From top: Journalist and Presidential hopeful Gemma O’Doherty during the Disclosures Tribunal and her tweet last night;

Last night.

Via Gemma O’Doherty:

‘Thank you for all of your incredible support in recent days and weeks, and to everyone who has taken the time to write to me privately.

I’m also really grateful to [film director and housing activist][ Terry McMahon [who urged Ms O’Dohertry to run] for his words of encouragement, so eloquently cast. His talent and courage are an inspiration to me, and I know, to many of you.

As an Irish woman who loves her country to its core but hardly recognises it any more, I am deeply concerned about the unimaginable suffering and chaos so many of our people are subjected to daily.

I despair for Ireland and what it has become. Like many of you, I am frustrated that we keep allowing the same mistakes to happen over and over again.

For many years, you have been telling me your stories. Stories of crippling injustice at the hands of the state, the health service, the Gardai, the courts, the banks.

In my work as an investigative journalist, I have witnessed first hand the despicable treatment of citizens who have stood up and tried to fight for their basic rights.

The right to truth and justice for their murdered loved ones.

Their right to a proper police force that protects and serves them.

Their right to decent healthcare and affordable housing.

Their right to a reliable publicly-owned water supply, safe food and a clean environment.

Their right to proper care for their most vulnerable family members and friends.

Their right to freedom of speech and expression. Their right to a free press. Their right to a life that is worth living.

The Government is failing the people of Ireland on a terrifying scale. Taking away their dignity. Manipulating them into thinking they are the ones who are wrong.

They show no compassion or empathy for the terrible struggle so many citizens face every day. They seem not to love their people or their country at all.

Nobody in a ‘first world’ democracy should have to beg for treatment for their sick child or be lied to by the state about their health when they are terminally ill.

No child should have to suffer the fear and indignity of spending a night in a police station.

Nobody in a wealthy country like ours should have to endure the nightmare of being evicted from their home by a foreign vulture fund when they are working endless hours to keep a roof over their heads.

No victim of child sexual abuse should be dismissed or have their self-respect ripped further apart when they seek legal redress.

No journalist should be afraid to do their job and speak truth to power.

Sadly, these scenarios are far too common in the Ireland of today. Citizens are broken. Democracy is broken. The social contract is broken. Ireland is broken. We are losing our sense of national pride with each passing day, and our hope in the future. We cannot allow that to happen.

It is time for us to come together as a people scattered all around the world and demand change for our country.

A different way of doing things. An end to the corruption that has infested Irish public life and the disgraceful squandering of our taxes and resources. We owe it to ourselves, to our children, to our country’s reputation, and to our forebearers who had a very different vision for this beautiful island that is our home.

The time has come to demand a new Ireland.

It is for these reasons I have decided to put myself forward for nomination to the Presidency. It is not a decision I have come to lightly but I believe the country and the people are ready for change.

Some of you have suggested that I might run for the Dáil. I am ruling that out now because I do not believe our parliament in its current form is able to work for the good of the people.

I understand those who say the Irish president is tethered, gagged, unable to speak out on matters of national interest and public concern or hold government to account.

But that is only because some incumbents have chosen to interpret the position in that way.

That is not my vision for it.

The Head of State can and must protect the Constitution and the rights of citizens enshrined in it, especially in times of national crisis. They can and must speak out when they see injustice. They must show concern for those who endure it. They must listen to the needs of all of the people. They could be a voice for the voiceless. They can and must watch government vigilantly.

My Presidency would stand in the corner of people who get up early in the morning and do not get home until dark because they are enslaved to odious debt they should never have been forced to take on in the first place.

People who cannot sleep at night because they are worried about looming rent hikes or whether their adult children will ever be able to afford a home of their own.

Parents and their small children who are forced to walk the streets hungry with nowhere to go because the state has turned its back on them.

Grandparents put in the position of having to rear their grandchildren because good childcare is financially out of their own children’s reach.

Young nurses, doctors and teachers who are forced to leave their country, their families and aging parents on one-way tickets to the other side of the world because they can no longer even dream of a future here.

Small businesses and farmers struggling to survive to produce original Irish products in the face of a bland, homogeneous consumer culture.

