Michael D. Higgins - Inauguration of the President

[Baron von Biffo]

The inauguration is on RTE now.

Unfortunately we haven't yet moved to a point where formal matters of state can be conducted without involving the pedlars of superstition.

[C. Flower]

Up and running on RTE Radio One.

Kicked off in uncompromisingly religious format with a hymn and a Bishop.

Now a bit of Rita Connolly, singing away :)

I've created a new sub forum for the Presidency, in the "State of the Nation" forum.

[Baron von Biffo]

Davis and Mitchell showed up, unlike the formal declaration of the election result when they were shown up.

[Baron von Biffo]

Dick Spring isn't wearing too well. He looks older than Michael D.

[C. Flower]

Rita's song was religious.

We are now getting a series of multidenominational religious inputs :(

[Baron von Biffo]

Looks like every cult in the country is getting a slot.

[C. Flower]

Looks like every cult in the country is getting a slot.

So far, R.C., Methodist, Presbyterian and Christo Celtic / Pagan.

Copts now.

[C. Flower]

What happened to the "Humanist input" ?

[Baron von Biffo]

Despite the closure of the Vatican embassy the dominance of the RC church was quite evident there. Martin got to open and close the Christian bit of the gig.

[Baron von Biffo]

It was interesting to watch the VIPs filing in before Higgins - Poor Cowen was on his own while the others went in twos.

[Baron von Biffo]

At least 4 people signing the proceedings. Is that an official thing nowadays or is it something Higgins asked for?

[Baron von Biffo]

Gump always sounds like the MC of the Scor na nOg county finals. I'm waiting for him to say there's tea, sangwidges and bottles of minerals at the back of the hall.

[C. Flower]

Gump always sounds like the MC of the Scor na nOg county finals. I'm waiting for him to say there's tea, sangwidges and bottles of minerals at the back of the hall.

Gump ?

I keep getting flashes of what some other candidates speeches might have been like :eek:

[Baron von Biffo]

Gump ?

Our esteemed Taoiseach.


I keep getting flashes of what some other candidates speeches might have been like :eek:

Doesn't bear thinking about.

<Shudder>

[C. Flower]

Our esteemed Taoiseach.



Doesn't bear thinking about.

<Shudder>


Might make a good competition... if anyone would like to try their hand out on a Mary Davis or Gallagher, (or other) inaugural address, a booktoken will go to the best.

[Baron von Biffo]

I wonder if we'll see conflict between Higgins and the government over his Presidential Seminars plan?

[Baron von Biffo]

Robbo and Macker look like extras in The Handmaids Tale.

http://traditionalchristianity.files.wordpress.com/2011/07/handmaid-film-01.jpg

[Captain Con O'Sullivan]

Fuppin' Bishops. Clout in the ear is what they should be getting and a cultural punt up the hole. Will we ever cop on to these blasted charlatans.

[Baron von Biffo]

Pity the poor squaddies standing in the pelting rain with no coats.

Future compo claims in the making.

[Captain Con O'Sullivan]

Take the robes off the Bishops and give them to the squaddies. The Bishops have jesus for warmth whereas the squaddies only have a gimlet eyed quartermaster.

[Holly]

President Michael D. Higgins inauguration - YouTube

[Spectabilis]

I counted 7 'one, true religions' and about 3 'one, true gods' . At least we did get the representative of the AIH eventually. As representative of the largest religious minority, those of no faith, it was unbalanced at the very least.
Sure, we have seven years of transformation coming.

Gach deá guí do Michael D. Beir bua, a Uachtaráin

[C. Flower]

Childrens' comments were cool.

General verdict - Michael D.'s speech was good and. on the ceremony, "it was very religious."

[Apjp]

2% of Dublin goes to mass. I dont believe the majority of people, especially the young, have followed the fairy tales of the RC for some time. Nobody in my family under 30 even pretends to be religious. Its funny how my 16 year old brother copped onto it so soon and others spend their whole lives being scared into death insurance.

[TotalMayhem]

Didn't see anything... they had to put him on a box again?

[Newsy]

I watched it.

Today, imv, has been a good day for the country. I hold great hope in Michael D. He spoke today about bringing back ethics between the economy and society. Something which has been dearly missing in this country.

I wish him well, in his time in the Presidency.

[PaddyJoe]

RTE 1 doing a rerun at the moment for anyone who missed it first time around;)

[Dr. FIVE]

Watch Leo when they are all standing on stage during the presenting of the seal and all that. Miserable ******

[PaddyJoe]

Watch Leo when they are all standing on stage during the presenting of the seal and all that. Miserable ******

Look at the Brutons desperately trying to get into the shot. "It should be us, I tell you...we were robbed by that bogtrotting Mayo clown"
:D

[Dr. FIVE]

Did they break out the family silver for the Dublin castle shindig or have Howlin & Noonan already sold it?

[Dr. FIVE]

... or should I say they will be the last people to eat off it?

[PaddyJoe]

It would be interesting to see a list of the guests and the seating plan. I see Cowen managed to sneak in after all. Reynolds was missing due to ill health and Ahern is on a previously planned trip abroad.

[PaddyJoe]

Dana and Gay Mitchell both look like they have bitten into lemons when the camera pans over to them during MDH's speech:)

[Dr. FIVE]

Thanks be to god/allah/buddha/people that none of the rest were elected

[Baron von Biffo]

Didn't see anything... they had to put him on a box again?

The short-arse moments were provided by Howlin and Baby Brute trying to look over the shoulders of Robinson and McAleese respectively. Protocol makes no allowances for runts in front. :)

[PaddyJoe]

The short-arse moments were provided by Howlin and Baby Brute trying to look over the shoulders of Robinson and McAleese respectively. Protocol makes no allowances for runts in front. :)

That's why I'm wondering about the seating plan. At one stage I was trying to figure out why Howlin had remained seated while everybody else was standing...;):o

[C. Flower]

That's why I'm wondering about the seating plan. At one stage I was trying to figure out why Howlin had remained seated while everybody else was standing...;):o


I'm not huge myself, but could not help being amused when , under a previous government, back in the day in Wexford, someone introduced him to me as "the Miniature for Elf."

[PaddyJoe]

I'm not huge myself, but could not help being amused when , under a previous government, back in the day in Wexford, someone introduced him to me as "the Miniature for Elf."

Good 'un:D

[Kev Bar]

It was with benign bemusement that I greeted some stragglers from Michael D's gig at John Cooper Clarke's gig last night.

Not something that would have happened had the dishonest oaf been victorious.

[PaddyJoe]

So Bertie missed it because he was in China. From Madam Poulet:

If you wondered where Bertie Ahern was last weekend when he missed the inauguration well you’d be right in thinking like me that he was on a ‘Bertie-earner’.

He was in Shanghai at the Huatuo CEO forum speaking at a meeting also addressed by Bill Clinton and Rudi Giulliani. This is Bertie’s fourth trip to China this year. Heading east when the speaking work in the US dried up? Where nobody knows much about him? And few will hear what he has been up to. Who knows but he’s still earning by talking about the Prime Ministers role as CEO and the like.
http://www.mamanpoulet.com/bertie-heads-to-china-again/

[fluffybiscuits]

Wouldnt it be funny if someone e mailed the Chinese newspapers about him ? ...