RTÉ’s Joe Duffy
Readers may be aware that Irish flags and a copy of the Proclmation of the Irish Republic are being delivered to every national school in the country as part of the events to commemorate the 1916 Rising.
This initiative was discussed on RTÉ’s Liveline, hosted by Joe Duffy yesterday with one caller, introduced as Gerry Murphy, from Manorhamilton, Co Leitrim, had some issues.
Gerry Murphy: “I can’t understand, for the life of me, what the Army are doing going around the country to national schools with flags and the Proclamation – this is supposed to be a Republic.”
Joe Duffy: “Uh-hum.”
Murphy: “I would expect the likes of that happening in North Korea, I don’t expect it and I don’t want it in this country.”
Duffy: “Why not? Explain…”
Murphy: “This… we… have we learned nothing from 1966? When every class of propaganda was portrayed from the start of the TV and I remember watching it. And here we go again, the next year will be totally taken over by military. This is a Republic, not a dictatorship, not run by the military, though I tell you, having watch the queen’s visit and things that have been going on this last while, it’s going more and more like a military junta – that’s what we’re witnessing.”
Duffy: “Ah no, no, no, no. No you’ve got over the…”
Murphy: “Is that what we’re going to witness in the next year…”
Duffy: “No Gerry, you’ve gone over the line there, a military junta – pull back a bit now for a second, just in terms of even your own argument. You’re saying…”
Murphy: “Do you remember, Joe, when we were warned that Charlie Haughey was trying to introduce a dictatorship into this country – we’re not too far removed from it.”
Duffy: “Aaah, now you’re…”
Talk over each other
Murphy: “I watched yesterday…”
Duffy: “Yeah, go on..”
Murphy: “… and our current Taoiseach, sitting like a pampered pup, as this flag and this Proclamation was being presented to youngsters. There are 3,500 people dead, Joe, thousands above us are maimed for life because of the propaganda machine that was in 1966 – we’re going to witness some more of that in the coming year when it will be used as a distraction to keep people’s minds away from water charges, bin charges, they can’t afford to pay their bills, it’s a propaganda exercise.”
Duffy: “Let’s parse this a little bit. Take the Army out. What do you think about the Proclamation being sent to every school, the new copy?”
Murphy: “No, I don’t think there’s any need for it.
Duffy: “The Tricolour?”
Murphy: “If there was as much money spent on looking after kids that couldn’t afford books…”
Duffy: “I know, I know, I know all those arguments, yeah.”
Murphy: “There’s no problem Joe in having military…what was the cost to send that entourage down to Enda Kenny’s former school in Castlebar on in Islandeady yesterday? An absolute fortune was spent on it by the time security and all the rest of it… I don’t know how many break-ins occurred in Castlebar or in Islandeady yesterday when every garda in the place was…”
Duffy: “But Gerry, but Gerry…”
Murphy: “…minding our so-called leader.”
Duffy: “Yeah but Gerry well he is our Taoiseach, whether you like it or not, he was elected. But Gerry what are you saying: the Taoiseach should lock himself up in a phone box in Merrion Street and never leave because the security costs too much?”
Murphy: “Well when you look at it, Joe…”
Later
Murphy: “This was supposed to be a democracy, not a military dictatorship.”
Duffy: “Gerry, you’re talking rubbish. Gerry, you’re talking rubbish, it is, no, Gerry, you started off brilliantly in your argument, I can see people laughing. And I don’t want people laughing at a caller on this programme. It’s not a military dictatorship, end of. It’s not. End of. And it’s no way near that, it could be no way near that.”
Talk over each other
Duffy: “No, Gerry, what I want you to do is to take the next 90 seconds, just to reflect on what you’re going to say after the break.”
Goes to break
Later
Duffy: “Gerry Murphy, final line, quickly Gerry.”
Murphy: “Look it Joe, this present outfit would hijack your mother’s grave if she was in it…”
Duffy: “Aah…”
Murphy: “…for a publicity stunt. Look it, RTE is selective in what it’ll give us in the next 12 months, they do what they’ve been told for a long time. Sadly, that’s the state we’re at.”
Duffy: “What station are you on at the minute, Gerry?”
Murphy: “Joe..”
Duffy: “What station are you on at the minute, Gerry?”
Murphy: “Because Joe…”
Duffy: “What station are you on at the minute, Gerry?”
