I watched the late night replay of Friday nights “The Late Late Show” last night. For many years hosted by Gay Byrne, “The Late Late Show” is the iconic flagship of Radio Telifis Éireann (RTE). Ironically Gay Buyrne himself was a guest on the show last night.

The Show is now hosted by Ryan Tubridy who I do not like but is at least NOT Pat Kenny (Byrnes first successor), who I dislike even more. Last nights show featured three recently ordained priests. I think it was a GOOD thing that RTE gave them a platform to put their (over-looked) side of the recent Catholic Church Controversy.

I am of course said to be a LIBERAL Catholic and these three young men are to be congratulated on going into a potentially hostile environment of The Late Late Show. Yet I am a little suspicious that their promotion by (presumably) the catholic Press Office was a little artificial. One was very erudite and at ease with himself and seemed genuinely “liberal” and a bit of a jokester. As might be expected Tubridy wanted to question them on their PERSONAL  SEXUALITY before they committed themselves to the Priesthood. Preist #1 was disarmingly frank….”well I was no Tiger Woods”…..which won over the audience.

Yet he had no need to wim over the audience by his frankness……it was simply a question that was nobodys business. Much better if he had pointed out that Tubridy is a 36 year old divorcee who is currently “involved” with a high profile Irish journalist……and Tubridy only agreed to taking a reduction in his very high salary when he received adverse publicity. So hardly a credible person on the moral high ground.

The other two young priests were not quite as articulate. All were “liberal”…..favouring women priests, favouring homosexual priests, favouring married priests. Surprisingly….and it disappoints me they did not rule out “living together” as a legitimate relationship. Hmmm TOO liberal for my tastes. Predictably they were in favour of RENEWAL…..although I think that should have been extended to include NATIONAL as well as SPIRITUAL RENEWAL.

An interesting exercise. And Blessings to them.

One of my favourite foods is roast pork… especially the crackling.  Now, if you are like me and like roast pork and crackling, try buying pork anywhere with the skin still on.  I have to ask my butcher to cut a piece specially for me and to leave the skin on.  So having got fed up of having to do that, we decided to keep pigs for ourselves, and you’ve read some of the episodes of live with our pigs.

In recent months we’ve taken 3 pigs to the abattoir, and in fact, have been extremely pleased with the response from customers as to the meat.  Our little artisan business has grown and developed organically through sending out emails to family and friends, spreading the word about our pork.

One of the comments we have had from some people is that the meat is often quite fatty.  It is, that is the nature of free-range and rare breed.  It was interesting to see the comments on Ear To The Ground, RTE’s farming programme last week where they discussed the Irish Pork industry.  Take a look…. it is towards the end of the programme, but it is worth watching the conversion!  http://short.ie/6eheh6

Have a look at the new theme of The Switch’s site. It enables us to add our own custom header.

See us on The All Ireland Talent Show tonight. RTÉ One 18:30.

FILM: The Nativity Story (2006)

Channel 4, Christmas Eve 11.15am

Carols from Kings

BBC 2, Thursday 24th December, 18.15

Wexford Carols

Featuring ‘The Priests’

RTE One, Thursday 24th December 18.30

Midnight Mass

From St Teresa’s Church, Dublin

RTE One, Thursday 24th December 23.05

Midnight Mass from Westminster Cathedral

With Archbishop Nichols

BBC 1, Christmas Eve 23.45

Urbi Et Orbi

Pope Benedict delivers his Christmas Blessing ‘to the city and the world’

RTE One, Christmas Day 11.00

Mass for Christmas Day

RTE One, Christmas Day 11.40am

The Archbishops’ Christmas Message

Cardinal Brady & Archbishop Harper deliver their annual Christmas message

RTE One, Christmas Day 12.45pm

ALL TIMES ARE DUBLIN GMT

THE FOLLOWING IS TAKEN FROM THE SCREEN SCENE WEB NEWSLETTER BOTH MARK AND SIMON WERE ON THE EDITING CREW FOR THIS PROJECT.

Mattie
December 15 2009
Following the long-running success of Killinaskully, Pat Shortt returns to light up our television screens this Christmas in a pilot for a brand new TV series, Mattie.

The ever-popular comedian and award-winning actor plays Mattie Dwyer, a country detective, transferred to a city station – whose recurring ability to get into comic misadventures soon surfaces.

Teamed up with feisty female detective Sharon Kelly (played by Lesley Conroy) Mattie struggles to adapt to the rough and tumble of city policing, ridicule at the hands of smug fellow detectives, Tom and Felix (played by Alvaro Lucchesi and Sean McDonagh) and the watchful eye of Superintendent O’Meara (played by Joe Taylor).

