Humour

“Until further notice (see Preamble post-script), the Houses of the Oireachtas shall have a room containing an elephant.”

Pete Baker on November 10, 2011, 1:08 pm

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As the eurozone slides into the abyss, there’s just time for some light relief – courtesy of Frank McNally’s Irishman’s Diary in the Irish Times. Article 6 The name of the State is Eire, or in the English language, Ireland. The Government may, however, enter into periodic commercial agreements with regard to naming rights. Thereafter, the State may be known as “Ireland, brought to you in association with Microsoft”, or a like designation. Article 7 The national flag of Ireland shall be …

“If elected president, does Mr Higgins plan to expand the review section?”

Pete Baker on October 12, 2011, 12:46 pm

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In his Irish Times’ Irishman’s Diary Frank McNally pre-empted John’s complaint with some questions about Irish Presidential candidate Michael D Higgins’ dubious past. From the Irish Times As the presidential campaign grew dirtier, it was inevitable that, sooner or later, somebody would raise the poetry issue. No surprise that the somebody was Gay Mitchell. The Fine Gael man is politically descended from a long line of philistines, including Kevin O’Higgins, who established an early precedent for this kind of thing …

Gay Mitchell is a Presidential candidate

Blank on October 4, 2011, 10:15 pm

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http://youtu.be/2eKqUyD5y0U (This may not be him) Blank

“Let’s raise a single eyebrow to our next president.”

Pete Baker on September 26, 2011, 12:23 pm

| Readers 9

In the Irish Times, Ann Marie Hourihane identifies the best candidate for the job – Sir Roger Moore. Roger Moore is handsome; he looks great in a blazer, which is not as easy as you might think. He is good humoured and has charidee experience as a Unicef goodwill ambassador, a role which he has filled for the past 20 years, and of which he is justifiably proud. He has a history of violence – The Saint, The Persuaders , a …

Euro crisis: As seen by…

Pete Baker on September 16, 2011, 1:54 pm

| Readers 54

I’m not sure where he found it, but Philip Lane has posted this amusing graphic at the Irish Economy blog as the EU’s existential crisis continues. Heh. Pete Baker

POTD – There was talk of a dirty protest!

Moochin Photoman on September 11, 2011, 7:28 am

| Readers 15

Sinn Fein ard fheis Waterfront Hall Moochin PhotomanPhotographer and visual artist based in Belfast. I have facilitated community based workshops with groups as diverse as visually impaired individuals in Dungannn, Travellers across Northern Ireland, Young Offenders and many community groups across Belfast. My work has exhibited extensively here in Northern Ireland in group and individual shows and has been shown in North America and i had my first solo international exhibition in New Zealand. I have been the recipient of …

“The Borgias couldn’t give a stuffed fig about sense”

Pete Baker on August 12, 2011, 5:01 pm

| Readers 23

If Camelot was anything to go by the actual series will fail to match the promise of the review and will be cancelled after one season. Until then enjoy another epic review, this time of The Borgias, by Sarah Dempster at the Guardian’s TV blog. Created by director Neil Jordan, The Borgias is a potboiler in the (throbbing, purple) vein of The Tudors and Camelot. Stuffed to the chancel with priests, bums, greed, shouting, bribery, incest, poisonings and knockers, the …

A poem for the day – The Pipe-bomber

Martin Mooney on August 3, 2011, 10:00 am

| Readers 38

This is another one from the late 90s, that I think is a response to or expression of a sense of depression at the low-level post-ceasefires violence from loyalist organisations that didn’t ‘get it’ or see anything in the ‘process’ for themselves or were just too plain sectarian to care (delete as applicable). Though I hope there’s more going on in the poem than just a middle-class whinge – in fact, maybe it’s a satire on the middle-class whinge as …

A fundie holiday

Turgon on August 2, 2011, 11:18 pm

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I saw a few people had noted my absence from blogging: I thought I owed the massed ranks of sluggerites who actually have no real interest an explanation. I was on holiday: after the twelfth of course. We went to Ballyronan for the 12th itself and as ever had a good time. Most of our band members went down to the lough shore and as such we missed the speeches and even worse Dr. McCrea’s gospel meeting: I just about …

Friday Thread: Hey (Father) Joe, where you going? St Pats Knock, 1976.