My Presidency would shine a light on the needs of citizens whose healthcare rights are being neglected. Parents who have to battle the state every day to get basic care for their sick and disabled children.

The women whose lives are being cut short due to shortcuts taken by the health service. Their brave fight to protect all of us during their darkest and most frightening hour must never be forgotten by this state and the people of Ireland.

My work in child protection has revealed the struggle so many victims of sexual abuse have to get truth and justice in this country. They need our support, not least because their shattered lives impact on all of us and broader society. Their stories must be heard.

My Presidency would also honour some of my Irish heroes whom I know are yours too. Patriots like Maurice McCabe, John Wilson, Nicky Keogh and Jonathan Sugarman who have taken on the state at huge personal sacrifice to protect the public.

We should honour them not only for their enormous service to the country, but in doing so, we might persuade other whistleblowers to find the courage to come forward too.

My Presidency would hold a special place for our longest and youngest missing person Mary Boyle, Fr Niall Molloy, Sophie Toscan Du Plantier, Jo Jo Dullard and all of our murdered dead who have been denied justice by the Gardai. They will never be forgotten by me.

If the Government refuses to show compassion for citizens in need, the Presidency can and will. We must also do everything to challenge our narcissistic society which is the cause of so many of our ills.

I hope that my track record as a journalist has shown that I am not afraid to stand up to the powerful elites who run Ireland and who have run it into the ground.

They need to be held to account for what they have done to our country. It is the function of media to do that but so many of my colleagues are no longer willing or able to fulfil that role which is so vital to democracy.

Too many of them, especially in the state broadcaster, have become signed-up members of the very elite they should be demanding accountability from.

I was silenced in my work once before. When that happened, I vowed it never would again. I now make that pledge to the Irish people.

But it’s over to you. In order to become a candidate for the Presidency, I need a public mandate and the support of 20 members of the Oireachtas.

If you would like me to serve as your President, I am asking you to contact TDs and Senators and ask them to support my nomination on your behalf.

We have an opportunity to bring about change in Ireland, not just symbolic but real. To end the pain of so many of our citizens so that they can lead fulfilling lives.

To restore self-respect and dignity.

To bring back faith and trust in democracy.

To give hope to the Irish at home and abroad that we can do things differently for once and for all.

Ireland is a rich country. I believe it can be fixed. The overriding remedy is to tackle the greed and corruption of the tiny elite who continue to destroy it for the majority.

We must pour scorn on their immoral actions and the harm they have inflicted on others. We need to stand together as patriots who want a decent society and tell them there is no place for them in the new Ireland.

The country’s reputation is being torn to shreds on the world stage. Internationally, Ireland is seen as a rogue state heading for another major fall. Our tiny island has shone as a giant in the past as a land of progressive ideas, peacemakers and protectors of rights. It can shine again.

It could be a beacon of hope to citizens in other failing democracies all around the world. It could be a country where truth, justice, fairness, equality and integrity really are put first.

A country with zero tolerance for corruption.

That is the Ireland I desperately want and I know you do too. It is an Ireland we can create together.

Our Presidency could be the cornerstone of this new Ireland and inspire a new foundation for a better future.

As our country embarks on a new one hundred years, we can turn that dream into a reality so that generations to come will look back and say we were the ones who stood up and demanded change.

It starts here today.’

Gemma O’Doherty (Facebook)

Previously: They Are Laughing At You

Rollingnews

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123 thoughts on “Yes She Can

  1. Donal

    Sounds to me like she wants to be a TD, and build a consensus of like-minded TD’s, perhaps as a formal party, and then make legislative changes based on electoral successes….