Duffy: “What station are you on at the minute, Gerry?”
Duffy: “What station are you on at the, say it Gerry.”
Duffy: “What station are you on at the minute, Gerry?”
Murphy: “Why won’t Enda Kenny appear on TV3?”
Duffy: “What station are you on at the minute, go on, say it Gerry, what station are you on at the minute?”
Murphy: “Why won’t Enda Kenny appear with Vincent Browne? on TV3?”
Duffy: “What station are you on at the minute, Gerry?”
Duffy: “Say it.”
Duffy: “Say it, Gerry, what station are you on at the minute?”
Duffy: “Say it.”
Murphy: “Why is Enda Kenny running from Vincent Browne?”
Duffy: “Say it.”
Murphy: “On TV3, Joe.”
Duffy: “You won’t say it, you won’t say it. You’re on RTÉ Gerry, you’re on RTE, you’re on RTE, Gerry and you’re welcome to come back on again. Go raibh míle maith agat. 5, 1, go raibh míle maith agat, Gerry, you’re on RTÉ. 5, 1, double 5, 1 continues. Hugh Ormond produces and Ray D’Arcy is next…on RTÉ.”
Listen back in full here
Related: Primary schools to get Tricolour for 1916 centenary (RTE)
Pics: J Tierney and
I can’t believe I have to pay for this crap.
You don’t. Someone else pays for that crap. For me, I’m happy that my TV licence fee is paying for either the GAA coverage or the ongoing existence of RTÉ Jr. RTÉ Jr is ad-free tv for children. There’s a cartoon on cITV that one of my children likes. It’s on at 8.15 so I tape it and she watches it after school. The cartoon is on for about 7 minutes and is sandwiched between two 5 minute ad-breaks filled with ads for plastic crap. Having RTÉ Jr means not having to filter that crap and is worth every cent of the licence fee.
No, I do. If I pay a licence fee I pay for it, despite not watching or listening to any RTE ever.
Actually – you don’t. The license fee is ring fenced for television. Radio is paid for from advertising.
The licence fee is ringfenced for tv. That’s untrue. As long as RTE radio and tv use the same staff, the same building, car park, power supply, communications etc then the licence fee is used for radio.
Are you sure about that? I can’t find anything to say that thats the case. All the material i can find from wikipedia, to citizens information to RTE itself says its used for public service broadcasting without distinguishing radio from TV
https://static.rasset.ie/documents/about/18259-rte-statement-performancecommitment-v2.pdf
CBeebies is ad free, and very educational.
Yes it is and it is often watch in Chez Repro but RTÉ Jr has Donncha O’Callaghan playing tennis or sailiing boats or climbing walls with kids and that’s a licence fee well spent right there. RTÉ Jr also has Shaun the Sheep.
I’ll have to take your word for it. Our tv pre-dates soarview & we didn’t bother with a box.
I’ll second what ReproBertie said. RTE Jr is a great kids channel. Loads of Irish made shows and my daughter loves it.
If you really think the Fee is worth it your mentally ill. BBC get the Fee in the UK so show no ads. Rte are not viable with out the forced Fee.
Maybe if you watched some RTÉ Jr you’d learn a bit of maths. The licence fee in Britain takes in a little bit more money than the licence fee in Ireland so BBC can get away without ads.
You might even learn some simple English, like the difference between “you’re” and “your”.
But to ignore all of that for a minute I am required by law to pay the licence fee. I could throw a tantrum about it or I could accept it and justify it by, for example, acknowledging the quality programming it funds for children. One of those options leads to a happier life.
You my good man are an idiot. Of course fee in the UK rakes in more, but you’ve no point. Comparing the size therefore the takings in fee is not the point. The point is if you get the Fee you don’t need ads. Don’t spend like the BBC simple.
A “Yes” man, and a pedant, who thinks he’s happy.
Your/You’re better than this ReproLandlord.
The only simple thing here is your outlook. RTÉ cannot provide a decent service funded purely by the licence fee. They have cut back. They no longer show the EPL, the HECnua, the Pro12 and won’t show the RWC for example. They provide a valuable public service and to continue to do so need funding from advertising as well as the subsidy they get from the licence fee. Your argument is the same as claiming there should be no ads in the Irish Times as the readers already pay €2. The argument is simplistic and completely divorced from economic reality.
