Obama Visit

[Evil Genius]

I'd fire whoever is in charge of marketing at Fáilte Ireland. Every time some foreign celebrity comes through, the world gets its stereotype of Ireland reinforced - everybody in the pub getting pissed in the middle of the day as it pisses rain outside.

Just talking about that here watching the 9 o'clock news Hardy. Didn't JFK famously have a cup of tea back in 63 - Whatever about the weather at least we could try and move on from being the Guinness PR arm

Oh, I dunno - I'd say Guinness is the perfect symbol* of Hibernia and everything she stands for these days.

Let me see. Founded in the 18th Century by a Member of the Protestant Aristocracy. Managed by ruthless and unscrupulous business practices to force out of business every one of around 30 similar, though smaller, breweries which were ranged along the banks of the Liffey.

Then proceeded to produce a standardised, rather mediocre drink which it successfully marketed around the world as being the essence of "Irishness", before selling up to become a global, multi-brand conglomerate, with its vast corporate headquarters not just outside of Ireland, but in London, the capital of "The Old Enemy".

Christ, along with Riverdance and Jedward, it would bring a tear to a glass eye...


* - Except that Guinness Diageo has got a hell of a sight more money than Da Republic these days 

[Tyrones own]

  The auld Brits aren't a bit slow 
http://news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_theticket/20110524/ts_yblog_theticket/obama-code-named-smart-alec-in-britain

[Eamonnca1]

Finally got around to watching Kenny's speech earlier. Jesus lads yiz are fierce hard on the fella! There was damn all wrong with his speech! He thanked the people for their warmth over the last few days (alluding to Queen Elizabeth's visit), paraphrased Obama for a few lines, then covered all the bases you'd expect him to cover.  You could tell the crowd was eager to hear Obama himself but he still kept their attention. His delivery was fine. It was a little bit throaty but I think that added to the passion of it rather than take away from it.

[AbbeySider]

Finally got around to watching Kenny's speech earlier. Jesus lads yiz are fierce hard on the fella! There was damn all wrong with his speech! He thanked the people for their warmth over the last few days (alluding to Queen Elizabeth's visit), paraphrased Obama for a few lines, then covered all the bases you'd expect him to cover.  You could tell the crowd was eager to hear Obama himself but he still kept their attention. His delivery was fine. It was a little bit throaty but I think that added to the passion of it rather than take away from it.

+1

I just watched the whole thing again and I have to say that I didnt find anything cringe worthy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lEm8ZGfYt3M

Strange the only ones embarrassed by Kenny's rhetoric are Nordies.

Is a west of Ireland accent that alien that it embarrasses people in the North?
The mention of didly-dee Ireland and begorrah's in the speech (which there wasnt any) is ironic considering you all flood towns like Westport and Galway for that reason and to escape the marching season when it suits you. Stay where you are if thats your attitude.

I often drink pints during the day when its raining outside, listen to live, so called "didly-dee" music and talk to people that use a hell of lot more west of Ireland and Irish idiom's than begorrah.   

Kenny was trying to lift the spirits of the Irish people and be positive and proud of Ireland and that came across very well.

Im far more disappointed in peoples negativity and attitude, but you always get the knockers.

[AQMP]

Finally got around to watching Kenny's speech earlier. Jesus lads yiz are fierce hard on the fella! There was damn all wrong with his speech! He thanked the people for their warmth over the last few days (alluding to Queen Elizabeth's visit), paraphrased Obama for a few lines, then covered all the bases you'd expect him to cover.  You could tell the crowd was eager to hear Obama himself but he still kept their attention. His delivery was fine. It was a little bit throaty but I think that added to the passion of it rather than take away from it.

+1

I just watched the whole thing again and I have to say that I didnt find anything cringe worthy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lEm8ZGfYt3M

Strange the only ones embarrassed by Kenny's rhetoric are Nordies.

Is a west of Ireland accent that alien that it embarrasses people in the North?
The mention of didly-dee Ireland and begorrah's in the speech (which there wasnt any) is ironic considering you all flood towns like Westport and Galway for that reason and to escape the marching season when it suits you. Stay where you are if thats your attitude.

I often drink pints during the day when its raining outside, listen to live, so called "didly-dee" music and talk to people that use a hell of lot more west of Ireland and Irish idiom's than begorrah.   

Kenny was trying to lift the spirits of the Irish people and be positive and proud of Ireland and that came across very well.

Im far more disappointed in peoples negativity and attitude, but you always get the knockers.

Would you like some chips with that shoulder sorr...

[brokencrossbar1]

Finally got around to watching Kenny's speech earlier. Jesus lads yiz are fierce hard on the fella! There was damn all wrong with his speech! He thanked the people for their warmth over the last few days (alluding to Queen Elizabeth's visit), paraphrased Obama for a few lines, then covered all the bases you'd expect him to cover.  You could tell the crowd was eager to hear Obama himself but he still kept their attention. His delivery was fine. It was a little bit throaty but I think that added to the passion of it rather than take away from it.

+1

I just watched the whole thing again and I have to say that I didnt find anything cringe worthy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lEm8ZGfYt3M

Strange the only ones embarrassed by Kenny's rhetoric are Nordies.

Is a west of Ireland accent that alien that it embarrasses people in the North?
The mention of didly-dee Ireland and begorrah's in the speech (which there wasnt any) is ironic considering you all flood towns like Westport and Galway for that reason and to escape the marching season when it suits you. Stay where you are if thats your attitude.