    I’m not convinced she would be able to do that

    1. b

      if she ran as for a TD and failed she couldn’t blame a conspiracy of elites, but if she fails to get a nomination for President…..

      it’ll be interesting nonetheless, particularly looking forward to Terry as director of elections

  2. Whatever

    I’d love to see Gemma get the nomination, are there 20 TD’s who’ll back her though? I’m struggling to think of more than 5..l

          1. hapfff

            sitting president can nominate themselves – that’s it

            you’re wrong on the party thing – not true. you need 20 TDs or Senators – or 4 councils. that’s it. registered party must still get 20 Oireachtas members

          2. Frilly Keane

            Ah right

            I’d dispute the former President only nominat’in themselves mind

            But not t’day
            I’m in no condition ta be trusted t’ even tie a pair of shoes laces

          3. Cian

            Frilly, stick to slip-ons today :-)
            ARTICLE 12
            2° Every candidate for election, not a former or retiring President, must be nominated either by:
            i not less than twenty persons, each of whom is at the time a member of one of the Houses of the Oireachtas, or
            ii by the Councils of not less than four administrative Counties (including County
            Boroughs) as defined by law.
            3° No person and no such Council shall be entitled to subscribe to the nomination of more than one candidate in respect of the same election.
            4° Former or retiring Presidents may become candidates on their own nomination.

          4. Frilly Keane

            Here Cian
            After the weekend I’ve just come out of
            (think Courtney Love – No exaggeration)
            Gis’ a dig out will’ah

            20 Oireachtas members
            So TDs and or Senators
            Yeah?

            And the Senators,
            They can be from all the sources
            Elected, nominated and co-opts yeah?

  3. Panty Christ

    Irish presidents can’t change Ireland. They are diplomats without power and sign off on dodgy legislation.

    1. Andyourpointiswhatexactly?

      Exactly. She hasn’t a clue about the constraints and strictures. Not a great start, if you don’t understand the job.

      1. Andyourpointiswhatexactly?

        Ah. I’ve just seen Daisy saying she’s anti-vaccination. Fupp that. She really IS an idiot.

        1. KevBar

          The the gov killed Veronica Guerin cos she was gonna expose Dev’s role in kidnapping Maddie n the Healy Rae run Comet Pizza in the Aras basement.

    1. Wellness

      Terry has gone all John Lennon on his twitter account. .. the postmodern version of the bed protest . #Imagine #Imagine #Imagine

  4. Brendan

    I notice she includes Nicky Keogh, but not garda Keith Harrison who was excoriated by Charlton,I would prefer Jim Corr as Prez

    1. Frilly Keane

      I noticed she used
      Speaking truth to power

      Hasn’t anyone told her she has ta’ keep her trap shut while in the Park

      Ahhhhh
      Maybe that’s what Terry’s for

    2. theo kretschmar schuldorff

      Including the Keith Harrison module was DoJ’s (Frances Fitzgerald, via Noirin, via..Tess [Herself!]) idea. McDowell, Daly and many others familiar with the back-stories of the whistleblowers were dead-set against his inclusion. I’d love to see the paper trail for how the decision was arrived at to include that particular case in the terms of reference..

  5. Andrew

    The President of Ireland doesn’t change anything Gemma, and you know that.
    Why run for the Presidency then? Run for the Daíl instead.

      1. Cian

        She wrote: “I am ruling that out now because I do not believe our parliament in its current form is able to work for the good of the people.”

        If she wants to change the form of the Oireachtas then we need a referendum.

        She seems to not understand the role of the President, or the (lack of) power vested therein. As President she cannot change the Constitution.

        The Presidential oath is :
        “In the presence of Almighty God I , do solemnly and sincerely promise and declare that I will maintain the Constitution of Ireland and uphold its laws, that I will fulfil my duties faithfully and conscientiously in accordance with the Constitution and the law, and that I will dedicate my abilities to the service and welfare of the people of Ireland. May God direct and sustain me.”

  6. Yep

    Hope she gets the nod. Although O feel she would ultimately fail, her campaign would raise a lot of talking points no other candidate could.

    1. rotide

      Why didn’t she use the repeal referendum to raise those talking points?

      Ultimately, neither that referendum or this election have anything do do with those issues.

      1. Yep

        So in running for Head of State her perceived problems with the functioning of said state has no place in her campaign?

        I really don’t follow your logic.

      2. Lyndyloola

        Repeal the eight was just about repeal it was the only platform being discussed….
        The presidency is somewhat broader than that.

