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A gorse fire in Howth in Dublin during the week Sam Boal/Photocall Ireland

Top readers' comments of the week

Here’s our roundup of the best, the most interesting and the most commented-on pieces from the past week. Did you make it in?

EVERY SATURDAY MORNING we take a look at all the best comments left on the site by our readers over the past week.

This week there was a lot of talk about unparliamentary language in the Seanad (and in a Dublin nightclub), same-sex marriage, cyclists getting fined, the final stages of the abortion legislation and an unexpected court case.

So here, in no particular order, are the standout comments from the week that was.

The top 5 articles which received the most comments this week

1. Poll: How will you vote on gay marriage? (441 comments)

2. Senator Jim Walsh criticised for abortion description (345 comments)

3. Poll: Should cyclists be fined for breaking the rules of the road? (320 comments)

4. Win a round of golf and overnight stay for 2 in TheScore.ie’s Open competition (307 comments)

5. Poll: Should the government take a position on same-sex marriage? (292 comments)

Some of the best comments left on the site this week

(Jimi’s Barber Shop/Facebook)

Ahead of Bruce Springsteen playing in Cork, we thought it would be a good idea to give him some tips for some words that come in useful when he communicates with Lee-siders – however Rachel O’Meara was one step ahead of us:

C’mere lah, story? Dem jifs pure daycent, specially da one on da two tone bears, I’m in nots here like! Am ragen I’m not goin, would pure love to see the boss tonight, out on the lash getting guzz eyed listenin to his pure daycent tunes! Can I just say as well Tanorah is well tastey, it’s me dazzah ‘specially on a roaster like today, god I’d give my right arm for a sup now I’m well parched and this wan ain’t in Cork no more, no boss and no tanorah, I’m absolutely pure gutted here like!!!

Heartwarming moment of the week, courtesy of Jed I. Knight:

Aw that’s just magic. Who could refuse?
Many, many years ago I happened to be in on a paediatric ward with one of my own children, there was another child who was there for quite a while and had gone of his food so the staff arranged to have a chef come up to the ward to him and he’d cook whatever the wee boy wanted. As far as I remember the wee lad asked for lasagne, the chef wrote everything down and then asked what he’d like for desert. Black forest gateaux, the wee lad replied. I always remember the look on the chef’s face. He asked if the lad wouldn’t like baked Alaska or some other fancy deserts but no, the lad had a hankering for black forest gateaux, the chef nearly cried but a few hours later he came back with a big black forest gateaux. The lad had a small slice from it and that was it. Amazing what that chef did for that wee lad. Nice cake too… I’d say.

Some commenters were critical of the west Limerick coroner who said that recording the number of suicides ‘serves nobody’. Matt Connolly was one of the people who disagreed:

Coroners need to be emotionally removed from the cases& whether it’s asphyxiation due to a ligature around the neck, drowning, gunshot to right temple etc…the exact medical reason for cessation of life needs to be recorded as cause of death. I don’t think it actually affects the statistics on suicide. (at least I hope not – if it does, then this is scandalous practice) Perhaps acknowledgement that wounds etc..were considered to be self-inflicted. But ultimately discretion on this should be left with the families left behind. The psychological fallout must be immense.

Anyone who has ever learned to drive will know the sheer panic that accompanies it. WanderArch had this advice…:

Too fast, too fast, slow down, turn the wheel. Mind the lights. The sheep. The cows. The dog. The cat. The rat. The hat.”
Never let your mother into the car or anywhere near it when learning to drive.
NEVER.

… while wellyd shared his own story of mortification:

My dad taught me how to drive last year. It was going really well until one day we drove to the local tax office because I needed to renew my provisional licence. The tax office was this new glassy building and had a one way system so I drove into it and dad told me it was one way. But my problem was I didn’t know which one way to go. It resulted in my driving up on a new path and wrecking a very fancy flower bed. When I eventually did manage to park up and go inside the man at the desk burst into hysterical laughter and informed me of probably need a third and fourth provisional licence at the rate I was going. He seen the whole thing through the window. Fcuking taken.

The 5 most popular comments on the site this week

1. First up this week is this comment from Cian O’Mahony about the controversial (or not, depending on how you look at it) stamp received by patrons at a Dublin student night – which didn’t impress some of their parents. Cian got 1,802 thumbs up and this week’s top place for this observation about one such parent:

If her daughter is old enough to go to a nightclub, then she is old enough to make her own decisions in life.

2. Next up, this comment by Matt on the poll about same-sex marriage got 1,419 thumbs up:

I would vote YES. But i think it should not come to a vote. Why should i have a say if 2 people can get married.

3. Paul Anthony Ward is in third place this week with 1,062 thumbs up for this comment about David Norris and the whole fannygate incident:

Ya have to admit, “The Regina Monologues” is quite clever

4. This comment from Kay Tighe about the Dáil bar proved popular with 967 thumbs up:

Just get rid of the feckin bar full stop

5. And finally, also on the Dáil bar, John O’Neill got 882 thumbs up for this post:

If there was a suspicion in a court that a juror had even one drink they’d be immediately dismissed and possibly held in contempt of court also.
Yet our TDs can go into the national parliament with alcohol on board to discuss and vote on issues as important as human life?? Unbelievable.

