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
