Tom Gilmartin is owed a LOT of gratitude and an apology

[5intheface]

The comments to the slimeball's article make for much better reading!
This one is priceless:

Quite, today he says;

DON'T like Bertie Ahern. Never did. Never got it. Tried to respect that other people did, even though I found that hard.

In 2008, he said,

the greatest politician of our generation

Not much in the way of support for him there.

[Kev Bar]

More on this particularly shameful saga

http://www.thejournal.ie/pee-flynns-...95894-Mar2012/

[toxic avenger]

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/...313895423.html

[Kid Ryder]

Remember too that RTÉ back in 1997 saw it as proper to hire Frank Dunlop as co-presenter on Later on Two in a period when stories about Dunlop and his role in planning corruption had begun to circulate among the public, just when the Mahon tribunal was set up and begun its first hearings.

[toxic avenger]

http://www.independent.ie/national-n...n-3060931.html

http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland...ht-188337.html

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/...313895423.html

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/...313895394.html

[toxic avenger]

Michael Clifford has the main opinion piece in today's Examiner:

Like legions of others, he was forced to take the boat because he was not among the chosen few who had corralled the scant opportunity which existed.

He was of typical small farmer stock from the West of Ireland. He was of the majority who were disenfranchised for no other reason than the accident of birth. And like others, he would prove himself in a society where intelligence and hard work were rewarded with opportunity. He was entitled to believe that the same rules would apply when he returned home after 30 years, armed with his experience and investment.

Redmond, Lawlor, Flynn, Hanrahan; these were not men of substance, but operators who knew how to work the system. They had survived and even prospered in a society where chancers were pushed to the top of the class and hard neck substituted for hard work.

Their ilk viewed the likes of Gilmartin as somebody to exploit, rather than cultivate. He was seen for what could be wrung out of him rather than what he had to offer the national economy.

And each of these men presented themselves as representatives of the State. Would they have been as blatantly extortionate towards an investor from another country, or did they reserve their greatest contempt for one of their own?

Gilmartin’s son has said that his father is owed a debt by the State. He is that and more. He is entitled to an apology. He is entitled to have one read out in the Dáil by Enda Kenny on behalf of the Irish people. What was visited on him was an indictment on a whole way of life, and that it was a native son who bore the worst brunt of that culture should be a matter of deep shame.

http://www.irishexaminer.com/opinion...gy-188970.html

[musashi]

More on this particularly shameful saga

http://www.thejournal.ie/pee-flynns-...95894-Mar2012/

Sung to the chorus of Lanigan's Ball.

Ray stepped in and Ray stepped out again.
Ray grew thin and Ray grew stout again.
Ray should thank his lawyer Joe Finnegan,
Who taught him to dance for the Tribunal Ball.

[Kev Bar]

Sung to the chorus of Lanigan's Ball.

And the rest?

[Count Bobulescu]

The only thing I’d quibble with in that Clifford piece is the last sentence where he implies that it would somehow be “less bad” if that treatment had been meted out to a non-native. If you want “good government” it’s gotta be for everyone.

[Kev Bar]

The only thing I’d quibble with in that Clifford piece is the last sentence where he implies that it would somehow be “less bad” if that treatment had been meted out to a non-native. If you want “good government” it’s gotta be for everyone.

Well spotted.

[musashi]

And the rest?

The Flood Tribunal in Dubbelin Castle
Heard Gogarty’s evidence, warts and all.
How they gave lots of money to Raphael Burke
When out to the minister’s house they did call.
There were two in the car with me, says Gogarty,
Murphy and Bailey on our trip to see Burke.
When I asked would we get a receipt for the money
Bailey turns round and says he ‘Will we ****!’
Three long years we spent in Dubbelin,
Three long years in pursuit of the truth.
Three long years listening to witnesses
Swearing their oath on God’s Holy Boook.
*
Redmond flew out and Redmond flew back again,
CAB brought him in and CAB let him out again.
Flood took them on but CAB fought back with him,
By refusing to dance at the Tribunal Ball.
Then in July we thought we’d hear something
When man of the match, Ray Burke, took the stand.
He’d tell us about the brown paper parcel
And how he came in for a cool thirty grand.
When he got in the box Ray started to bluster.
The poor man he thought he was back in the Dail.
‘Mr. Chairman, I spent a few grand on elections,
And the rest’s in safe-keeping for Fianna Fail.
Ten long years it’s been in his bank account,
Ten long years it’s been salted away.
Ten long years the Fianna Fail party
Knew nothing about the donation to Ray.
*
Ray stepped in and Ray stepped out again.
Ray grew thin and Ray grew stout again.
Ray should thank his lawyer Joe Finnegan,
Who taught him to dance for the Tribunal Ball.
If you’re looking for lawyers go down to the castle;
You’ll see the bigwigs all milling around.
The best of the bar perform there daily -
And worth every penny of twelve million pound.
There’s Cooney and Cush – not forgetting Dan Herbert -
There’s Alan and Leahy and yer man from Smith Foy,
O’Moore and Callanan with Gerry Sheedy,
And Anthony Harris in Redmond’s employ.
14 hundred each for each Senior Counsel -
60 grand for the doctors of spin.
Twelve million quid and steadily risin’ -
But who gives a damn when the lawyers all win.
*
O’Neill stepped out and Gallagher stepped in again,
Dillon stepped in, Hanratty stepped out again.
Flood had to hear the whole shaggin lot of them
Taking the floor at the Tribunal Ball.