Since when is that paper state owned?
italia90 you may think you know this “ReproBertie” who posts occasionally on Broadsheet but you don’t. If you did know the person behind it you’d know that I am happy.
The pedantry was not my finest moment but it was brought on by the foolish insult. You are right, I am better than that.
I love you Bertie. I don’t often agree with you, buy I love you all the same.
Have a happy hump day :D
Aw thanks buddy. And a happy hump day to you too.
That was very sweet, lads. Brought a tear to the eye.
RTE Radio 1 content is a daily staple of misery and all it’s potential constituents. One which they deliver with ghoulish relish as balanced entertainment. It’s the radio equivalent of the bloke ringing a bell shouting “bring out your dead”.
If you don’t like how your TV licence money is spent on Irish programming, you can have your say here at a public meeting by the BAI and hosted by Claire Byrne…. http://bai.newsweaver.com/1uli5jpzyrez3yclb79ae0?email=true&a=11&p=49220457
It’s in Cork though :)
Gerry Murphy said “This is supposed to be a Republic.I would expect the likes of that happening in North Korea.”
That would be the Democratic People’s Republic of North Korea, yeah?
They would not even want our flags Joe!
Hes absolutely right; total waste of OUR hard earned cash. Enda should be locked up and never let out again and keep Joan “big bird” Burton in there too
Not really an excellent use of resources ensuring children understand the original proclamation, and the differences between it and the current constitution
Don’t be dragging down the good name and intelligence of Sesame Street and Big Bird by referencing that plank !
This is epic stuff. Bravo.
Friggin’ hilarious to read that transcript here – thanks lads.
But to have to LISTEN to that tripe is a different story. Like sharing a bar with two dumb fools arguing over a referee’s decision.
You and I both know that that was no black card Spaghetti – end of!
You don’t have to listen to it.
“Say it.”
“Say it, Gerry, what station are you on at the minute?”
“Say it.”
The transcript reads like something from the basement scene in Pulp fiction.
Republic of Telly would do a great skit of this if they hadn’t been told to lay off Joe coz he’s sensitive about McSavage’s gimp gags.
I’ll say it Joe, but only if you say the line first. Go on Joe, y’know the one,how does it go, when the hurt do be hurtin’ the hurted.
Go on Joe. Say it.
Say it.
Say it.
Ok Joe, I’ll say it, I’m on RTE.
Now ask me how bad that makes me feel. Go on Joe.
Ask me.
Ask me.
This is crying out for a remix
…or a Joe Duffy Soundboard Mark II.
Clamnuts, where are ya man?
I know Joe Duffy is very popular, but my god what a waste of money.
It’s popular because idiots listen to it. And most people are idiots.
How is it a waste of money if people like it? Please elaborate.
“I can see people laughing. And I don’t want people laughing at a caller on this programme”
Says Joe Duffy, encouraging people to laugh at Gerry.
Duffy is an Uncle Tom and Gerry is right to some extent. It is entirely inappropriate to parade the army around. But the reason it is being done is to soften up the people for a Fine Gael push to join NATO. That is the plan and if you watch news coverage of the army and the Dept of Defense you will see it plain as day.
Nice try gerry
Mr. T hijacking the now 4 day old UK “Tom and Jerry”.
Only a 90 second ad break? Poor auld Gerry barely had time to fashion himself a new tin foil hat during that time.
No harm having a bit of excitment for kids to see the Army or Navy come to the school and raise our National Flag and read our Proclamation, something that they’ll have instantaneously forgotten once they leave the school and get right back to their Playstations. God forbid this will instill a bit of National or Civic pride in them. We could be like ‘Murica I s’pose, do a pledge allegience brainwashing session every morning if that sits better with some.
Em… technically we are not a ‘republic’, we’re a ‘democratic republic’.
Gerry makes some valid point(s) but then loses it with the histrionics.
I hate jingoism.
Heisenberg Joe
While I’d have serious reservations about something that nationalistic (it really does feel like the pleadge of allegiance in the US), It’s not a bloody military dictatorship.
It’s nothing like the pledge of allegiance.
I like the phrase ” pampered pup”. I would like to use it more in conversation.
Christ, why did I click to listen to that.
What a gimp, how much is he on?
“and our current Taoiseach, sitting like a pampered pup…. “. Very funny:)
Perhaps the correct description would be “Angela Merkels Lapdog”