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FROM FEELING BAD for Westlife’s Shane Filan to comparing it with a death in the family, the reaction to the cancellation of Garth Brooks’ five Dublin concerts has arguably been somewhat hyperbolic.
We’ve been taking a look back at some of the boldest statements that have been made over the past 17 hours, since Aiken Promotions confirmed that tomorrow will, indeed, never come.
Fianna Fáil were out of the blocks first, calling it a “bad day for Ireland Inc”, and ready to place blame on a variety of people.
No one should be in any doubt about the damage that has been done here. Ireland is a country that has worked very hard over many years to promote itself as a tourism venue, and until recently we used to understand very well the marketing power of music events packaged under the ‘Live in Dublin’ brand. With this debacle we have shot ourselves in the foot in a pretty spectacular way. This is a bad day for Ireland Inc.
It did not have to come to this.
The Taoiseach was compelled to talk about it in the Dáil, claiming the concerts could have been worth a quarter of a billion euro. That remark, although nobody is quite sure where the figure came from, is now being quoted by international media.
Dublin Mayor Christy Burke took it to an extreme on the Six One news last night.
This, to me, is like a funeral without a corpse. There’s a sadness throughout the nation.
I feel so sorry for the fans who booked hotels, booked flights. I feel so sorry for the young men and women expecting catering and other jobs.
Promoter Peter Aiken is inconsolable, telling Morning Ireland today that it was embarrassing for him. Last night, he said:
It’s the right decision. We are devastated; it was going to be the biggest musical event, there will never be another artist in my lifetime that’s going to do 400,000 tickets…
He is devastated, he’s down for millions in this deal, if it was any other artist maybe they’d say let’s play the three and recoup some money. He was in it for millions.
Senator Averil Power is now worried about our Rugby World Cup.
With 70,000 overseas ticketholders left disappointed by the cancellations, our reputation as a tourist destination and location for major international events has also been massively damaged. This couldn’t have come at a worse time ahead of Ireland’s bid for the Rugby World Cup.
Labour TD Aodhán Ó Ríordáin went back to teacher mode:
The ultimate cancellation of all five concerts has highlighted a number of problems surrounding the use of Croke Park as a venue for outdoor concerts. I believe that huge lessons need to be learned from all sides.
Junior Minister Joe Costello is laying the blame solely on the artist:
It is difficult to understand why Mr. Brooks made the decision to have no concerts at all, when he was refused only two of the five consecutive concerts sought on the grounds that more than three would be “unacceptable” and “unprecedented.” His determination to have “five or none” smacks of petulance and arrogance, with scant regard for his paying fans.
Mediator Kieran Mulvey told the Irish Independent that the debacle will be world news:
It will be used against us by competing tourist and concert authorities in the future. It will be spun against us. We’ve got an infinite capacity to score own goals.
Boyzone manager, X Factor judge and general pop music aficionado Louis Walsh asked 2FM’s Colm Hayes if it was an April Fool’s joke:
It’s not funny because there are 400,000 disappointed… Everyone is going to suffer because of somebody, somewhere, with red tape.
He also was very much on the side of Peter Aiken and Garth Brooks.
I think it is really, really bad for Ireland. We’re supposed to be a friendly nation… I think it is very unfair that a handful of people can hold a country to ransom.
Walsh also referenced Bob Geldof, adding he may have been right about the Banana Republic. Finally, let’s spare a thought for Westlife.
Shane Filan was meant to be supporting. He’s so disappointed. He’s the most disappointed of anybody I know.
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Fathered a child = heinous crime. Fiddled a child = let’s say no more about it. Catholic Church 2017
Don’t think Irish Catholics were “profoundly upset” by Bishop Casey being a dad at all…..
@John003: it was more the embezzling of the money that irritated me.
@john Appleseed: well said
@john Appleseed: I think it was the beginning of the end for the Catholic Church as we knew it in Ireland. If a bishop like Casey could do that then we were able to believe all the other revelations that followed. The Catholic Church might see what he did as harmful but I think he unwittingly did a lot of good.
