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What was Gene Simmons from Kiss doing at Leinster House?

“I guess because of my silly hair people tend to take me to big buildings to meet important people.”

Updated: 2.50pm, 3 December

GENE SIMMONS — BASSIST and vocalist in Kiss and one of the world’s most shameless self-promoters — was in Dublin yesterday.

Photocall Ireland photographer Sam Boal captured these images of the star, as TDs went about their business inside.

Today Simmons told Ray D’Arcy he was in the Dáil as a guest of Fine Gael TD Pat Breen. The two have a mutual friend in US-based Irish businessman Billy Lawless.

Every now and then I drop into places that I find fascinating, and there’s nothing more fascinating than Ireland*, is there? I guess because of my silly hair and all the rest of the accoutrement people tend to take me to big buildings to meet important people, I have no idea why.

*adopts dodgy Irish accent

Sam Boal / Photocall Ireland Sam Boal / Photocall Ireland / Photocall Ireland

Gene Simmons. Pictured (Left) Gene Sim

Gene Simmons. Pictured (Right) Gene Si

Gene Simmons. Pictured Gene Simmons kn

Gene Simmons. Pictured Gene Simmons kn

Gene Simmons. Pictured Gene Simmons kn

The 65-year-old frontman, who has licensed the ‘Kiss’ brand for use on everything from lunchboxes to condoms, said Leinster House was “full of wonderful people and history”.

He added he was happy to visit Dublin during a break on a two-year long tour to enjoy “good friends and nice food”.

TheJournal.ie has contacted Breen for comment, but he has not yet responded – he’s currently chairing a Foreign Affairs Committee meeting. Simmons is not thought to be in attendance.

Additional reporting by Órla Ryan

Originally published: 2 December

Read: €50 million drug haul: Cocaine destined for Irish streets found in banana shipment

Read: 2,000 pairs of fake Nike runners seized in Cork

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52 Comments
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    Mute John Flood
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    May 30th 2017, 9:37 AM

    Why are you warning “people” to cook meat correctly – warn the cooks/chefs in our hospitality industry.

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    Mute David Conroy
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    May 30th 2017, 9:49 AM

    @John Flood: John, there lies the problem. People want to cater at home and get their supplies from Catering Companies but unfortunately home appliances are sometimes not up to the job of cooking for large amounts of people. How many people test the temperature of food at home before serving it ?

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    Mute Michael O'Neill
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    May 30th 2017, 11:25 AM

    @John Flood: Cooks & chefs are “people” too. Most people cook at home. Home isn’t exempt from this.

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    Mute Michael Griffin
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    May 30th 2017, 1:10 PM

    @John Flood: I suppose some is cooked at home…

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    Mute Rory
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    May 30th 2017, 7:50 PM

    @John Flood: never happen on the south side lol.

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    Mute Matt Donovan
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    May 30th 2017, 9:16 AM

    Some heads will need to roll after this.

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    Mute Permo Dermo
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    May 30th 2017, 10:49 AM

    I never got the “rare” cooked meat or steak tartare thing myself. Aside from bacterial contamination undercooked meat may carry parasitic eggs which will not be killed if the temperature is insufficient.

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    Mute Rob Hunt
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    May 30th 2017, 1:57 PM

    @Permo Dermo: Depends on what you’re cooking. Steak (assuming its fresh and from a reputable source) only needs to have the areas that have been exposed to the air cooked as it doesn’t tend to carry parasites or harmful bacteria, unlike chicken or pork. Tartar (or rare hamburgers) are risky, but even a blue steak is very unlikely to cause harm

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    Mute RJ.Fallon
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    May 30th 2017, 9:38 AM

    Obviously no HAACP paperwork done.

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    Mute
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    May 30th 2017, 2:12 PM

    @RJ.Fallon: you’ll find it’s done alright, with the same copy and paste job as yesterday. It is at best negligent and at worst criminal to have done this. Beyond scandalous. At least the names of those involved are out so we can
    A V O I D.

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    Mute RJ.Fallon
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    May 30th 2017, 3:17 PM

    @: Agreed,I should have said,if HAASP is used by conscientious staff, committed to their work. And hopefully,most are. Plus ,I know that Food Safety inspectors are ruthless in their checking of these records.

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    Mute David Conroy
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    May 30th 2017, 3:48 PM

    @: so if you buy a chicken in Tesco and under cook it and give your family salmonella, do you name and shame Tesco ?

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    Mute paul kelly
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    May 30th 2017, 11:09 AM

    I love chicken curry

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    Mute Michael Griffin
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    May 30th 2017, 1:11 PM

    @paul kelly: I’m glad for that..

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    Mute Conor
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    May 30th 2017, 1:36 PM

    @paul kelly: I like turtles.

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    Mute Jimmy Ireland
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    May 30th 2017, 4:18 PM

    Just getting over a bad dose of food poisoning from chicken goujons I had yesterday. Bought frozen, cooked for 45 mins in the oven, puking my ring for 12 hours shortly after in between the sweats and the chills. Horrendous.

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    Mute Fiona Fitzgerald
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    May 31st 2017, 10:04 AM

    @Jimmy Ireland: Get well soon. I once had food poisoning for months, a rare bug that 99% of people wouldn’t be bothered by. That was a nightmare, all I could think of was food but I couldn’t eat any. Ended up in hospital on a drip and a few days later eventually managed to eat half a piece of toast. Nothing had ever tasted so great. It was one of the best meals ever! I’ll never take buttered toast for granted again.

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    Mute @UK
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    May 30th 2017, 5:09 PM

    Was the chicken in this case cooked by the caterers and then reheated at the communion parties? Presumably it was and it would then fully have been the catering company at fault.
    Any catering company selling chicken resulting in a salmonella outbreak should be shut down permanently

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    Mute Fiona Fitzgerald
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    May 31st 2017, 9:57 AM

    @@UK: I don’t know about that. People do leave food out for hours in warm weather. There’s food poisoning every summer. Maybe they needed a spare fridge for the day?

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    Mute damian
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    May 30th 2017, 6:24 PM

    I had a bout of Salmonella that I picked up after travelling in Vietnam. Got it on my last day there. After all those weeks of eating local street food etc, it was the bloody western style cafe that I went to on the last day there… Thankfully the worst didn’t kick in until i got back to Ireland. It was awful. Wouldn’t wish it on anyone!

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    Mute Rockhopper617
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    May 30th 2017, 2:31 PM

    Why don’t they ever say the pains in your stomach will be terrible as well. They never say this.

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    Mute Fiona Fitzgerald
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    May 31st 2017, 10:16 AM

    @Rockhopper617: I don’t think other people want to hear all the gory details, that’s why. Also, if it goes on for long enough, your potassium levels plunge and your shins feel as if they’re about to snap when you walk. Seriously, once you’re better, I think the last thing you want is to dwell on how sick you were, you’re just delighted to feel human again, without putting other people off their food.

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