Further comic complications in the form Mattie’s demanding bed-ridden mother, her friend Sr Philemena, a rogue gallery of criminals and an under-cover cop who can’t get a proper pair of high heels add the final ingredients into the recipe for an hilarious new comedy drama.

Filmed in Limerick in July, Mattie was written by Pat Shortt and Mike Finn, script edited by David Cummings (The Fast Show, Harry Enfield & Chums). Directed by Killinaskully’s Eugene O’Connor and produced by Shortt and Brian Kelly, Mattie is a Gable End Media production for RTÉ. Simon Maguire completed the Offline Edit in Limerick before Post Production moved to Screen Scene where Fionn Higgins was the sound Editor, Tony Hogan and Paula Boarn took care of the Foley, Ken Galvin completed the mix, Angela McLellan Graded and Warren Dowling completed Online.

Catch it Christmas Day at 9.05pm on RTÉ2

Bring back Anything Goes i say, all is forgiven Aonghus! Another one from the ROT vaults.

To: Aonghus McAnally Of Anything Goes Fame!

Dear Aonghus,

Any truth to the rumour that ‘Anything Goes’ is set to make a return to our screens in RTEs summer schedule.

I know it would be a big ask for yourself to come out of retirement but do you really want to deprive another generation of such a top class show.

Yours
MM O’C

Reply: From: Aonghus McAnally

Dear Martina,

I am not aware of any such plans.
Thanks for the email,

Aonghus McAnally

Re: Reply: To: Aonghus McAnally

Dear Aonghus,

Thank you for your speedy reply.

It seems that I got the wrong end of the stick as far as ‘Anything Goes’ making a come back to our screens is concerned. Its a shame really as I think the standard of Saturday morning kids shows on RTE has taken a real down turn of late.

Thanks again for your reply.

Yours
MM O’C

P.S
I think my husband is having an affair!

One from the archives for you. I get the feeling we really got them going with this one.

To: IDtwo, Childrens show on RTE

Dear IDtwo,

Any truth to the rumour that your fantastic show “ID2” is going to be renamed “D4”? I think this would be a much more appropriate name not only because the grabasstic presenter comes across as your typical D4 trust fund baby but also because of the string of “Yáw Yáw Yáw” guest you insist on parading in front of us.

Yours
MM O’C
Age 11

Reply: From: IDTwo Team

Dear Martina,

Thank you for your mail – no there is no truth in the rumour that IDTwo will be named D4…
Perhaps when you are older you might look at becoming a TV producer and then you can call your programme anything you want!

Kind regards
The IDTwo Team

Re: Reply: To: IDTwo Team

Dear IDTwo Team,

Thank you for your speedy reply.
It seems that i got the wrong end of the stick as far as ‘ID Two’ making a name change is concerned.

As for your advice on my future career, funnily enough I already have my heart set on becoming a TV producer when I grow up! Perhaps some day when I make it as a TV producer I might get to produce ‘ID Two’. However, I fear that this is highly unlikely as the average lifespan for kids shows on RTE isn’t great (especially mediocre ones).

Regards
MM O’C

I was in Copper Face Jacks last night (aka Slapper Face Jacks) and I’ve had some odd chat-up lines before but this one took the biscuit…

Guy: Do you know who you look like?

Me (sitting on floor): Eh Marty Whelan*?

Guy (confused): Who…? No. Em, do you watch the Apprentice?

Me (please don’t say Geraldine): Oh yeah….

Guy: You know that one with the MAD eyes?

Me: Aoiffe with two Fs?

Guy: Yeah! You look like her.

Me: Um… thanks?

Guy: Yeah, no like that’s a compliment! Except you have nicer eyes… not as mad. Her’s are more like “I want to chop of your balls” eyes – you have nice eyes.

Me: eh…

Guy: Yeah you look like Bambi.

Me: I like Bambi!

*Marty Whelan… Yes I was in fact told by my friend (thank you Ian!) that I look like RTE broadcaster Marty Whelan… ha.  Isn’t he a silver fox?

A very special person came into the Make-Up Room! I think most of you will know who it is

Seven days to The All Ireland Talent Show Dublin Auditions. This week it’s the South.

Also, there is an interview with Shane Lynch in the Christmas edition of the RTÉ Guide. He talks about the sort of people he chose.

Michael Jackson’s brothers have confirmed they are to reform for a world tour.

Jermaine, Tito, Jackie and Marlon announced on The Larry King Show yesterday that they will perform as the Jackson 4.

They will reunite for a 40th anniversary album and tour.

