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A local radio station made election candidates handle a snake live on air

Four candidates came face-to-face with Caesar, a six-foot snake, in KCLR’s Carlow studios.

FOUR ELECTION CANDIDATES were put through their paces on a local radio station on Friday as they each handled a snake live on air.

KCLR 96FM gave Carlow-Kilkenny hopefuls a grilling on its I’m A Politician, Get Me Out of Here special, all while they held and played Twister with a six-foot snake from the National Reptile Zoo.

People Before Profit’s Adrienne Wallace was the first up, describing its weight as like a heavy “chunk of beef”.

Photo: Ken McGuire/KCLR People Before Profit candidate Adrienne Wallace Ken McGuire Ken McGuire

“This is what it’s like to be in government with Fine Gael,” she said.

KCLR presenter John Masterson was on hand with reassuring advice: “Don’t squeeze him. That’s what [I'm A Celebrity contestant] Shane Warne did and he got bitten.”

“When they get hungry, they strangle their prey,” he added after Wallace complained about the snake tightening around her neck.

Photo: Ken McGuire/KCLR Ken McGuire Ken McGuire

Fianna Fáil candidate Jennifer Murnane O’Connor was particularly nervous as the reptile was lowered onto her knees.

“He likes to wrap himself around necks,” its handler told her.

Distracted by movement on her lap, Murnane O’Connor apologised to listeners: “I’m a bit nervous.”

“This morning, I went out on the door,” she continued before stopping again.

Sorry, the snake moved.

9e5012a9-8bad-4131-9dc0-3901051d65e0 Fianna Fáil candidate Jennifer Murnane O'Connor Ken McGuire Ken McGuire

Sinn Féin’s Kathleen Funchion and Conor MacLiam of the Anti-Austerity Alliance also signed up to the challenge, with the other candidates absenting themselves.

Photo: Ken McGuire/KCLR Sinn Féin candidate Kathleen Funchion

The candidates were then put through a bout of exercise, performing squats while local fitness trainer Paulie Ward waved pizza in their faces.

imapolitician_kclr_kenmcguire-26 Ken McGuire Ken McGuire

Photo: Ken McGuire/KCLR Ken McGuire Ken McGuire

Listen to the full, bizarre show here.

Read: Election posters for forestry minister nailed to trees in Tipperary

Read: Fianna Fáil are surging but Sinn Féin are slipping, a new poll says

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14 Comments
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    Mute Eyepopper
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    Feb 22nd 2016, 10:35 AM

    “The candidates were then put through a bout of exercise, performing squats while local fitness trainer Paulie Ward waved pizza in their faces.”

    Meanwhile, the bones of Connolly, Collins & Pearse were discovered in a remote location in Australia, after investigation it was found that the most likely explanation was they were spinning so fast in their graves that they managed to tunnel through to the other side of the planet.

    152
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    Mute Boganity
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    Feb 22nd 2016, 10:19 PM

    It doesn’t matter you go in the world the same two gobsh*tes are on FM radio

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    Mute Diarmuid
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    Feb 22nd 2016, 10:49 AM

    Sean O Rourke handled a snake well on the radio last week. Lol.

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    Mute Armin Tamzarian
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    Feb 22nd 2016, 10:53 AM

    So long as you laugh at your own jokes Diarmuid, that’s the most important thing…

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    Mute Luke Kelly
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    Feb 22nd 2016, 11:35 AM

    The shinners prefer snakes and ladders. At the moment it’s one snake after another all the way down to 15% and falling. Tonight we’ll see Gerry getting destroyed again.

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    Mute Larry Doyle
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    Feb 22nd 2016, 11:47 AM

    The cynicism of this radio station is astounding but indicative of the parasitic relationship between local media and politicians who are desperate to get their message out. Expect more of this “eat a spider for 15 seconds airtime” disrespect to the very nature of democracy.
    Well done to the other 11 candidates who didn’t bend over so easily to this crack handed exercise in marketing by a very mediocre station.
    As a Kilkenny man I am embarrassed.

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    Mute Old Gabby Johnson
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    Feb 22nd 2016, 10:37 AM

    Lots of snakes around this election to be sure.

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    Mute Critical_Thinker
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    Feb 22nd 2016, 10:53 AM

    Which snake did they handle? Kenny or Burton?

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    Mute Eyepopper
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    Feb 22nd 2016, 12:08 PM

    ….. at what point does a political candidate tell a radio/tv ‘personality’ to eff off when they ask them to do something like this.

    They complain about Mick Wallace wearing a tshirt demeaning politics in the country but happily fall all over each other to crawl around on their knees having pizza waved in their face if it gives them even a slight lift in the polls.

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    Mute Keith Wizzy
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    Feb 22nd 2016, 10:46 AM

    Reminds me of the foibles of my youth. This when a little inebriated I put a live rattlesnakes head in my mouth at a party for a dare. Mature me would never do such a thing as I see it as cruel to the creature. Oh and being bitten might have negative consequences for me.

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    Mute Dave Murray
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    Feb 22nd 2016, 12:35 PM

    Can’t wait to see that lying snake Burton getting all moany and hissy on another live debate spouting more lies while presenting them as “facts” like Alan Kelly has tried to do.

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    Mute Kris Ertz
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    Feb 22nd 2016, 2:24 PM

    At least the hashtag to this story gave me a laugh

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    Mute Neuville-Kepler62F
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    Feb 22nd 2016, 1:15 PM

    Great simulation for voters in the polling booth .. which snake party will i vote for…..
    Political Parties .. private clubs … financial predators .. maxing citizens tax, like landlords max your rent and banks max your debt.

    Political (whip) parties passing oppressive regressive tax laws like LPT, Car Tax, Water Tax and now taking the tax from pensioners Medical Expenses refunds when they cant keep up the tax payments. And Attachment Orders planned to take the Water Tax from pensioners pensions.

    No Grey Vote for Political (whip) Parties who support regressive taxes.

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    Mute Michael Sands
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    Feb 22nd 2016, 11:59 AM

    Sounded like a porno to me, just joking…

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