Spot any good comments that you think deserve to be highlighted? Drop us a line: mail christine@thejournal.ie with any suggestions for next week’s comments of the week.

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16 Comments
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    Mute Adam Walsh
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    Jan 7th 2015, 7:30 PM

    The only current affairs programme in the world that’s comedy gold

    223
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    Mute Dermot Lane
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    Jan 7th 2015, 8:17 PM

    Yeah Druid but he can fixate on things sometimes and be a bit of a bully, but always watchable

    55
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    Mute Juninho
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    Jan 7th 2015, 10:25 PM

    I love Vincent but agree he occasionally catches onto the wrong detail in an argument and let’s more serious issues slip. But by and large a great asset to this country.

    30
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    Mute Dermot Ryan
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    Jan 7th 2015, 7:41 PM

    Vincent Browne deserves a Political Pension – He has done more for democracy in Ireland than all of Ff fg and lab in the current Dail – i.m.o.

    This is a clip of him giving it to Bertie …. a set of questions that is ….

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F6tQN6H_tVY

    105
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    Mute Denis Maher
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    Jan 7th 2015, 7:48 PM

    Two words guaranteed to leave enda Kenny needing an urgent change of underpants……….Vincent brown.

    98
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    Mute Wexford pikeman
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    Jan 7th 2015, 7:48 PM

    Oh Vincent Brown, of all the Vincent Browns in the world, your the Vincent Browniest .

    86
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    Mute gumbridge
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    Jan 7th 2015, 7:54 PM

    VB is a national treasure.
    I watched him for the first time in a while last night.
    I don’t think he’s back to the full of his health since the pneumonia, but he seems even more crotchety and abrasive with his guests than ever before.
    May he get to do MANY more shows, and continue putting it up to sleeveens wherever they present themselves.

    64
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    Mute Gus Sheridan
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    Jan 7th 2015, 7:55 PM

    This man is a hero of mine!

    48
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    Mute Eimear Cregg
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    Jan 7th 2015, 7:50 PM

    Would love if they replayed some of the Mario Rosenstock clips ! Comedy gold

    40
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    Mute ConcernedCitizen
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    Jan 7th 2015, 8:06 PM

    I wish Vinny all the best.
    Used to be a big fan but since the Irish Water fiasco started he has unfortunately shown time and again that he has sold out to Denis O’Brien. It hurts to say it but he’s just not the force he was at all. The show descends into meaningless farce on a regular basis with eejits like Marie Louise O’Donnell talking nonsense. Last night’s show was the best in ages so we’ll see.
    Happy 1001 anyway !

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    Mute Tweety McTweeter
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    Jan 7th 2015, 9:14 PM

    The man is a machine.

    He was on Ireland AM at 7:30 this morning after finishing late last night.
    To be fair, he was a little cranky but who wouldn’t be with that much sleep? I’m considering changing my angry chicken avatar to him in his honour.

    28
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    Mute Denis Maher
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    Jan 7th 2015, 7:56 PM

    I hope they show the clip where the FG’er Bernard just will not shut up, Willie 0′dea couldn’t get a word in, fionnan sheehan nearly fell off his chair laughing. One of the best ever. If not its worth checking out on youtube.

    26
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    Mute Dermot Lane
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    Jan 7th 2015, 8:40 PM

    And the time Joan Burton lost the rag with Joe Higgins

    28
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    Mute CreditTiger
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    Jan 7th 2015, 11:07 PM

    “Stop haranguin’ me Vencennnt!!

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    Mute Michael Sands
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    Jan 8th 2015, 5:13 AM

    Are they not called tampons lol.

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    Mute Dermot Ryan
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    Jan 7th 2015, 7:42 PM

    If you want to know the government’s thinking on the need for a snap election then watch the guests on Vincent Browne – He has promised to give them as much time as they returned to his offers to appear on the show when they refused-

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    Mute Celticspirit321
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    Jan 7th 2015, 10:13 PM

    I would live to find out the things Vincent knows about some of the politicians which he can’t repeat due to libel etc

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    Mute Eugene Walsh
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    Jan 7th 2015, 10:43 PM

    Absolutely. But it would probably create a civil unrest.

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    Mute Eugene Walsh
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    Jan 7th 2015, 10:17 PM

    Go on, go on just go on,
    Ya ya ya will ya continue
    Ya ya yaaaaa jeez ya
    GO ON WILL YA!

    11
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    Mute Turlough O' Connor
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    Jan 8th 2015, 12:35 PM

    His memory is phenomenal…. Don’t you just love when some old party hack starts spoofing and Vin can quote exactly what was said and then watch the hack squirming!.. Great pleasure indeed…. Irriplacable…

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    Mute Turlough O' Connor
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    Jan 8th 2015, 12:36 PM

    Irreplaceable .., sorry

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    Mute Michael Sands
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    Jan 8th 2015, 5:16 AM

    What would Vincent think of this, Bieden being racist towards all the Irish…
    Vice President Biden: “I may be Irish, but I’m not stupid.”

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nm9BtjqlVXQ

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    Mute Michael Sands
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    Jan 8th 2015, 5:12 AM

    TTIP TTIP Hooray lol.

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