Advertisement’We still want to go out there and hit the road,’ Jermaine Jackson told host Larry King.

‘We want to put it on them. Just go out there and just jam, live band, and see a different setting.’

‘For 40 years, we’ve had great support from our fans around the world,’ Jackie Jackson said, ‘and we should give them a great tour.’

There’s nothing more confusing than press releasing on something, staying up REALLY late, then waking up to a million texts and emails from both friends and LGBT rights groups congratulating you on what you had said in the news, and to have NO idea what they’re talking about for like 20 mins till you wake up properly…anywho…

RTE News:

Ahern hails Bill as ’significant milestone’

The Union of Students in Ireland says the proposed Bill will offer a number of legal rights to lesbian and gay couples but falls short of offering many of the rights and protections covered by civil marriage.

The USI says the Bill ‘refuses to recognise the existence of same sex families, leaving children of same sex couples vulnerable and unprotected under Irish law’.

USI Lesbian Gay Bi-sexual Transgender Rights Officer Laura Finlay said: ‘The implementation of this Civil Partnership Bill will only serve to enshrine in law the second class citizenship of LGBT people in this country.

‘It is wholly unfair and sends out the message that gay people in Ireland are not equal to their heterosexual counterparts.’

Keep reading: http://www.rte.ie/news/2009/1203/civilpartnership.html

From breakingnews.ie:

Civil Partnership Bill ‘does not go far enough’

The call was backed by the National Lesbian and Gay Federation (NLGF), which urged the immediate introduction of a civil marriage option which would give full rights to gay people.

To ensure that LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender) people are treated equally in Ireland, the Government must move to provide equality by legislating for civil marriage,” said NLGF chair Ailbhe Smyth.

“The Government must admit that provision of civil partnership as the only relationship recognition option for LGBT people is a serious mistake.”

The Union of Students in Ireland also said the Bill falls short of offering many of the rights and protections covered by civil marriage.

A demonstration will take place outside the Dáil later this evening to highlight the limitations of the Bill.

Read more: http://breakingnews.ie/ireland/eymhgbidkfmh/#ixzz0YiZTmgLk

From the Irish Times:

Mixed reaction to Civil Partnership Bill

The Equality Authority said the legislation was a significant and groundbreaking step, but that full equality for gay couples must remain the ultimate goal.

It said the children of same-sex couples would continue to face questions on issues such as inheritance, guardianship and access, and would remain disadvantaged.

MarriagEquaility said it had written to Taoiseach Brian Cowen to ask that the Bill be upgraded to give equal civil marriage rights to same-sex couples.

The Union of Students in Ireland said implementation of the Bill would serve to enshrine in law the second-class citizenship of lesbian, gay and transgendered people.

For more see: http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2009/1204/1224260043897.html

From GCN.ie:

Civil Partnership is Discrimination Say Rights Groups

The Union of Students in Ireland (USI) are also calling on the Government to amend shortcomings in the Civil Partnership Bill.

“The implementation of this Civil Partnership Bill will only serve to enshrine in law the second class citizenship of LGBT people in this country,” says USI LGBT Rights Officer, Laura Finlay. “It is wholly unfair and sends out the message that gay people in Ireland are not equal to their heterosexual counterparts.”

LGBT Noise will be holding a protest outside the Dáil from 6pm this evening, Thursday, December 3.

“If this Civil Partnership Bill becomes law it will force gay couples to participate in their own discrimination and the children of same-sex couples will remain vulnerable,” says Noise Organiser, Liam Connolly.

“The gay community should not be punished for their sexual orientation by being offered this second-class bill, nor should their children be punished by the lack of protection offered within it.”

See the rest: http://www.gcn.ie/Civil_Partnership_is_Discrimination_Say_Rights_Groups

There was loads of other press coverage of the Bill where USI wasn’t mentioned too.

The Examiner:

Civil Partnership Bill introduced

Thursday, December 03, 2009 – 09:02 PM

Legislation to give legal recognition to gay couples for the first time has been introduced to the Dáil this evening.

The Civil Partnership Bill will convey inheritance and other rights on the registered partnerships of cohabiting gay and heterosexual couples.

Some Fianna Fail TDs had sought a ‘freedom of conscience’ clause which would allow civil registrars to opt out of recognising the partnerships on religious grounds.

But Justice Minister Dermot Ahern has told the Dáil that gay couples have been deprived of basic rights for too long.

Read more: http://www.examiner.ie/breakingnews/ireland/civil-partnership-bill-introduced-436872.html#ixzz0YibysM9W

Greens welcome Civil Partnership Bill

Thursday, December 03, 2009 – 04:07 PM

The Green Party has welcomed the introduction of the Civil Partnership Bill to the Dáil this evening.

