Death Notices

[moysider]

Also didn't Mr Geldoff describe the land we love so dear as a "banana republic" all to get his knighthood?

According to Wiki (yeah, I know) Geldof wrote that song after his band was banned from performing in Ireland after he gave an interview on Gay Byrne in which he denounced "nationalism, medieval-minded clerics and corrupt politicians". That was in 1977. I'd say he was pretty much ahead of the rest of us with those remarks.

Yes he was. And he hadn't a clue how bad it was really. He was a middle class Dub? It was almost another 20 years before the cat was let out of the bag. But he nailed it before anybody had the guts to say what a mess we were. I regret any time I spent watching programmes like 7Days and Prime Time. Pat Rabbitte on autipilot is the closest now probably to the bullshit I grew up with. You just know he s winging it but he will wing anything. In an absolute crazy way our national broadcaster defined our politics by broadcasting Ard Fheis and giving muppets time.

[T Fearon]

And the difference between politics here and Bob's beloved England is? At least our lot haven't butchered their way round the world.

[Myles Na G.]

Myles you mean that Distasteful nationalism and corrupt politicians are not a feature of the land Sir Robert now resides in?

He also wrote a song entitled 'I don't like Mondays' - following your logic, we should be demanding to know if he thinks Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, etc are not equally as bad. In BR, he was making a comment on the land of his birth, the land he grew up in. All of us feel entitled to pass comment on what we regard as 'our own', be that our own family, our own city, our country, whatever. Geldof's comments in the song reveal that he felt anger and contempt for what was going on in his home place. The passing years have shown that he hit the nail on the head and he deserves credit for that. I don't think we should be afraid of Irish people expressing critical views about Ireland (or demand of them that they also make critical comments about Britain at the same time) - that way lies North Korea.

[T Fearon]

Yes, but if as I suspect, he wrote those lyrics to curry favour with the British,then that detracts from his reputation.As Eamonn Mc Cann wrote at the time,his appearance at LiveAid flanked by British Royals (by and largely responsible for a lot of inequality in the world) discredited both the event and himself.The final straw was his acceptance of the knighthood.Right up there with Terry Wogan in terms of grovelling etc.

For me all the bullshit and selfishness that goes on in Irish politics pales in comparison with British politics.

[Myles Na G.]

Yes, but if as I suspect, he wrote those lyrics to curry favour with the British,then that detracts from his reputation.As Eamonn Mc Cann wrote at the time,his appearance at LiveAid flanked by British Royals (by and largely responsible for a lot of inequality in the world) discredited both the event and himself.The final straw was his acceptance of the knighthood.Right up there with Terry Wogan in terms of grovelling etc.

For me all the bullshit and selfishness that goes on in Irish politics pales in comparison with British politics.

You can't have any idea of what goes on in another person's head, particularly when you've never even met the individual, so why condemn someone on that basis? Also, your comparison with Terry Wogan is inaccurate. Terry is a 'fully fledged' knight, entitled to style himself as 'Sir'. That's because he took on British citizenship. Geldof, on the other hand, is only an honorary knight who can't use Sir in front of his name. That's because he never became a British citizen, which sort of shoots down in flames your theory that he likes to curry favour with the British establishment.

One can be cynical about the likes of Geldof and Bono and their various causes and charity work and it's easy to do so. What I notice, however, is that the people who tend to rubbish the efforts of others are often the same people who do fcuk all squared themselves to help others. I have a lot of respect for Geldof. I don't know what difference to the world his campaigning and fund raising have made, but I think it shows his moral compass is pointing in the right direction. He's handled the tragedies in his life with great dignity and he made a place in his home for the child of the man who stole his wife from him. It takes a big hearted person to do that.

[T Fearon]

It's also very easy to be caring when you're a celebrity and have loads of money,and it doesn't do your career any harm either.But as you say we never know what motivates these people.I will however remain healthily cynical

[Minder]

Britain tennis player Elena Baltacha, aged 30 from cancer. Very sad.

[muppet]

Yes, but if as I suspect, he wrote those lyrics to curry favour with the British,then that detracts from his reputation.As Eamonn Mc Cann wrote at the time,his appearance at LiveAid flanked by British Royals (by and largely responsible for a lot of inequality in the world) discredited both the event and himself.The final straw was his acceptance of the knighthood.Right up there with Terry Wogan in terms of grovelling etc.

For me all the bullshit and selfishness that goes on in Irish politics pales in comparison with British politics.

Tony, he wrote the song because they banned a Boomtown Rats concert in Leopardstown, not because of your prejudices. 

[BennyCake]

Yes, but if as I suspect, he wrote those lyrics to curry favour with the British,then that detracts from his reputation.As Eamonn Mc Cann wrote at the time,his appearance at LiveAid flanked by British Royals (by and largely responsible for a lot of inequality in the world) discredited both the event and himself.The final straw was his acceptance of the knighthood.Right up there with Terry Wogan in terms of grovelling etc.

For me all the bullshit and selfishness that goes on in Irish politics pales in comparison with British politics.

Tony, he wrote the song because they banned a Boomtown Rats concert in Leopardstown, not because of your prejudices. 

Are we still talking about 'I don't like Mondays' here? Because the song was about a totally different meaning.

[muppet]

Yes, but if as I suspect, he wrote those lyrics to curry favour with the British,then that detracts from his reputation.As Eamonn Mc Cann wrote at the time,his appearance at LiveAid flanked by British Royals (by and largely responsible for a lot of inequality in the world) discredited both the event and himself.The final straw was his acceptance of the knighthood.Right up there with Terry Wogan in terms of grovelling etc.

For me all the bullshit and selfishness that goes on in Irish politics pales in comparison with British politics.

Tony, he wrote the song because they banned a Boomtown Rats concert in Leopardstown, not because of your prejudices. 

Are we still talking about 'I don't like Mondays' here? Because the song was about a totally different meaning.

Banana Republic obviously.

[muppet]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banana_Republic_(song)

....The 'Banana Republic' which the song describes is actually a deliberately scathing portrait of the Republic of Ireland, the band's country of origin, and was written in response to the band being banned from performing there.....

[muppet]

Yes, but if as I suspect, he wrote those lyrics to curry favour with the British,then that detracts from his reputation.As Eamonn Mc Cann wrote at the time,his appearance at LiveAid flanked by British Royals (by and largely responsible for a lot of inequality in the world) discredited both the event and himself.The final straw was his acceptance of the knighthood.Right up there with Terry Wogan in terms of grovelling etc.

For me all the bullshit and selfishness that goes on in Irish politics pales in comparison with British politics.

Tony, he wrote the song because they banned a Boomtown Rats concert in Leopardstown, not because of your prejudices. 

Are we still talking about 'I don't like Mondays' here? Because the song was about a totally different meaning.

I don't like Mondays was about either:

A school shooting in the States by a 16 year old called Brenda Ann Spencer

OR

It is a secretly coded ode to the Royal Family to curry favour with the British establishment and yield titles.

[ziggysego]

Listen guys, this is a death notice thread.

Take the bullshit elsewhere.

[BennyCake]

Yes, the school shooting is the one I thought.

[BennyHarp]

Britain tennis player Elena Baltacha, aged 30 from cancer. Very sad.

That's terribly sad! She was only 19 when she was first diagnosed with a chronic liver disorder, yet managed to compete at many grand slam tournaments.