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A WOMAN WHO unwittingly sparked one of the best-known controversies in Irish television history - which came to be known simply as the ‘Bishop and the Nightie’ incident’ – has died.
The family of Eileen Fox confirmed her death last week, and broadcasters Joe Duffy and Gay Byrne paid tribute to her in this afternoon’s edition of Liveline.
The controversy
Eileen and her husband Richard appeared on the Late Late Show in 1966 and took part in a quiz item for married couples.
When asked by host Byrne what colour nightie she had worn on the night of their honeymoon, she replied that she hadn’t worn any.
Laughter followed, and the show continued as normal.
However, the Bishop of Clonfert, Dr. Thomas Ryan, was less than amused and phoned The Sunday Press to announce that he planned to denounce the item in a sermon at Loughrea Cathedral.
The paper ran with the frontpage “Bishop slates TV act” and the country exploded into a frenzy of controversy which would keep tongues wagging and newspaper columns filled for months.
“Lord rest her, I never saw her from that day to this but it truly was one of the great moments of showbiz,” Byrne said this afternoon.
The former Late Late host said the coverage had continued, particularly in the Irish Times “for about two months, till it just died away”.
“It was very very strong for a while. It wasn’t a joke.
The couple themselves weren’t bothered by the coverage, Byrne said:
“The only reaction we had from them was that they were highly amused by the whole thing.
“I never heard of any bad repercussions on her or the family.”
Byrne issued a statement saying it hadn’t been the show’s intention to embarrass viewers as the fallout continued. He said it was a late-night show designed for adult viewers.
Audio of the 1966 Late Late exchange can be heard via the RTÉ Archive. Video footage has not survived.
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The were was no sex in Ireland before television was one of the famous lines about that era.
meanwhile while the Irish were subjected to this nonsense, people like Irish comedian Dave Allen were making it big in the UK ripping the complete piss out of the Church here at that very time.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mYXenjpefNU
Some great clips of him on youtube for anyone of that generation reading this.
His show on BBC, Dave Allen at large was absolute class.
P Quinn there was no sex in Ireland before Gay Byrne!
Cheers, Niall. I’ll get a look at them. Used to love Dave Allen.
The claim that there was no sex in Ireland before the Late Late Show was made by Oliver J Flanagan, father of our current Minister, Charlie Flanagan. Dynastic Politics at its best !
A bit of honest humour at that time. meanwhile all those supposedly “Holy Men” were raping innocent children. ..
All of them?
I’m sure some children escaped Donal.
so very true well said
One of the best TV moments, of RTE. Pure Gold. RIP. Lovely Lady!
All that controversy over someone answering a question truthfully. Unfortunately a vivid lesson for our politicians when they were young.
The controversy was generated by some man wearing a dress in fairness.
Says a lot for this gob shite bishop and the church
I wonder did he Bishop wear a nightie, and what colour would it have been.?
Jesus it’d just about make you sick, the subservience of it all!!!!
How nice that we have distanced ourselves from these disgustingly hypocritical men in dresses. If it’s a man with a dress I want, there’s only one in this country who really has balls.
Gayo in the interview also said he reckoned the Bushop was pussed when he contacted the newspaper. McQuaid myst ave been losing the head altogether.
Byrne was great at tearing in to the Sacred Cows.
No one like him at PC RTE now
Let us not forget the bishop’s outrage at a woman on TV, who claimed she had no nightwear on her Honeymoon, should be tempered by him knowing his priests were out there raping children. The nerve of the high churchmen borders on insane.
If anything has been proven by what they did to us, it is that every bishop gets handed a bag of secrets at his investiture, and, for centuries, one of them is this: “You may find one or more of your priests will rape children, and it is your duty to protect the church and keep it secret, to protect the church and the priest.
There is a reason the terms “priest-ridden” and “priestcraft” entered our vocabulary. Here is an example of the joyless world they would inflict on all of us if only their power would return.
Im more shocked a quiz for married couples was considered prime time entertainment by the national broadcaster…..oh no wait..its rte
Was her content when asked the colour of her nightie she replied that it was transparent
so called good old days they were shite old days.
so called good old days they were shite old days.
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