Speaking ahead of this evening’s debate on the Bill, Green Party justice spokesman Ciaran Cuffe said: “This bill marks substantial, purposeful progress on our equality agenda which I am very pleased to see introduced into the Dáil this evening.

“Civil partnerships will be of huge practical benefit to gay and lesbian couples across the country, creating rights, responsibilities and safeguards for same sex couples in loving relationships where there were none before.

“The bill amends over 130 pieces of legislation. Civil partnerships will enhance the law for same sex couples in areas such as taxation, pensions, social welfare, inheritance, property and employment law.

“Moreover, the bill sends a vitally important message to same sex couples that their unions are formally recognised by the State.”

Gay rights groups have however called for the bill to be bolstered to allow for civil marriage, placing same-sex couples on the same legal footing as married partners.

They say the legislation in its current form does not go far enough.

Read more: http://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/ireland/greens-welcome-civil-partnership-bill-436845.html#ixzz0Yic81P4S

From the Irish Independent:

Bill heralds a new era for same-sex couples — Ahern

JUSTICE Minister Dermot Ahern has vowed his new civil partnership bill will “change the legal landscape” for gay and lesbian couples.

It will provide same-sex couples with almost exactly the same rights as married couples — with the exception of adopting children.

This has led to protests from gay rights groups, who have claimed the Civil Partnership Bill still leaves them as “second-class citizens”.

But in his speech to the Dail last night, Mr Ahern said the new bill would provide protections for same-sex couples that would have been unheard of in any jurisdiction until a few short years ago.

“The absence of official recognition and affirmation for same-sex relationships only helps to reinforce prejudice and inequality in society,” he said.

The bill has been welcomed by the Green Party, which had been pushing Mr Ahern for two years to introduce it. Green Party TD Ciaran Cuffe said that while he would have preferred a bill providing for full gay marriage, he was a “realist”.

“The bill is a key legislative priority for the Greens in Government and one we have worked hard to see implemented,” he said

For more, see: http://www.independent.ie/national-news/bill-heralds-a-new-era-for-samesex-couples–ahern-1964059.html

Civil partnership bill : What the new legislation will mean in practice

It gives gay and lesbian couples the right to have their relationships legally recognised.

They will be entitled to seek maintenance (financial support) from each other.

If one partner dies or the relationship breaks up, the remaining partner will be entitled for the first time to make a claim on the estate or seek financial support.

But while one partner may be raising children from a previous relationship, there is no legal recognition of the child’s relationship with the other partner. Civil partners will not be able to jointly adopt children.

There will also new protections in the bill for co-habiting couples of the same or opposite sex. If they are living together for three years (two if they have children), they can seek maintenance or inheritance rights if their relationship ends or if one of them dies.

Same sex marriages abroad will be recognised in Ireland as civil partnerships. Civil partnerships can be ended with a legally enforceable separation agreement.

Read more: http://www.independent.ie/national-news/civil-partnership-bill–what-the-new–legislation-will-mean-in-practice-1964058.html

RTE 9pm News:

http://www.rte.ie/player/#v=1061674

Go about 12 minutes in.

SixOne News:

http://www.rte.ie/player/#v=1061634

About 15 mins in.

Is the state broadcastor still having a go at those who seek out the bargains during a recession?

There’s nothing more confusing than press releasing on something, staying up REALLY late, then waking up to a million texts and emails from both friends and LGBT rights groups congratulating you on what you had said in the news, and to have NO idea what they’re talking about for like 20 mins till you wake up properly…anywho…

RTE News:

Ahern hails Bill as ’significant milestone’

 

The Union of Students in Ireland says the proposed Bill will offer a number of legal rights to lesbian and gay couples but falls short of offering many of the rights and protections covered by civil marriage.

The USI says the Bill ‘refuses to recognise the existence of same sex families, leaving children of same sex couples vulnerable and unprotected under Irish law’.

USI Lesbian Gay Bi-sexual Transgender Rights Officer Laura Finlay said: ‘The implementation of this Civil Partnership Bill will only serve to enshrine in law the second class citizenship of LGBT people in this country.

‘It is wholly unfair and sends out the message that gay people in Ireland are not equal to their heterosexual counterparts.’

Keep reading: http://www.rte.ie/news/2009/1203/civilpartnership.html

From breakingnews.ie:

Civil Partnership Bill ‘does not go far enough’

The call was backed by the National Lesbian and Gay Federation (NLGF), which urged the immediate introduction of a civil marriage option which would give full rights to gay people.

