Why won’t someone shout stop?
Are we not better than this?
Is there a surgical procedure to uncurl toes?
This is bad Jury’s Cabaret. On our dime.
Etc.
The Gathering gathering (inlcuding Pat Kenny, Leo Varadkar and Ruby Walsh) at the Guinness Storehouse, Dublin, this afternoon.
(Mark Stedman/Photocall Ireland)
“What do you mean you’ve ‘never heard of Mikey ‘The Bulging’ Mahoney?'”
Live from The Gathering launch at the Guinness Storehouse.
There are literally no words.
Except: is that Enda taking photos?
Via Tamso Doyle Cox
The Gathering reaches intense levels of sadness, courtesy of Al Jazeera.
Bearded Galway musicians at 00:40 and Jim “All tourism is about
money” Miley at 01:03.
Also: We had wondered where all the vintage post boxes were going.
Meanwhile…
I think the bulk of what I was saying about nurturing and developing a real relationship with a very complex group of emigrants is absolutely essential. As one guy said to me: ‘stop calling us tourists. We’re exiles, we’re emigrants’.
Gabriel Byrne, yesterday
Byrne Stands By Gathering Criticism (Tim O’Brien and Jason Kennedy, Irish Times)
And in the Guinness Storehouse this afternoon:
The Govt are literally organising a piss-up in a brewery today. #thestaggering
— Brian O’Connell (@oconnellbrian) December 4, 2012
(Sasko Lazarov/Photocall Ireland)
Spotted on sale in Kansas City.
Thanks Andrew Cody
RT @brianodtv3 On The 5.30, the future of Shannon & Leo Varadkar defends The Gathering after Ryanair’s Michael O’Leary calls it The Grabbing
— TV3 News (@tv3NewsIreland) December 3, 2012
Well, he would know.
It’s still going ahead.
Cork Day looks set to persist as an idea with City Manager Tim Lucey having given an undertaking to cost the initiative ahead of next year.
“It’s very welcome and could tie in well with the Gathering,” said Mr O’Halloran
…“There is stuff about our culture that is unique. We have a huge diaspora all over the world and in my mind; there is huge potential here for free marketing and advertising. We’ve seen how effective Arthur’s Day can be, and this is something not associated with alcohol.”
“Tell the world why Bosco and Glenroe made an impact on your life” and send your message to space with gatheringthegathering.com
— TheGatheringIreland (@GatheringIRL) November 25, 2012
Meanwhile:
Jim Miley (above), project director of The Gathering is being paid € 168,000 a year in his role head of the tourism initiative. Miley, former chief executive of MyHome.ie and a former General Secretary of Fine Gael won a tender in May to run a “national tourism initiative and community development project.”
There were several applications for the role from senior marketing and tourism industry figures. Miley signed a contract on a salary of € 14,000 a month on May 18.
Gathering Chief Rakes in € 168,000 (Colin Coyle, Sunday Times – behind paywall)
Previously: The Man Behind The Gathering
Pic via
It’s interactive!
Free with the Irish Independent.
Which may help to explain the paper’s Gathering coverage in the last few weeks:
Tourist Chiefs tell ‘Precious’ Gabriel Byrne — ‘Stick To The Acting’ (Irish Independent, November 7)
Byrne’s Remarks Unpatriotic, Says Ring (irish Independent, November 17)
Gabriel Byrne ran up €16,000 expenses bill in cultural role (Irish Independent, November 12)
The US ad campaign for The Gathering.
Don’t mention the pogrom, Hitler book of condolence, etc., etc.
Hat tip: Eimear McCormack