[Kev Bar]

The Flood Tribunal in Dubbelin Castle
Heard Gogarty’s evidence, warts and all.
How they gave lots of money to Raphael Burke
When out to the minister’s house they did call.
There were two in the car with me, says Gogarty,
Murphy and Bailey on our trip to see Burke.
When I asked would we get a receipt for the money
Bailey turns round and says he ‘Will we ****!’
Three long years we spent in Dubbelin,
Three long years in pursuit of the truth.
Three long years listening to witnesses
Swearing their oath on God’s Holy Boook.
*
Redmond flew out and Redmond flew back again,
CAB brought him in and CAB let him out again.
Flood took them on but CAB fought back with him,
By refusing to dance at the Tribunal Ball.
Then in July we thought we’d hear something
When man of the match, Ray Burke, took the stand.
He’d tell us about the brown paper parcel
And how he came in for a cool thirty grand.
When he got in the box Ray started to bluster.
The poor man he thought he was back in the Dail.
‘Mr. Chairman, I spent a few grand on elections,
And the rest’s in safe-keeping for Fianna Fail.
Ten long years it’s been in his bank account,
Ten long years it’s been salted away.
Ten long years the Fianna Fail party
Knew nothing about the donation to Ray.
*
Ray stepped in and Ray stepped out again.
Ray grew thin and Ray grew stout again.
Ray should thank his lawyer Joe Finnegan,
Who taught him to dance for the Tribunal Ball.
If you’re looking for lawyers go down to the castle;
You’ll see the bigwigs all milling around.
The best of the bar perform there daily -
And worth every penny of twelve million pound.
There’s Cooney and Cush – not forgetting Dan Herbert -
There’s Alan and Leahy and yer man from Smith Foy,
O’Moore and Callanan with Gerry Sheedy,
And Anthony Harris in Redmond’s employ.
14 hundred each for each Senior Counsel -
60 grand for the doctors of spin.
Twelve million quid and steadily risin’ -
But who gives a damn when the lawyers all win.
*
O’Neill stepped out and Gallagher stepped in again,
Dillon stepped in, Hanratty stepped out again.
Flood had to hear the whole shaggin lot of them
Taking the floor at the Tribunal Ball.

Bravo.


Take a bow Mush.

(If you're lucky enough to have others of significance in your life, better devote some attention to them. Can't have Kev Bar blamed for Mrs Mush taking to the Valium. Or the litle mini Mushes downing gallons of electric blue Wicked all in the vain attempt to get a little attention from Mister Mush)

[toxic avenger]

The Flood Tribunal in Dubbelin Castle
Heard Gogarty’s evidence, warts and all.
How they gave lots of money to Raphael Burke
When out to the minister’s house they did call.
There were two in the car with me, says Gogarty,
Murphy and Bailey on our trip to see Burke.
When I asked would we get a receipt for the money
Bailey turns round and says he ‘Will we ****!’
Three long years we spent in Dubbelin,
Three long years in pursuit of the truth.
Three long years listening to witnesses
Swearing their oath on God’s Holy Boook.
*
Redmond flew out and Redmond flew back again,
CAB brought him in and CAB let him out again.
Flood took them on but CAB fought back with him,
By refusing to dance at the Tribunal Ball.
Then in July we thought we’d hear something
When man of the match, Ray Burke, took the stand.
He’d tell us about the brown paper parcel
And how he came in for a cool thirty grand.
When he got in the box Ray started to bluster.
The poor man he thought he was back in the Dail.
‘Mr. Chairman, I spent a few grand on elections,
And the rest’s in safe-keeping for Fianna Fail.
Ten long years it’s been in his bank account,
Ten long years it’s been salted away.
Ten long years the Fianna Fail party
Knew nothing about the donation to Ray.
*
Ray stepped in and Ray stepped out again.
Ray grew thin and Ray grew stout again.
Ray should thank his lawyer Joe Finnegan,
Who taught him to dance for the Tribunal Ball.
If you’re looking for lawyers go down to the castle;
You’ll see the bigwigs all milling around.
The best of the bar perform there daily -
And worth every penny of twelve million pound.
There’s Cooney and Cush – not forgetting Dan Herbert -
There’s Alan and Leahy and yer man from Smith Foy,
O’Moore and Callanan with Gerry Sheedy,
And Anthony Harris in Redmond’s employ.
14 hundred each for each Senior Counsel -
60 grand for the doctors of spin.
Twelve million quid and steadily risin’ -
But who gives a damn when the lawyers all win.
*
O’Neill stepped out and Gallagher stepped in again,
Dillon stepped in, Hanratty stepped out again.
Flood had to hear the whole shaggin lot of them
Taking the floor at the Tribunal Ball.

Very good!

[musashi]

Bravo.


Take a bow Mush.

Not mine

[Kev Bar]

Not mine

And there was me thinking you were a clever clogs.

(And probably a barrister too...was here writing you a letter to tap you for a few quid)

Am I disappointed.