To ensure that LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender) people are treated equally in Ireland, the Government must move to provide equality by legislating for civil marriage,” said NLGF chair Ailbhe Smyth.

“The Government must admit that provision of civil partnership as the only relationship recognition option for LGBT people is a serious mistake.”

The Union of Students in Ireland also said the Bill falls short of offering many of the rights and protections covered by civil marriage.

A demonstration will take place outside the Dáil later this evening to highlight the limitations of the Bill.

Read more: http://breakingnews.ie/ireland/eymhgbidkfmh/#ixzz0YiZTmgLk

From the Irish Times:

Mixed reaction to Civil Partnership Bill

The Equality Authority said the legislation was a significant and groundbreaking step, but that full equality for gay couples must remain the ultimate goal.

It said the children of same-sex couples would continue to face questions on issues such as inheritance, guardianship and access, and would remain disadvantaged.

MarriagEquaility said it had written to Taoiseach Brian Cowen to ask that the Bill be upgraded to give equal civil marriage rights to same-sex couples.

The Union of Students in Ireland said implementation of the Bill would serve to enshrine in law the second-class citizenship of lesbian, gay and transgendered people.

For more see: http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2009/1204/1224260043897.html

From GCN.ie:

Civil Partnership is Discrimination Say Rights Groups

The Union of Students in Ireland (USI) are also calling on the Government to amend shortcomings in the Civil Partnership Bill.

“The implementation of this Civil Partnership Bill will only serve to enshrine in law the second class citizenship of LGBT people in this country,” says USI LGBT Rights Officer, Laura Finlay. “It is wholly unfair and sends out the message that gay people in Ireland are not equal to their heterosexual counterparts.”

LGBT Noise will be holding a protest outside the Dáil from 6pm this evening, Thursday, December 3.

“If this Civil Partnership Bill becomes law it will force gay couples to participate in their own discrimination and the children of same-sex couples will remain vulnerable,” says Noise Organiser, Liam Connolly.

“The gay community should not be punished for their sexual orientation by being offered this second-class bill, nor should their children be punished by the lack of protection offered within it.”

See the rest: http://www.gcn.ie/Civil_Partnership_is_Discrimination_Say_Rights_Groups

There was loads of other press coverage of the Bill where USI wasn’t mentioned too.

The Examiner:

Civil Partnership Bill introduced

Thursday, December 03, 2009 – 09:02 PM

Legislation to give legal recognition to gay couples for the first time has been introduced to the Dáil this evening.

The Civil Partnership Bill will convey inheritance and other rights on the registered partnerships of cohabiting gay and heterosexual couples.

Some Fianna Fail TDs had sought a ‘freedom of conscience’ clause which would allow civil registrars to opt out of recognising the partnerships on religious grounds.

But Justice Minister Dermot Ahern has told the Dáil that gay couples have been deprived of basic rights for too long.

Read more: http://www.examiner.ie/breakingnews/ireland/civil-partnership-bill-introduced-436872.html#ixzz0YibysM9W

Greens welcome Civil Partnership Bill

Thursday, December 03, 2009 – 04:07 PM

The Green Party has welcomed the introduction of the Civil Partnership Bill to the Dáil this evening.

Speaking ahead of this evening’s debate on the Bill, Green Party justice spokesman Ciaran Cuffe said: “This bill marks substantial, purposeful progress on our equality agenda which I am very pleased to see introduced into the Dáil this evening.

“Civil partnerships will be of huge practical benefit to gay and lesbian couples across the country, creating rights, responsibilities and safeguards for same sex couples in loving relationships where there were none before.

“The bill amends over 130 pieces of legislation. Civil partnerships will enhance the law for same sex couples in areas such as taxation, pensions, social welfare, inheritance, property and employment law.

“Moreover, the bill sends a vitally important message to same sex couples that their unions are formally recognised by the State.”

Gay rights groups have however called for the bill to be bolstered to allow for civil marriage, placing same-sex couples on the same legal footing as married partners.

They say the legislation in its current form does not go far enough.

Read more: http://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/ireland/greens-welcome-civil-partnership-bill-436845.html#ixzz0Yic81P4S

From the Irish Independent:

Bill heralds a new era for same-sex couples — Ahern

JUSTICE Minister Dermot Ahern has vowed his new civil partnership bill will “change the legal landscape” for gay and lesbian couples.

It will provide same-sex couples with almost exactly the same rights as married couples — with the exception of adopting children.

This has led to protests from gay rights groups, who have claimed the Civil Partnership Bill still leaves them as “second-class citizens”.