I often drink pints during the day when its raining outside, listen to live, so called "didly-dee" music and talk to people that use a hell of lot more west of Ireland and Irish idiom's than begorrah.   

Kenny was trying to lift the spirits of the Irish people and be positive and proud of Ireland and that came across very well.

Im far more disappointed in peoples negativity and attitude, but you always get the knockers.

I think you'll find there were more complaints from your fellow county men about Uncle Endas performance than anywhere else!  Get over yerself with yer anti 'nordie' nonsense. Inda did well enough and his 'homage' was inspirational!

[seafoid]

I thought it was a great speech with words like muintir and uaisleacht that never meant anything to FF.

[AbbeySider]

I thought it was a great speech with words like muintir and uaisleacht that never meant anything to FF.

+1

And I have never voted Fine Gael

[johnneycool]

Finally got around to watching Kenny's speech earlier. Jesus lads yiz are fierce hard on the fella! There was damn all wrong with his speech! He thanked the people for their warmth over the last few days (alluding to Queen Elizabeth's visit), paraphrased Obama for a few lines, then covered all the bases you'd expect him to cover.  You could tell the crowd was eager to hear Obama himself but he still kept their attention. His delivery was fine. It was a little bit throaty but I think that added to the passion of it rather than take away from it.

+1

I just watched the whole thing again and I have to say that I didnt find anything cringe worthy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lEm8ZGfYt3M

Strange the only ones embarrassed by Kenny's rhetoric are Nordies.

Is a west of Ireland accent that alien that it embarrasses people in the North?
The mention of didly-dee Ireland and begorrah's in the speech (which there wasnt any) is ironic considering you all flood towns like Westport and Galway for that reason and to escape the marching season when it suits you. Stay where you are if thats your attitude.

I often drink pints during the day when its raining outside, listen to live, so called "didly-dee" music and talk to people that use a hell of lot more west of Ireland and Irish idiom's than begorrah.   

Kenny was trying to lift the spirits of the Irish people and be positive and proud of Ireland and that came across very well.

Im far more disappointed in peoples negativity and attitude, but you always get the knockers.

There's not too many Nordies on AFR well.

http://www.anfearrua.com/db.asp?a=topicdisplay&tid=1030681

[ross matt]

Its definitely more than Nordies that have criticised the speech. Check radio shows and papers the last few days. He was (as usual when at his worst) trying something (paraphrasing Obama's words) that he couldnt pull off effectively. As a journalist said he should at least have referenced who he was quoting. Plus the whole after mass rabble rousing was unneccessary and embarrassing. Then again Cowen would have spoken no better and looked alot worse plus Westlife and Jedward were also "representing" us so it was always going to be a cringefest.

[mayogodhelpus@gmail.com]

An Taoiseach did well. Watched it there yesterday, good job done.

[Banana Man]

An Taoiseach did well. Watched it there yesterday, good job done.

Based on this i withdraw my assertion that Kenny looked ok because you being impressed by something usually means bad for the rest of Ireland

[Mentalman]

As is becoming usual we're more concerned presentation than substance. I'm more concerned that he didn't use the opportunity to raise subjects of substance with Obama, like, I don't know, why Ireland's attempt to burn 30bn worth of bondholders was blocked, seeing as it was a proper bilateral meeting. I understand this visit was mostly for the optics, and a moral booster, which Obama's speech full of rhetoric couldn't fail but do, but you can't help but feel an opportunity was missed.

[armaghniac]

I'm more concerned that he didn't use the opportunity to raise subjects of substance with Obama, like, I don't know, why Ireland's attempt to burn 30bn worth of bondholders was blocked, seeing as it was a proper bilateral meeting.

How do you know what issues he raised with Obama?

[Rav67]

Finally got around to watching Kenny's speech earlier. Jesus lads yiz are fierce hard on the fella! There was damn all wrong with his speech! He thanked the people for their warmth over the last few days (alluding to Queen Elizabeth's visit), paraphrased Obama for a few lines, then covered all the bases you'd expect him to cover.  You could tell the crowd was eager to hear Obama himself but he still kept their attention. His delivery was fine. It was a little bit throaty but I think that added to the passion of it rather than take away from it.

+1

I just watched the whole thing again and I have to say that I didnt find anything cringe worthy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lEm8ZGfYt3M

Strange the only ones embarrassed by Kenny's rhetoric are Nordies.

Is a west of Ireland accent that alien that it embarrasses people in the North?
The mention of didly-dee Ireland and begorrah's in the speech (which there wasnt any) is ironic considering you all flood towns like Westport and Galway for that reason and to escape the marching season when it suits you. Stay where you are if thats your attitude.

I often drink pints during the day when its raining outside, listen to live, so called "didly-dee" music and talk to people that use a hell of lot more west of Ireland and Irish idiom's than begorrah.   

Kenny was trying to lift the spirits of the Irish people and be positive and proud of Ireland and that came across very well.

Im far more disappointed in peoples negativity and attitude, but you always get the knockers.

That's a bit harsh.  I personally just thought it seemed OTT with a great deal of back-slapping, bluster and emotion, and I don't think he has the presence to carry that kind of behaviour off.  The crowd was going wild for O'Bama anyway so he didn't need to whip them up like a ring announcer at a fight.

He must have been advised to jazz up his introduction for the US audience as he's always come across as a fairly conservative man to me, and surely he would have been a bit uncomfortable going on like that.  Still, if it does manage to get a few tourists in the country (I doubt whther it will) then it'd be worth it.