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THE KILKENNY MUSICAL Society who are staging “Michael Collins – A Musical Drama” say they are “disheartened” after life-sized promotional road signs they placed along routes into Kilkenny City have been removed.
Speaking to TheJournal.ie, the chairperson of the society Seamus Reade said that as part of their promotion they erected seven road signs over a week ago.
The signs were quite impressive with a life size image of the iconic Michael Collins.On Friday morning we discovered that the image of Collins had been cut from one of the signs on the Bennettsbridge Road.Our sense, at the time, was that this was removed by a Collins fan who wanted the image for his or her own house. But each night since then the remainder of the signs have had the same treatment.
Civil War politics
There is now much speculation around Kilkenny as to who would have removed these images or for what reason. “We are aware that feelings on this time in Irish history still run high in certain quarters,” said Reade.
“It is very frustrating as it cost about €700-€800 to design and mount these signs,” he said, adding that there are conspiracy theories spreading that it has something to do with civil war politics, he said.
“It was a very divisive part of Irish history and perhaps someone doesn’t like to see emulated in such a way around the city. Perhaps they are on the other side of the political fence, that is my feeling anyway,” he said, stating that he did not believe it was anything against the production itself.
Cost
He added that some might say that they were removed intentionally to gather publicity, but he denied this, stating,” it has nothing to do with with the society”. He added that the play is costing €60,000 to put on and every penny counts.
The musical drama takes place at Kilkenny’s Watergate Theatre from April 6th to 12th. It tells the story of the republican leader Michael Collins from 1916 onwards and stays rather close to the film Michael Collins starring Liam Neeson.
“It really is disheartening that we have worked so hard at this production, giving up all of our free time, that someone has done this and disturbed out promotional signs. I hope we still see the production supported,” he concluded.
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Religious beliefs should be kept within the privacy of the home.
@Leadóg: Same with liberalism.
@specialsue: I disagree. Liberalism is based on real life, religion on fairy tales.
@Leadóg: you have proof of this?
@Seamus Mac: Read the old testament and tell me its not pure fantasy.
@Leadóg: that wasn’t what i asked.
@Seamus Mac: Why are you so against the removal of the reference to blasphemy in the Constitution?
@Seamus Mac: you can’t prove a negative. There is a teapot orbiting the sun. Prove it wrong.
@Seamus Mac: you have a holiday entitlement at work yeah? Liberalism.
@Kian: i didn’t say anything about liberalism.
@tel: maybe there is
@CrabaRev: because it’s a waste of time & money. It’s being done because it annoys atheists.
Vote no to keep separation of church and state. The government shouldn’t have the right to attack the sincerely held religious beliefs of those who elected them and pay their salaries. Catholic and proud, no apologies.
@specialsue: if you believe in separation of church and state, how do you feel about the church having control over most of the school and hospitals in this country?
@Tweety McTweeter: Nothing stopping the government setting up their own schools and hospitals. The church built these institutions and managed them for decades. Now somehow it’s the church being interfering by running the schools and hospitals they have always run, that the government showed no interest in until recently.
@specialsue: No thanks. I value freedom of speech not theocracy.
@Daniel Donovan: Hate speech isn’t free speech. It’s wrong to use slurs against racial groups, why not religious groups?
@Tweety McTweeter: specialsue is an especially poor troll. You’re wasting your time pointing out the obvious flaws and contradictions in their posts.
@specialsue: “interfering” is the appropriate word. No better establishment can beat them on that.
@specialsue: You should look up the Scientology policy of fair gaming and then see if you feel the same way…
@specialsue: “The government shouldn’t have the right to attack the sincerely held religious beliefs of those who elected them and pay their salaries. Catholic and proud, no apologies.”
This will be the people voting to remove the stupid law, I can’t wait to see it gone.
@specialsue: Emmm..Not so sure about that. The country was on it’s knees post – independence and so the church was in an ideal position to fill that vacuum having gone pretty much unchallenged for decades and perhaps centuries, British interference and opposition accepted, for better or worse, depending on your view. Regarding religious convictions or lack thereof, noone should have to apologise for their views on religion.
@specialsue: if they run all these institutions without touching kids, selling babies or murdering babies then people might have a different view. Personally I think it’s about time any sort of religion was kept private.
The website to check if you are registered is appalling
@Ross Fehily: I am registered, and it took me ages to find myself on the check the register yolk.
@Ross Fehily: all you have to do is put in your name and address (and not use a space at the end)
I have no understanding of apathy towards voting.
@2thFairy: Same pal, its funny that you always hear people complain about things and when you ask do they vote and its always the same “whats the point, nothing ever changes”.
@2thFairy: Maybe you didn’t have the experience of voting for a Social Democrat who switched to a party you’ve never voted for not long after he was elected.
How can some voters not be apathetic with those shenanigans?
I’ll be voting for Gemma Doherty
I was registered, voted in every referendum and election for the past 16 years but checked there and it says im not registered. Bit odd that, id recommend everyone who is registered to double check to confirm it.
Phukin Jayzz
Likely to be perceived as 9.8 toxic (but only 1.2 as spelt)
- will the Journal recalibrate this scale if the old blasphemy is given the ok?
I’m being extorted for PRSI, USC (Bank Bail Out Tax), Family home tax and work tax aka Income tax. For some reason, I got this letter through the door from the state on blasphemy.
Total bullshit the taxpayerpaid full stop
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