But in his speech to the Dail last night, Mr Ahern said the new bill would provide protections for same-sex couples that would have been unheard of in any jurisdiction until a few short years ago.

“The absence of official recognition and affirmation for same-sex relationships only helps to reinforce prejudice and inequality in society,” he said.

The bill has been welcomed by the Green Party, which had been pushing Mr Ahern for two years to introduce it. Green Party TD Ciaran Cuffe said that while he would have preferred a bill providing for full gay marriage, he was a “realist”.

“The bill is a key legislative priority for the Greens in Government and one we have worked hard to see implemented,” he said

For more, see: http://www.independent.ie/national-news/bill-heralds-a-new-era-for-samesex-couples–ahern-1964059.html

Civil partnership bill : What the new legislation will mean in practice

It gives gay and lesbian couples the right to have their relationships legally recognised.

They will be entitled to seek maintenance (financial support) from each other.

If one partner dies or the relationship breaks up, the remaining partner will be entitled for the first time to make a claim on the estate or seek financial support.

But while one partner may be raising children from a previous relationship, there is no legal recognition of the child’s relationship with the other partner. Civil partners will not be able to jointly adopt children.

There will also new protections in the bill for co-habiting couples of the same or opposite sex. If they are living together for three years (two if they have children), they can seek maintenance or inheritance rights if their relationship ends or if one of them dies.

Same sex marriages abroad will be recognised in Ireland as civil partnerships. Civil partnerships can be ended with a legally enforceable separation agreement.

Read more: http://www.independent.ie/national-news/civil-partnership-bill–what-the-new–legislation-will-mean-in-practice-1964058.html

RTE 9pm News:

http://www.rte.ie/player/#v=1061674

Go about 12 minutes in.

SixOne News:

http://www.rte.ie/player/#v=1061634

About 15 mins in.

Just one question in regard to the news…has Kieran Rose of GLEN actually read the bill?!

Today I felt a little like the President visiting the scene of some disaster, touring the country and shaking my head in sympathy at the remains of people’s lives. Yes, I took the train from Kildare to Dublin.

Now, before any of you bite my head off or suggest I’m being harsh on the intervening landscape, I’d like to remind you all that there was massive flooding in Ireland during the past week. Roads were turned into raging torrents (including, without the faintest whiff of irony, River Street in Ballinasloe), cars were carried away, houses became aquaria and those people who make sandbags were the only ones smiling. One of the areas worst hit was a housing estate in Sallins – along the train line - called The Waterways (at least God has a sense of humour…). There, the water was so high it covered entire doorways and cars, lifting wheelie bins and scattering them to the four winds and leaving the place in a bit of a mess really.

It was slightly macabre of us, but as the train passed The Waterways, everyone in the carriage stood up to get a better glimpse of the carnage. There was rubbish everywhere, large pools still remained, cars were plonked in the middle of lawns – it was like the aftermath of a bomb. Farther along the line, entire fields were turned into lakes, bunkers on golf courses were now water-hazards and the sheep were so weighed down with water they couldn’t move – everyone knows wool is best hand-washed.

As is the case whenever floods strike, there were three particular pieces of news footage in plentiful supply throughout the week:

First, that of the annoying students in wet-suits who think it’s hilarious to body-board down the road in the wake of a council vehicle wading through the water; this is usually accompanied by the newsreader lightly saying “While the floods were certainly causing many people headaches, not EVERYONE seemed to mind.” No, but then the sort of people who body-board in the street are the sort who bleach their hair, wear shorts in the winter, buy roof racks for their VW Polos and pretend to be surfing experts when in reality the farthest they’ve ever surfed is to the nearest porn website on the ‘net.

Second, that of the prick with the canoe who is only too fucking delighted to bring it out from the shed and piss everyone else on the street off by rowing past them all as they stand stranded on their cars – he’s thinking “Ha! Not so stupid now, am I? They all said I was a tit for buying this on special offer out of Reader’s Digest. Well, look who’s the tit now!” To be honest sir, you’re still a tit. You have a canoe which you use only in the case of a natural disaster. That’s a bit like buying a spaceship in case the end of the world happens anytime soon.

And thirdly, there was the sight of news reporters in boots splish-splashing about in water up to their knees. What producer in their right mind says: “Look Mark, we’re just afraid the viewer won’t feel close enough to the action if you’re just on the EDGE of the flood. We’d like you to walk into the MIDDLE of it – it just ADDS something…” There must be a room in RTÉ just full of wellies for the news reporters. How would those eejits have dealt with the tsunami? “Mark, standing on top of that tall building isn’t doing it for us, could you borrow a surf-board from those bleach-blonde students with the Polo and actually deliver your report from atop the oncoming tidal wave?”