@john Appleseed:
Nail on the Head John…absolutely disgusting
I think that’s what irritated them the most too
It beggars belief doesn’t it? “Bishop has a child with a consenting adult and steals money” is profoundly disturbing to the the head honchos of Catholic Ireland, but sexually and physically abusing children and leaving them with indelible psychological scarring gets brushed under the carpet. I believe in God but the Catholic Church has proven itself to be a dark, twisted and corrupt organisation with no regard for anyone outside its chosen members. Just like our government. The Lord between us and all harm.
One priest/bishop father’s a child and gets posted to a hell hole in the third world. Another priest molests numerous children and gets moved to another comfortable parish. Priorities are clear.
@Paul Mac Court: Don’t you mean that they are spirited away to another comfortable parish. Ir is all divine intervention or smoke and mirrors with them bouyo’s
@Paul Mac Court: Eamonn Casey wasn’t ‘posted to a hell hole in the third world.’ He chose to go and serve as a missionary priest in a remote area of Peru. He could have chosen to work in the USA or some other economically developed country, and in fact served in an English parish after finishing his stint in Peru.
Keeping his head down more like in a far away place
Once again putting the institution (church) before the welfare of his son and his mother. Somethings never change even after all the revelations.
@Jimmy McCarthy: they attempt to balance every wrong done by clerics with a eulogy on all the good deeds done.
But if you dont follow their rules there’s no balance sheet.
You’re bound for hell.
@Jimmy McCarthy: Thousands of Irishmen are guilty of same crime as Bishop Casey. They put their own welfare and position above that of their children by not living up to their responsibilities. They stood idly by and let women
and children suffer in bell holes like Magdalene Laundries and so called Mother and Baby Homes.
@Philip Howlin: Yep all those immaculate conceptions. Where were the fathers. Some of them moved to another parish. No love for fallen women.
On this day 2013 http://www.dailyedge.ie/good-news-you-can-now-change-your-mind-about-thejournal-ie-comments-911407-May2013/
Yesterday http://www.dailyedge.ie/journal-comments-section-changes-3-3288669-Mar2017/
RIP comments section
Any sign of Annie and/or Len’s son?
@Markonline: crying emoji face
Had to get the dig in… Of course when O’Connell kicked it they basically rewrote history for his eulogy…
The church needs to learn that moder society doesn’t give a toss about the “sins”. It’s their crimes that we have a problem with.
Why do RTE keep calling him ‘Bishop’ when he hasn’t been Bishop for 25 years??
@EvieXVI: once a bishop, always a bishop unless defrocked.
@Kieran O’dwyer: he was kind of defrosted though…
@EvieXVI: *defrocked* even!
@EvieXVI: once a bishop always…..,
No, defrosted is what he was. Got warm and loved a woman.
Cases actions – or lack of them in some cases, were pretty upsetting for his son while growing up. The church in their PR spinning, is always all too willing to gloss over that fact conveniently.
He’s human.
@Michael McGuinness: So was Stalin, Hitler and Churchill?
Bishop Casey was not a bad man but a good one there are priests and nuns out there who raped young boys and girls who were in their care shame on them some of those victims never got justice()
Michael Cleary was worse. He denied ,on his death bed, that he fathered a child.
@Each Way Thief: Father Jack has video evidence.
Where does the torture and rape if small children fit in with those who “preach the gospel?” You just have to hand it the Catholic Church, the bs is never ending.
@Laura Mulcahy: Is that the one with the big white dog that is always flying lol.
Removed from office for having a normal human relationship. That’s what the RC church is most afraid of. Women. Girls, you’re the biggest threat there is to the dead stale corpses who call themselves priests and christians
Suffering?? Caused by the Birth of his Son!! Has nothing Changed? What an Awful thing to say at His Funeral! Appalling! RIP Eamon! God Bless His Son!
have your say