    1. theo kretschmar schuldorff

      I think she’s marvelous.
      An anti-corruption candidate doesn’t come more qualified, and she would certainly not be cowed from pushing for the change she sees is wanted. A thundering disgrace presidency please!

        1. theo kretschmar schuldorff

          But she can – and is quite likely to, call out what change is being blocked, where and by who.. She’d be a terrifying president for a certain cohort.

          1. Donal

            How and why do you think that she knows what (if anything) is being blocked and by whom?
            Currently she says she knows a lot of things about a lot of things but lacks evidence to back up the claims. Her being president doesn’t suddenly make her claims more believable, but may call the office of president into disrepute

  7. Rob_G

    If Gemma O’D. proposes to drive around in a van solving solving historical muder cases, Ireland will in a constitutional crisis lickety-split – along with the rest of the novelty candidates, she doesn’t really to understand what the office of president does.

      1. Rob_G

        Daft idea – now, if it was a series with Miggeldy driving around in a van with his two dogs, and solving crimes with a smattering of poetry and a few phrases as Gaelige thrown in, well, I think we would all be on board with that…

        1. Nigel

          A Miggeldy series would be more one of those where an angel travels around solving people’s personal.problems.

          1. Andy Moore

            That;s inspirational & brilliant & maybe Paddy O’ Gorman could be co-driver/investigator alongside ??

  8. Wellness

    That speech is drowing in rhetoric. All that is missing is a hashtag #Make Ireland GRRRRReat again.

  9. Cian

    The President is a government puppet and cannot perform against their will without breaking the Constitution (or changing the Constitution via a referendum).
    Article 13.9
    The powers and functions conferred on the President by this Constitution shall be exercisable and performable by him only on the advice of the Government, save where it is provided by this Constitution that he shall act in his absolute discretion or after consultation with or in relation to the Council of State, or on the advice or nomination of, or on receipt of any other communication from, any other person or body.

    1. Ron

      I’m not surprised you take literal meanings out of everything that’s presented to you. it’s a symptom of a lazy mind.

      Gemma O Doherty No 1

      1. Cian

        Well yes, the Constitution is, after all, a legal document – so one should take the literal meaning. In a number of places it says that the President must get prior approval from the Government before performing many of his duties.

        How would you interpret the Constitution? Figuratively? Metaphorically?

  10. Daisy Chainsaw

    I’m all for people getting the opportunity to run for election, but she’s antichoice, antivaxx and pro rightwing conspiracy theorists and for any one of those I couldn’t, in all good conscience, give her a preference.

    1. Janet, I ate my avatar

      feck at first glance I was thinking, great, but those facts would clash,
      thanks for heads up Daisy

      1. Frilly Keane

        Sum’ting else Janie
        The next President will be signing in the legislation for Abortion
        This one gives all the warnings that she’ll not sign it

        Just saying

        ‘didnt wait 35 years for that risk t’ be hanging over us

        1. bisted

          …just seen a tweet from Gemma denying that she is anti-vax and acknowledging the outcome of the referendum, saying that she would sign according to the democratic expressed will of the people…but sure isn’t that the kind of thing people tend to say in the run up to an election…

          1. Listrade

            It’s a moot point anyway, the President has no veto on legislation that has passed the house. The most they could do is refer it or a part to the AG to review whether it is constitutional or not, all that would do is delay the inevitable. If the AG says it isn’t, then the President cannot refuse to sign it.

            Doesn’t matter if she is stood outside the GPO with the pro-lifers every day handing out leaflets, she wouldn’t have a choice but to sign the legislation (providing constitutional).

          2. Cian

            @Listrade
            minor point: it’s the Supreme Court – not the AG;
            And if the Supreme Court says that the legislation is okay, once it is signed in to law, it cannot be challenged again on constitutional grounds.

        1. bisted

          …it would appear from tapes and transcripts rebuttung Gemma’s denial that Daisy was spot-on…

  11. rotide

    Here’s some examples of Presidents who have the sort of power to deal with issues she’s talking about:
    Trump, Erdogan, Putin, Madura.

    Here’s some examples of Presidents who don’t:
    The President of Ireland.