There is a serious point to all this, of course. It demonstrates that our planning process has failed us, that developers have time and again ignored traditional flood plains, that local councils have not adequately maintained our waterways and that the concretization of Ireland is beginning to have a major bearing on our natural drainage. That, or we just need one massive national tampon.

Video from the Off The Rails catwalk now available on YouTube!

SecretBite.com had a great pleasure to be part of this year’s Off The Rails: Total Experience which took place at RDS in Dublin 4 last weekend. We would like to say a big thank you to all who came and visited our stand. We received a great feedback from all customers and we hope to see you soon coming back for more of our great lingerie!

RTE’s Battle of the Sexes was billed as a groundbreaking two-part series exploring the state of the modern Irish man, the modern Irish woman and their relationship with one another. Both programmes were driven by a national survey of over 1,000 men and women nationwide conducted by RTE/RedC.

The first programme aired last Sunday with a panel of 15 Irish women hosted by Miriam O’Callaghan analysing the Irish men: is the modern Irish male struggling for a role? How are they performing as parents, romantically, on the dating circuit? Is masculinity in crisis or are men still enjoying unequal power and privilege? While in the second programme aired last night, the Men of Ireland joined Ray D’Arcy to have their say: asking whether women demand too much? Are they ever happy? Do they focus too much on irrelevant details like housework and celebrity gossip?

After watching both programmes, it left me questioning where is the love? I think the programme missed an opportunity for an interesting and lively debate between the sexes and by instead splitting the sexes it felt more like an attack on the genders and apportioning out the blame for whose fault it is that the traditional roles, where men were the breadwinners and women stayed at home and cared for the children, have now been eroded and left us with no clear-cut roles in modern society.

After watching last nights programme, I was saddened and appalled by Irish men’s portrayal of Irish women as superficial, narcissistic, shallow creatures who have more love for shoes and handbags than they have for anyone else. The second VT was no better portraying every single Irish woman as one of three stereotypes either a) with a biological clock ticking b) a man-eater or c) a gold digger. Not one of the men on the panel defended their Irish women with the journalist saying he only goes for younger women as it’s too much pressure to go out with anyone over 30 and the playwright finding a nice Polish Doctor as Irish women tend not to go for character! A third VT showed an independent woman clearly happy with her lot and she was instantly set upon and attacked by the panel with one man claiming she had obviously been hurt and another saying he hoped she’d be happy with her cat. These men seemed highly threatened that any woman could claim she was happy enough on her own and didn’t necessarily need a man. They seemed to take it as a personal insult. Housework was deemed to be boring and they obviously did not appreciate the VT of the house husband. They also said that Irish women had lost the run of themselves and taken advantage (of who or what I am not certain)!

I don’t remember feeling as outraged at sitting through the first programme and I certainly don’t remember it as being a full on attack of Irish men. Whereas I felt there was nothing positive said about Irish women on last nights programme, I don’t think the women were so negative towards the men last week but this could be because I am a woman. If we want change and to create a society of equals, I think we need to work together and support each other. I think if it’s a battle, it may be time for a truce.

Check out the programmes or take the survey on the RTE website.

For another review, check out the tribune television critic, Patrick Freyne.

   You really have to laugh. Yet another Child Abuse Report   and every RTE  journalist is tripping over themselves trying to explain how all this could happen. Just two weeks ago one of these journalists , Mirriam O’Callaghan interviewed the notorious Sisters of Charity nun Stanislaus Kennedy and more or less portrayed her as a saint. Nothing has ever been proved in a court of law against Kennedy but the proverbial ‘dogs in the street’ have known for over 30 years that this woman has a lot of questions to answer.  I have been saying for years now that this woman should be put in a cage where she belongs…..somewhere where she cannot hurt people as she has done over and over for years now. She will never be held to account. She will die in her bed and probably be afforded something close to a state funeral. The people she hurt will get little relief  and no justice either way. Like I said , you’ve got to laugh….

    Update Sunday 29 Nov. 09.

      This morning on RTE Radio Diarmuid Martin ( a man of no small intellectual ability ) when asked if Bishops and auxiliary Bishops should resign talked about ’slippage’ and ‘public opinion’ . If you’re wondering what ’slippage’ is you will have to listen to the Podcast. Needless to say the man didn’t really say anything but managed at the same time to create a degree of moral and intellectual ambiguity……..if your a fool that is. Reasonable people will understand exactly what Martin was saying. This Podcast really has to be listened to. There is a rather long run-in with adverts and news summary but it’s well worth the trouble.

