By Dominic Hyde

We all thought we knew Gerry. But I probably knew him better than most.

Often he would sidle up to me at a GLITTERING PR reception and say: “Can I’ve a Gin and Tonic?” Adding: “You don’t know where the loos are?”

Of course, he knew I wasn’t a waiter but to everyone around us, it was as if he didn’t know who I was.

But that was Gerry.

He’d give me his trademark indifferent glance and leave. Often he would go to a SWANKY restaurant where he would wine and dine into the EARLY hours.

But beneath the laughter there were real tears. Once, at another high society BASH to launch Budget Travel’s summer brochure, he borrowed my pen to sign an autograph and admitted: “Thanks. I should carry my own, but I don’t.”

This was the Gerry his fearsomely legendary fans didn’t see. Just a regular man HUMBLY asking me, just another reporter but above all a friend, for a pen.

And that is the Gerry I will remember. Until next week when I tell you all about the other Gerry Ryan. The Gerry that had a bit of a THING for the nose ning AND how I tried to stop him, having a thing for the ning.

Above Dublin this afternoon.

A star in the East.

Courtesy of three wise Air Corps pilots.

(Photocall Ireland)

By Dominic Hyde

I had many a late night with King Gerry and I never once saw him dabble with the powder, make with the nose candy, hit the slopes, gogo with yeyo, carry Aunt Nora or do the rumba with the Cha Cha.

He normally would have a glass of wine with a meal followed by a little snuff to cleanse the palate.

Ms Verwoerd said one of the ground rules of their relationship was that drugs were not acceptable. She said in the two years they were together nothing had been used.

Ms Verwoerd said that the pressures of finalising his separation from his wife Morah, as well as enormous pressure from RTÉ and his work, had begun to take a toll on Mr Ryan.

She said that he was constantly waking in the middle of the night, sweating and feeling very unwell.

Which prompted Cork blogger, Potato of Rage to rage:

“Yes RTÉ asking a massively overpaid man, funded by the citizens of Ireland who are struggling to make ends meet, to take a pay cut is what killed him. As opposed to smoking, drinking, late nights, wining and dining and little or no exercise. And, as we now know for sure, fucking cocaine like icing on a big fat cake. Thanks for spending my money so wisely Gerry! Say hi to Katy French for me in whatever limbo you go to when you bring about your own demise through assholish practises.”

Crikey.

Broadsheet’s position: As long as a dude doesn’t masturbate in front of us on a plane, he can do whatever drug he fancies.

(Photocall Ireland)

The Ryan line is…on the cistern in the second cubicle.

We’ll see ourselves out.

The inquest in the death of RTÉ broadcaster Gerry Ryan has heard that traces of cocaine found in his system were the likely trigger to a cardiac arrhythmia that resulted in his death.

More here.

The mind-shredding AIB bonus story (AIB to pay out €40 million this year), broken by The Guardian last night, elicited the following comment from a reader, Patrick Dodd, we thought we’d share with you:

“LOL is overused all round the interwebz but this story really did make me laugh out loud. I mean, c’mon, this is so outrageous it is hilarious. I thought Cowen being the most highly paid state leader in Europe was pretty funny; I thought the head of the Irish electricity board getting nearly 3/4 of a million euros a year was a hoot; both of these issues are put in the shade by this though. And honestly, if the Irish people stand for this then, really, democracy is dead and everyone ought to shuffle off and gladly accept their newly lowered minimum rate of pay.

Of course there will be some ar*e who comments “one must have rule of law” yada yada but seriously, for this to stand the public’s sense of justice must have been utterly destroyed.”

(Photocall Ireland)

Enough to get you on to the Canadian census.

5000 Jobs Available For Census in Republic (Belfast Telegraph)

The Jobs (Census.ie)

Just type in a profile to Etsy and they’ll find “cool” gift ideas for that person (based on interests, hobbies, etc.).

Alternatively, a Cadbury’s selection box, we find, rarely disappoints.