Mick Fealty on July 8, 2011, 3:29 pm

| Readers 194

Right, many of you won’t make much of this. But if you are anywhere near fifty, you’ll certainly remember the music (taken from the Pound Club, behind Roddy’s and opposite the bus station in Oxford Street, I think. It turns out to be “The Pieces of Eight” in Anne Street) and that unforgettable mid 70s look. For reference the loop section for the chorus features former President of the College, Father Joe Conway, a supremely gentle civilised man who faced his daily …

POTD – Bar Stool Republican

Moochin Photoman on June 12, 2011, 9:48 am

| Readers 19

One of the “events” at Flatlake Literary Festival was a Gonzo Zoo which had actors playing various caricatures of the Irish. From the unemployed builder, to the Irishman abroad and as pictured the Bar Stool Republican. There was also a liberal left winger, an angsty singer song writer and a pair of boy racers, complete with a souped up car revving away whilst pumping out a heavy drum and bass tune.It was funny to walk past the various characters and …

Tweet of the Day (ah, well, yesterday)…

Mick Fealty on May 27, 2011, 11:04 am

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From my old mucker from Queens, Ciaran O’Kelly (in response to a question I asked on Slugger’s Facebook page): Dear @SluggerOToole: Ireland is NOT A PLC. (it is a wholly owned subsidiary of its past). You can follow Ciaran on @ctokelly…. Mick FealtyMick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers on the impacts of the Internet on politics and the wider media and is a regular guest and speaking events across Ireland, the UK and Europe. Twitter: @MickFealty

A Dubliner’s Diary: The Visit…

Belfast Gonzo on May 23, 2011, 2:45 am

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“When The Visit was first announced, I guess most Irish people were a bit surprised that such a high-profile guest would be coming to Dublin. It’s not that they aren’t welcome, but there was a lot of animosity about stuff that happened in the past. Some people will never get past the association with the army and the violence carried out against Irish people, but times change. “So the anger was relatively muted, with only the dissidents genuinely offended. There …

Moldova was robbed!

Pete Baker on May 15, 2011, 6:15 pm

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In the end, Azerbaijan won Eurovision 2011. Jedward finished a creditable 8th and Blue managed 11th place. But how could anyone have failed to award the gloriously bizarre Moldovan entry, So Lucky by Zdob și Zdub, a well deserved douze points! Enjoy. Pete Baker

Midlife crisis man

Turgon on May 4, 2011, 9:30 pm

| Readers 10

I am 40 this year. Even typing that seems almost unbelievable. However, despite attempts to brow beat my mother into admitting that she got my, and my younger sister’s dates of birth wrong way round, I have had to admit that I am indeed middle aged. I was the last year to do O levels so indeed I must be 40. Unfortunately there is nothing I can do about this. I have looked into cryogenic freezing but that seems ineffectual: …

Zombie thread

Turgon on May 4, 2011, 3:41 pm

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It is election time and as such I wish to continue the tradition I began last May by discussing monsters. Last time it was werewolves: this year it is going to be zombies. I have discussed zombies before but I think we need another thread on this issue. Whilst on holiday for the last couple of weeks I chanced (between breaks in Dave’s Top Gear coverage) upon Channel 5’s The Walking Dead. I have always been a fan of zombies …

Off with her head?

Blank on April 15, 2011, 8:09 pm

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UPDATE – video of the ‘execution’: It has variously been described as tasteless, juvenile, pathetic, street theatre and much more – tomorrow éirígí intend to chop Elizabeth Windsor’s head off in the centre of Dublin. Blank

“All we’re doing is speaking very frankly and bluntly…”

Pete Baker on April 4, 2011, 3:54 pm

| Readers 38

In The Guardian Decca Aitkenhead interviews the rational thinking AC Grayling on the publication of his latest book – “The Good Book: A Secular Bible“. And he has this to say on atheists, and criticism from supernaturalists. From the Guardian interview Atheists, according to Grayling, divide into three broad categories. There are those for whom this secular objection to the privileged status of religion in public life is the driving force of their concern. Then there are those, “like my chum …

Fine Gael appoint Minister for Happiness…

Mick Fealty on April 1, 2011, 11:50 am

| Readers 43

And, now I’ve heard it all. David Cameron wants a Happiness Index, now Fine Gael (rather belatedly) appoint a Minister for Happiness, the comedian Jarleth Regan. Presser below: An Taoiseach, Mr. Enda Kenny, T.D., has announced the appointment of Mr. Jarlath Regan as the Minister of State with responsibility for happiness; a newly created Ministerial role. The announcement follows regular comments and acknowledgments by An Taoiseach and Fine Gael during this year’s General Election that if elected, the focus would …

“Exercising our right to walk the Queen’s highway..”

Mick Fealty on March 24, 2011, 11:34 am

| Readers 143

Right, this is just too good miss. Monaghan man Frank McNally on Ireland in 100 Euphemisms… My favourites: 12; 17; 30; 32; 47; 61; 77; 78; 81; 86; 87; 90; 99. Mick FealtyMick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers on the impacts of the Internet on politics and the wider media and is a regular guest and speaking events across Ireland, the UK and Europe. Twitter: @MickFealty