……another update 30 Nov. 09.

   …….This afternoon on the Joe Duffy Show on RTE Radio yet another priest praised the ‘bravery’ of Mr Martin !!!! Duffy is a bit of a creeping Jesus himself but it’s not just Duffy that shows a particular deference to such apologists for criminals but every RTE and media person. If it was you or me who had been acting in the manner of the clergy they would of course crucify us all out of hand as they do every other day when they feel the urge to condemn some working class person as ‘racist’ if they express an opinion on   immigration. You can listen to the whole programme here on Podcast.  In the programme this priest says that he knew nothing about any abuse which is a blatant lie. He may well not have known particular details about what was going on in his own back yard but he must have known of the allegation that had been constantly  made for half a century. He must have know about the Magdalen Laundries where poor children were treated like dirt while just up the road the exact  same order of nuns were giving a classical education to the children of the rich. …….My mother used to say that you can judge people by the company they keep and she was right.

  Yet another update 1 Dec 09.

      Mari Collins has been on the Joe Duffy show just now more or less saying that she’s had enough of the church and that she can’t handle it any more but ….surprise , surprise she felt the need to praise the priest who lied on the show just yesterday. This is no real surprise as she issued a joint statement with Mr. Martin a short while ago. There’s no fool  like an old fool and in the long run you get the religious you deserve. Mari Collins is just as responsible as any abuser ….she , like all the rest continues to insist on the myth of the ‘good religious’ . Her need for a religious crutch is more important than facing the very obvious truth…..

I recently drew my attention to RTE’s new comedy sitcom series starring Ardal O’Hanlon. Val Falvey TD I suppose, is not an unprecedented idea for a sitcom series in Ireland at the moment. It seems the producers decided it was time to rip something akin to urine out of the current political situation. The question is, how do they get on with it?

Well, the answer is not great. The first episode Rash Promise tells of one woman’s struggle to get compensation from a swimming cap factory for dumping waste into the lake next to it, where she swims because she likes the “Jacuzzi effect”. The fact that this factory pays Val Falvey a “consultancy fee” puts him in a predicament when the woman threatens to go to the press.

In addition to this, Val struggles with his self image and starts learning how to ride a bike after one of his opposition make the front page of the paper for ‘going green’. His family seem detached from him and this is shown in his clumsy flirting with Eurovision winner and general ‘likely to turn up anywhere’, Linda Martin.

And perhaps that’s where the problems begin. These are the three main plots of the episode but it’s only 25 minutes long, and it’s really trying to do too much. At the halfway point, I wasn’t quite sure whether the swimming cap factory story was supposed to be the main plot or subplot. It was a little bit confused as to what it wanted to be though admittedly, the payoff was surprisingly amusing if predictable.

One thing that struck me though, is RTE’s seeming love affair with the midlands, and making them look as bleak as is utterly possible. Pure Mule made a recent reappearance and for the most part was quite good. Now we have Val Falvey TD stuck in a caravan in the midlands, which we’re supposed to find funny, why? Because we haven’t seen it before? If they’d wanted to make this caravan idea truly funny, they should have set the series in Donnybrook or Foxrock. A local politician working out of a caravan in Foxrock, with the local villagers – now that would be funny.

There are a few sporadic moments of comedy throughout the episode – none of it laugh out loud, more a kind of dry wit. There is mention of a Taoiseach showing a TD a million pound in a suitcase – considering this is a political sitcom, I’m surprised it took 15 minutes to use that line. There is also some witty banter at the expense of Ireland’s Eurovision record, Linda Martin and Wolfe Tone but nothing that we haven’t seen or heard before.

And that’s probably, ultimately where this series will fail. You can see clear Fr. Ted style comedy, right down to the fact that Ardal O’Hanlon’s newly elected politician is only marginally more intelligent than Fr. Dougal McGuire was.

Val Falvey TD lacks the freshness that a series like Killinaskully had when it first aired. It lacks the double-entendres and funny yet completely unbelievable characters that Killinaskully had. And perhaps more importantly, and through no fault of its own, it lacks any other decent Irish comedy sitcom to compare itself to. It’s not something RTE do a lot of. And their recent decision to axe The Clinic, one of the few decent attempts they had at a drama series does not bode well for our Public Sector Broadcaster’s credibility.

Val Falvey TD ultimately is mediocre. If it was any longer than half an hour, we’d probably turn it off, but the way things are at the moment, we’d suffer that long just to hear a half decent Bertie Ahern joke (which incidentally turns up in some scripts I’m working on myself, at the moment).

The political situation in Ireland at the moment is crying out to be satirised. But it could have been done so much better than this.