    1. Ron

      Nothing but waffle and tripe to be expected from you anyway Rotide. I yearn for the day that you actually contribute something to this website that we can all say finally it’s ‘independent thinking’.. now quickly off with you to the other online forums you hang out on for your next opinion

      yaaaaawn

      Drain the swamp

      Gemma O Doherty No

        1. Ron

          Independent thinking for you Rotide.
          Drain the swamp for the politicians.
          Big juicy Lollipopes for everyone else.

          How do we sign up to your newsletter?

  12. Ron

    Finally a candidate that will be the change we want to see at all levels of political power.

    She will be elected too. Usual waffle from all the sad hacks and wannabe hacks on here…

    Time to drain the swamp and this is thankfully going to see the end of Higgins career. He has left no legacy of note and imo has been the most uninspiring President of my time. A Labour hack who wanted another term on the gravy train. good riddance Michael D. Don’t let the door hit you on your way out.

    Gemma O Doherty No 1.

    1. Shankillfalls

      Not wanting to rain on your parade or anything but how, considering the constitutional constraints she would be under, will she make all these changes? I know that in her post she simply ignores these and states that previous presidents have chosen to interpret the constitution in that way as if it was some sort of option but, er, that’s not how constitutions work.

      1. Ron

        The only parade that is being rained on is Michael D Higgins parade. We all know the Presidency has limited powers blah blah blah. But it’s the message that it sends to the filth in power in Leinster House that’s the real kicker. Be the change you want to see. Gemma is that change. She will not be dictated to by the pigs at the trough in Government and she will push her role to the limits of what it can be constitutionally. She will change the role of President as it has always been and will be a vociferous voice for the ordinary men and women of this country that have been pushed to the limits.

        Drain the swamp
        Drain the swamp

        Sing it and get used to it because things are changing in this country

        Gemma O Doherty No 1

  13. Frilly Keane

    How long before the comments get closed down on this one?
    Anyone? I’ll give it t’ dinner hour.

    Anyway. Repealers and other activists would want to be careful about allowing any legislation be put in front of this presidential seeker.

    But hey

    If she can sort out the housing and homeless crisis, and make corruption go away from that gig; it begs the question;
    WTF didn’t Robinson, McAleese and Miggledy have a stab at all this

    Delighted to hear Terry McMahon is part of her campaign

    They’re going to make history together
    One way or another

    Although I think she’d be a shoo in inta the Seanad, and would have a better platform there for all everything she’s claiming and promising above….

    But I suppose Terry knows better

  14. Stating the bloody obvious

    As president there is definitely power to influence.I really don’t want to see any of the other candidates waste an opportunity.I really hope Gemma is successful.

    1. Stating the bloody obvious

      She already sets an example based on she has done so far that no president anywhere could boast about.

  15. Louis Lefronde

    I like her courage, but the establishment will do their very best to paint her as a loony candidate (aren’t they all) and break her over the course of a vicious and pernicious election campaign.

    We all know the office of the Presidency is limited by the constitution and some office holders such as Robinson and McAleese tried to make more of it than it is. Naturally the media love a campaign, it’s easy copy.

    I wish her well in her endeavor, and I can hear the chatter in the drawing rooms of slumbering Ireland poring scorn and calling her brazen and worse. This is what the government are counting on… but, they might be in for a shock!

      1. Lyndyloola

        Do you believe everything you read ? Being anti HPV vaccine does not make someone anti all vaccines.

    1. nellyb

      Either her or the tremendous type – the Duffy/Gallagher character, who can win bigly, despite the constant negative press covfefe, and possibly by pumping imaginary harmonicas during debates.

    2. Ron

      She is the first real credible threat to the establishment… All the wannabe hacks on here know it too.

      Gemma O Doherty No 1

  16. Martin

    She did some good work on redacted and Garda corruption but then turned into an alt-right trump supporting conspiracy theorist.

      1. Martin

        Thanks for proving my point moron – your embarrassing comments are full of loony trump propaganda.

    1. SceiriLady

      Anti-vaxx, anti-repeal, anti-flouride, pro-conspiracy theory (her opinions on the McCanns are particularly extreme) and she doesn’t seem to be aware of the constitutional limitations of the office.

