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Yearly Archives: 2017
Broadsheet on the Telly returns at 11.45 tonight streaming LIVE above and on our YouTube channel.
If you would like the panel to tackle a particular subject please leave details below.
To participate in future shows send a short bio to broadsheet@broadsheet.ie marked ‘Broadsheet on the Telly’.
And if you are living abroad you can join our Ex-Pat Special on March 16.
Previously: Broadsheet on the Telly Episode 3
What It Is
at
“Well, it’s not about water, is it?”
Enda Kenny, November 2014
Martin McMahon writes:
‘It’ is etched on the worried face of a young mother walking from Cork to Dublin.
‘It’ is CF sufferers huddled and masked in protest outside a newly refurbished Leinster House. ‘
It’ is Grace betrayed by unaccountable shadows.
It’ is Megan’s twisted spine, her publicly promised operation cancelled when the camera is turned off
‘It’ is whistleblowers criminalised.
‘It’ is the tears in tissues beside the computer after the weekly Skype to older children and grandchildren who may never be seen again toiling in far flung corners of Australia or America.
‘It’ is Dublin Airport Christmas week where broken hearts will brim with joy once again reunited, squeezed half to death with years of missed embraces condensed into minutes only for those hearts to be ripped asunder weeks or even days later as loved ones leave a country that has failed most of us.
‘It’ is the fear of never seeing elderly parents again save to bury their bodies in graves that will never be tended or prayed over by the generation they raised.
‘It’ is skipping meals to pay bills that were never ours.
‘It’ lies freezing on unwelcoming streets, in Georgian doorways or crammed in hostel hotels with no dignity, forever destined to live in the margins.’
It’ is newspapers advertising thousand euro coats ripped up to cover holes in the soles of shabby shoes.
‘It’ lies dying on hospital waiting lists. ‘It’ is social immobility denied yet propagated by the same affluent few generation after generation.
‘It’ is protesters criminalised in courts at the behest of billionaires who will enjoy immunity from criminalisation in rich men’s tribunals.
‘It’ is a Dail that fails to hold government to account.
‘It’ is in the breaking of a people forced to protect banks and bondholders who will never be stooped by the burden of ‘it’.
‘It’ is a hundred years of right wing government, of broken promises, of pandering to a privileged elite.
‘It’ is a tale telling Taoiseach.
‘It’ is a country divided by wealth and influence. ‘It’ is knowing there is a better way sold out for petty political positioning.
‘It’ was never just about water.
Martin blogs at RamshornRepublic
Rollingnews
Ah here.
Ian Tilson writes:
You featured us at Christmas with our Christmas Suits but now we’re back with the St. Patrick’s Day Shamrock Suit.
Designed in Ireland by Irish people and shipped from Ireland you can’t get more Irish on St. Patrick’s Day if you shared a Guinness bath with a Leprechaun*. The suit is a great quality slim fit suit adorned with Shamrocks and green lining and it comes with a suit jacket, pants and even a matching shamrock tie.
We offer group discounts too and quick shipping in case anyone needs to get their hands on one for the Six Nations Rugby or the World Cup Football Qualifiers….
The Shamrock Suit And Tie (FruitySuits)
Previously: Suit Yule Sir
Irish-made stuff to broadsheet@broadsheet.ie marked ‘Irish-made stuff’. No fee.
Last week, we asked you to provide us your favourite reggae tune.
In fact, we asked specifically:
“The greatest reggae track of all time is _______________________________because__________________’
As usual, a princely €25 voucher for any of fourteen Golden Discs outlets nationwide was at stake.
The competition was especially tuff but there could only be one winner
Niallo’s entry takes the bong gong :
“Greatest reggae song ? Prince Buster, yes, Peter Tosh, yes, The Wailers, yes, Toots, oh yes ! But, speaking as someone who’s been to Jamaica (been to Peter Tosh’s house/grave), there is only one spokesman for the good people of Jamaica who live in places like Russia (a town/ghetto out the back of Negril) and the Caribbean equivalent of the blues, and seeing as the quintessential reggae themed movie is its namesake… I’ll just leave this here: Desmond Dekker & The Aces’ Israelites. Tcha man.”
In other highlights from the skanking:
Walter-Ego: An unlikely contender for a reggae classic, but when The Pioneers’ favorite horse, Long Shot ‘Combat’ fell in the first race at Caymanas Park one afternoon, taking the the duo’s large wages with him, a classic was born. Released in 1969, Long Shot Kick de Bucket from The Pioneers.
Badatmemes: “It’s widely believed that the first Reggae song ever released in 1968 was by Lee Scratch Perry and it was called People Funny Boy. It has a baby crying in it. It’s effin brilliant. It goes like this.”
edalicious: “The greatest reggae track of all time is Big Five by Prince Buster because of the absolutely RIDICULOUS lyrics, and the big farty synth bits. Quality.”
Ploppy: “The greatest reggae track of all-time is Born For a Purpose by Doctor Alimantado, because even though he may not have been a qualified medical physician, the good Doctor’s 1977 classic is so full of fire and passion it can heal all wounds.”
Psydeshow: “The greatest reggae track of all time is I Chase the Devil by Max Romeo and the Upsetters, because I challenge you to resist its hypnotic rhythm. Apparently, some band sampled it heavily in the 90s, can’t remember their name; some young fellas who thought they were pretty smart, no doubt…”
Any excuse
As voters in Northern Ireland ‘take to’ the poills…
Zhou Hang writes:
I am journalist with The Stream, a social media-based show [presented by Femi Oke, top) on Al Jazeera English. Yesterday, our show looked at the border concerns in Northern Ireland. Based on your previous posts, I think your readers may be interested in watching it…
FIGHT!
‘sup?
A livestream of Dublin-born Belfast-based recovering alcoholic and drug addict John Edwards currently who is ‘buried alive’ to highlight mental heath and addiction issues.
The specially-made coffin is 8ft long by 3.5ft high and 4ft wide – and equipped with electricity and broadband to allow him to broadcast to the outside world.
A special tube has been fitted to provide fresh air and supplies.
Mr Edwards said he spent over 20 years as an addict and alcoholic – adding that the experience has allowed him to understand and help others facing similar difficulties.
“I was homeless, suicidal, abused, been in psychiatric hospitals,” he wrote on his website. “I have had cancer twice, a liver transplant, Hep C but now recovered; I have witnessed many of my friends and loved ones dying.”
John;s burial will continue until tomorrow, Friday at 2pm.
How does he pee?
More as we get it.
Dublin man spends first night buried alive (Newstalk)
Thanks John Gallen
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BlG6Feq_VrI
Adult Swim Australia’s handy compilation (spoiler alert) of every celebrity cameo in the first two seasons of the galaxy’s finest cartoon series: from Alfred Molina and Stephen Colbert to John Oliver and Werner Herzog.
Still no release date for season 3, which has apparently been written and is currently being animated.
You may care to be Rickrolled, if you’ve not had the pleasure already.
This afternoon.
The Dermot Morgan bench, Merrion Square, Dublin
Comedians, from left: Des Bishop, Deirdre O’Kane and Bernard O’Shea highlighting Paddy’s Night in support of Comic Relief taking place at the 3Arena on March 17.
The line-up will also include Tommy Tiernan, Dara O’Briain, Ardal O’Hanlon, Jason Byrne, Abandoman, Des Bishop, Bernard O’Shea, Ed Byrne, David O’Doherty, Panti Bliss, Alison Spittle, PJ Gallagher and Al Porter.
No ‘Leather Jacket Guy’?
Harrumph.
Tickets here
Sasko Lazarov/Rollingnews