
Nothing to do with the above, but this letter in The Times explaining why Nigerians don’t qualify for Refugee Protection is just surreal.
‘Not here for the beer’
Anthony Curmi, St Julians
The secret has been uncovered! We now have some inkling how Nigerians get to know about Malta. This might offer a clue as to why so many refugees from Nigeria are familiar with Malta and end up on our shores.
A report in the UK Sunday Times Business News of July 5 states that more Guinness beer is consumed in Nigeria than in Ireland and observers think that it is only a matter of time before Nigeria overtakes the UK!
There may be something also in the fact that the Guinness brewed in Nigeria is branded “Malta Guinness”. Moreover, the report reveals that there is also a soft drink – known as “Malta” – which is made by the same Nigerian company that brews Guinness.
Being such heavy drinkers of Guinness, is this not enough proof (if this were needed as Nigeria is a major global producer of crude oil) that refugees from Nigeria do not qualify for refugee status on humanitarian grounds but should be classified as economic refugees and thus should be repatriated?
I read his book, Tabatha’s Code. A cracker of a book. I didn’t know his dad was Maltese!
[Daphne – Qed tara, you have something new to tell them over at the GRTU. http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/reviews/tabathas-code-by-matthew-dancona-481266.html%5D
That’s an idea. I’ll put it on the official GRTU reading list right away. It will make business people’s day a bit less tedious during the hard times.
Nothing to do with the post but this morning I realized that last Saturday was the 40th anniversary of this song’s release and that’s basically been it
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZP5c2t945p8
The ink has not even dried on the Prime Minister’s Mepa reform proposals; yet, the LP has already digested them in sufficient detail to lambast them by stating:
http://www.maltastar.com/pages/ms09dart.asp?a=3024
“MEPA reform took over a year and a half to be completed and has still to address the concerns of the people, the Labour Party said in a statement…”
Not only that…but Dr Gonzi is a copycat…Mulej hniena.
“…Roderick Galdes, Labour Party spokesperson for housing and planning, said that the PL had already proposed for the policy-making aspect of the authority to fall under the responsibility of the government and for the implementation of such policies to be the responsibility of MEPA. The Nationalist Party had criticised such proposal, only for Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi to adopt a similar proposal.
The Policy Unit as proposed in the reform should not make MEPA an extension of the Prime Minister’s office, the PL said. Experts and not politicians are to be appointed to the Policy Unit…”
Is it a coincidence that earlier on, a comment by an “English” version of Toni Abela, had provided the cue for the LP?:
http://www.maltastar.com/pages/ms09dart.asp?a=3014
“tony abela – 09 July 2009 13:19
Seems to me more power to the Party in Government and more hindering to the Professionals and the Technical Experts.
Policies will become a political decision and not a technical one.”
Libera nos a malo
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20090709/local/mepa-reform-not-courageous-enough-pl
“…Mr Galdes said it was not clear how the NGOs’ representative on the MEPA board would be nominated, and who he/she would report to.”
Astrid
I trust the PM has more sense than that.
And here’s a Maltese man who’s found fame and fortune (of sorts) in the USA.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/14/fashion/14carpet.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all
And here is another Maltese (half Maltese) who has found fame and fortune in UK.
http://www.nataliesavona.com
Pruvajt infittex fuq missier D’Ancona u ma sibtx li kien jilghab man-Newcastle. Li sibt dejjem skond it-tifel tieghu hu li kien champion tat-tennis f’Malta. Jista xi hadd dilettant tal-football jew tennis lokali jaghtini aktar informazzjoni. Grazzi.
If one writes in English here he will get the message across to more people.
Matthew D’Ancona’s father is John D’Ancona and yes he is Maltese and left for the U.K. as a student. I should know as he is my father’s cousin. Not sure about the football bit but I can enquire.
I am the tennis player you mention. We are the last D’Ancona family here in Malta and as fate has it I am father of two girls, so not much hope there.
Thank you, Nick.
I googled “Telegraph D’Ancona Malta” and came across this ….
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/personal-view/3640579/Surely-we-dont-want-to-be-run-by-Malta.html
Daphne if you give me an email address, I can email you a copy of D’Ancona’s Podcast, in which he says that he is the son of a Maltese footballer father:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2009/mar/25/gordon-brown-british-identity
[Daphne – [email protected]. He has resigned from his position as editor of The Spectator.]