      Just the candidate for our age of ignorance.

      1. f_lawless

        Anti-vaxx –
        it’s possible to both appreciate the scientific benefits of vaccines and at the same time report on potential malpractices gong on within the pharmaceutical industry
        Anti-repeal –
        She has explicitly stated she would uphold the democratic will of the Irish people on this issue
        Anti-flouride –
        We all know that most of Europe have banned its use on health grounds and yet to have misgivings about it here can get you labelled a nutjob. Seems a bit parochial in a way
        Pro-conspiracy theory –
        Translation: she frequently reports on subjects which are outside the restricted borders of acceptable public debate set by the establishment

        1. Rob_G

          “We all know that most of Europe have banned [fluoride’s] use on health grounds” </i

          – this is categorically untrue; while many countries don't put fluoride in their drinking water, it is only because they use some other method to deliver it to their citizens (e.g. table salt)

          1. f_lawless

            Ok I may have exaggerated a little but the point remains a significant group of countries have either banned or rejected fluoridation of drinking water due to health concerns and not as you say, only because they use some other method to deliver it.
            A few examples from this fuller list: https://www.actionpa.org/fluoride/countries.pdf
            France:
            “Fluoride chemicals are not included in the list [of ‘chemicals for drinking water treatment’]. This is due to ethical as well as medical considerations.”
            (Louis Sanchez, Directeur de la Protection de l’Environment, August 25, 2000).

            Czech Republic:
            “fluoridation of drinking water .. is.toxicologically and physiologically debateable…may lead to excessive health-threatening intake in certain population groups”
            (Dr. B. Havlik, Ministerstvo Zdravotnictvi Ceske Republiky, October 14, 1999)

            Germany:
            “Generally, in Germany fluoridation of drinking water is forbidden. The relevant German law allows exceptions to the fluoridation ban on application. The argumentation of the Federal Ministry of Health against a general permission of fluoridation of drinking water is the problematic nature of compuls[ory] medication.”
            (Gerda Hankel-Khan, Embassy of Federal Republic of Germany, September 16, 1999)

          2. f_lawless

            and by the way, we do consume table salt here in Ireland too – not to mention a lot of black tea.
            I’ll leave this here for consideration (my original point being it’s not unreasonable to have misgivings about water fluoridation here in Ireland):
            https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4808922/

            “Risk Assessment of Fluoride Intake from Tea in the Republic of Ireland and its Implications for Public Health and Water Fluoridation
            Abstract
            The Republic of Ireland (RoI) is the only European Country with a mandatory national legislation requiring artificial fluoridation of drinking water and has the highest per capita consumption of black tea in the world. Tea is a hyperaccumulator of fluoride and chronic fluoride intake is associated with multiple negative health outcomes. In this study, fifty four brands of the commercially available black tea bag products were purchased and the fluoride level in tea infusions tested by an ion-selective electrode method. The fluoride content in all brands tested ranged from 1.6 to 6.1 mg/L, with a mean value of 3.3 mg/L. According to our risk assessment it is evident that the general population in the RoI is at a high risk of chronic fluoride exposure and associated adverse health effects based on established reference values. We conclude that the culture of habitual tea drinking in the RoI indicates that the total cumulative dietary fluoride intake in the general population could readily exceed the levels known to cause chronic fluoride intoxication. Evidence suggests that excessive fluoride intake may be contributing to a wide range of adverse health effects. Therefore from a public health perspective, it would seem prudent and sensible that risk reduction measures be implemented to reduce the total body burden of fluoride in the population.

          3. Rob_G

            While you have caused me to reconsider the fluoridisation of water as a matter of course, I stand by my first statement, that “We all know that most of Europe have banned its use on health grounds” isn’t really accurate; it’s more that several countries have decided that fluoridisation was no longer necessary and stopped doing it, rather than ‘banning’ it.

          4. Cian

            @f_lawless: “and by the way, we do consume table salt here in Ireland too – not to mention a lot of black tea.”

            While, yes, we consume table salt here – it isn’t fluoridated salt – which is the norm across Europe.

