Auntie to Aunt: Helen O’Rahilly with a BBC prop and her Covid diary The Stairlift Ascends
Aunt: (calling loudly from sitting room); “Helen, can you help me?”
Me: (drops everything, rushes to front room, expecting her to have fallen)
Aunt: “The cat’s on my lap, could you pour me a small Jameson?”
The Stairlift Ascends: Tweets from a Covid Cocoon, written by Helen O’Rahilly and illustrated by Jennie O’Connell has become an instant bestseller. It is hilarious.
The book relates, in tweet form, how returned emigrant and former BBC and RTÉ executive Helen O’Rahilly, cocooning with her ninety-year-old Aunt , survived the first months of the pandemic.
When not tweeting, Helen also helps organise a network of volunteers to deliver necessities to older people called localsupport.ie.
But tomorrow, Helen takes to the piping hot ‘stool of doom’ to answer YOUR questions on the buke, her aunt or anything (within reason).
Leave any queries below. The best question WINS our own copy of The Stairlift Ascends (which we will hopefully get signed by the author).
Lines will remain open until 10pm.
The Stairlift Ascends (O Brien Press)
Is Die Hard a Christmas Film?
Is The Thing a Christmas film?
Yeah Helen,
What’s it like working for Auntie, knowing you’re
part of the forever war propaganda department?
Can you comment on the R4 documentary series “Mayday” in light of the producers refusal
to answer some questions from Aaron Maté about getting some of the most basic facts wrong
and continuing the disinformation campaign about The White Helmets and
British Army Captain James Le Mesurier in light of the facts and truth about the alleged Douma chemical
attack in Syria 2018 around the same time as the “Novichok” poisoning of the Skripals in Salisbury?
https://thegrayzone.com/2020/11/30/questions-bbc-podcast-opcw-whistleblowers/
Lol. Such a BS comment. Gather all ye conspiracy folk and/or those with an axe/grudge to grind.
Oh.
What axe/grudge do you imagine I’m holding, dear?
Could you also pour me a small Jameson?
Only if you’re pinned down by a big pussy. Sure!
Better make it a large one so. U ok Hun?
the only thing Jameson is good for is selling it to Americans so they can drown it in Coke and ice
Heathens Janet.
Absolut feckin heathens.
I recently had occasion to neck a full bottle.
Yes.
It was a mistake.
But seemed appropriate at the time.
ouch, I used to use Jameson as the free drink to regulars I didn’t like at the end of the night keep the good stuff for the ones I did lol,
french tradition dictate a “la tournée du patron” or it’s the bars round, usually at the end of the night
Similar to top shelf / bottom shelf and speedwell liqueurs in NY
I mostly saw Jameson used as a whiskey shot
Times change
Or if it’s free.
I think she stayed at RTE for about 6 months, gave out to everyone, screamed patriarchy at everyone and left. Zero impact from the “BBC Maven” Surprised she didn’t write a buke about that!
Apart from being perma-pissed, I’d like to see what’s on your CV.
Blank.
I bet you would. Fanboy!
How many pages? ;-)
Helen, I see from the pic you’re a fan of Dr Who. Who was your favourite Doctor?
Congrats on the book and well done for setting up Local Support! Also, love Monica’s quips!
Given the calls for a public inquiry to investigate the circumstances relating to each death from Covid-19 in nursing homes, one can only wonder how many of those who died may have survived if they and their families were perhaps able to receive adequate care and support at home. Although it is in the programme for government to introduce a statutory scheme to support people to live in their own homes, I’d love to hear Helen (and Monica’s?) thoughts on the provision of home care in Ireland.
Congrats on the book again.