            As for the tea – interesting reading – perhaps we should move to the European model. One thing though, children tend not to drink a lot of tea (and not strong tea) so their fluoride needs won’t be covered by tea.

    2. Andrew

      She’s ‘alt right’ now? I didn’t know that Martin. What is your definition of ‘alt right’ Martin ?

  17. :-Joe

    I’d like to announce my candidacy for president here on Broadsheet right now….

    I don’t care that I have no chance of beating squee, in fact he would probably do a slightly better job than my best effort.

    I will continue to follow in the Irish tradition of not cariing about anyone considered below me whether they are homeless, sick, metally ill or in any way more unfortunate than myself.

    I will nod approvingly as the ff/fg sham binary choice polemic party pretends that politics is evolving by serving up more and more of the same regressive affront to the concept of democracy while occasionally throwing you self immolating serfs a bone once every financial quarter.. -unless you kick up a fuss and then we’ll have to have a big parade to help you calm down.

    I will not bother wasting everyone’s time to become a great orator as my nearest competition is bongo drumpf, bongo johnson and the queen of england. I can guarantee that without being completely conscious I will naturally be more linguistically entertaining than all three put together. I might have to learn a bit of mandarin though to be fair but if all else fails I will speak Irish to confuse them and keep it busy.

    As for europe I will continue to follow orders like a good low level middle manager pretending that I am a leader just as much as our dear taoiseach, whover it is that ff/fg decide is their turn on the boom and bust bumper car but without stepping on any toes, as long as you keep us apart at state sponsored dining events where I get to really shine and show my moves.

    Yours truly, the average oirish cute hoor opportunist, pissing in the face of democracy and just looking for a leg up on society’s ladder.

    Go’wan ye good thang’s

    PS: To be honest, if I fail to win this reality show or even get nominated into the final 73 hopefulls…
    I don’t want to become a TD or a senator or pretend to care about real politics.
    All I ask is to be a dragon on any rte show preferably after 9pm when I can swear like a drunken sailor at the ridiculousness of it all.

    :-J

      1. :-Joe

        Well, thanks for the vote of confidence and encouragment…

        We’ll be singing and dancing and plenty more will be mincing and prancing about the place…

        No time to spend standing still and letting ourselves get cold…

        Cause there’ll be rare craic to be had shaking it all up….

        :-J

  18. Lilly

    Michael Fitzmaurice on Morning Ireland at the moment. I wouldn’t agree with him on plenty of things, but he come across as one of a rare breed: a genuine, hard working TD.

  19. Lilly

    If Gemma really wanted to work for change, she would aspire to being a TD, not opt for semi-retirement. The emperor has no clothes.

    1. Frilly Keane

      D’ya know
      I think the Seanad is the spot for her

      Double gigging is the norm
      And
      Look ah’ wha’ Senator Mullen’s bin saying n’ stirring in there for years

      T’would be an easier election for her as well

    2. Wellness

      +1000

      Agree on this. On a more serious note, I heard her on 96 FM and she wasn’t a bit impressive. ( lacks substance , poor orator and over-emotional – her written speech borders on a rant and there is nothing memorable or original about it. I hope she gets the go-ahead and like all the other delusional Aras18 wannabes is questioned by someone with intelligence and who lacks bias.

      On another note, I would fully support a referendum to abolish the role of the President.

        1. Wellness

          :) Can you ask Gemma why she blocks the relatives of Fr. Molloy on twitter, yet uses his photo in her profile ?

  20. Wellness

    According to Bill Maher,nephew of the late Fr Molloy ( as per twitter , unless it is a bogus account).

  21. tommy

    Exactly
    Remember the words of micky Dee and what we actually got
    This job is great
    Live I a presidential mansion free of charge
    Receive a massive salary
    Followed by a massive pension
    Have armed guards around you 24 7
    No expenses
    Free travel in your own jet
    Free transport in a limo
    Free lunches
    Dinner parties
    Make overs
    A dream job and all you had to do is do what you are told
    Anyone would lie to get this plum job where you travel around the world entertained wines dined and meet all the celebs kings queens etc etc

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