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Protesters at one of the Israeli Film Days in Temple Bar last week Sasko Lazarov/Photocall Ireland

Column Culture, politics and the freedom of speech

Protesters last week tried to shut down an Israeli film festival in Dublin’s Temple Bar -but culture is the best way to help Irish and Israeli people understand each other better, says Boaz Modai, the Israeli ambassador to Ireland.

THIS MONTH HAS seen an upsurge of activities by extremist anti-Israeli groups in Ireland.  At the start of the month, there was the attempt to break Israel’s naval arms blockade of the Gaza Strip by two boatloads of provocateurs posing as bringers of humanitarian aid to the people there.  Over half of the 27 activists were from Ireland, most of them representing small parties holding about one-tenth of the seats in the Dáil.

Meanwhile, near a shopping centre in the heart of Dublin, another group of extremist activists have staged demonstrations of street theatre aimed at giving a lop-sided, distorted picture of the Israel-Palestinian conflict.

The aim of these activities has been clear: to try to hijack Irish public sentiment and opinion and turn it against Israel, making it impossible for Israel to present its point of view or argue its case.  There have been times in the past three years when the activists may have felt that they were succeeding.

The latest example of this insidious campaign to shut down the free exchange of views is the attempt by anti-Israelis to prevent the holding last week of the Israeli Film Days, a festival of Israeli movies and music held at Filmbase in Dublin’s Temple Bar – the first event of its kind in Ireland.

Back in 1820, the poet Heinrich Heine wrote “where they have burned books they will end in burning human beings”.  His prophetic words were proved accurate a century later.  The freedom to express one’s culture is the cornerstone of any democracy.

The attempt to intimidate the venue from hosting, and the public from attending the festival was a resounding failure.  Not only did two Government ministers attend the gala opening night of the festival, but over 1,000 Irish people in total came along during four days to see a variety of movies portraying Israeli life in its many aspects.

One notable feature of the festival was the way in which the popularity of Irish culture in Israel shone through – as shown in the film ‘Irish Love in Tel Aviv’ as well as in the Irish-influenced rock music of  Izhar Ashdot and his band on Saturday night.  We hope that this event will be the first step to promote the reverse effect – a love and appreciation for Israeli culture in Ireland.

Gilmore: Political disagreement should not stop Irish people taking a new and different look at Israel

In his speech, Minister for Foreign Affairs Eamon Gilmore made clear the real issue at stake.  While expressing his Government’s ‘open disagreement with many aspects of Israeli policy’, and upholding the right of demonstrators to make their views known in a peaceful fashion, he indicated that political disagreements should not prevent Irish people having a chance to take ‘a new and different look at Israel and the Israeli people from a wide variety of perspectives’.

I believe that the medium of culture is the best way to bring people closer and help them to understand each other better.  Our two peoples should be exposed to cultural messages rather than propaganda and empty slogans.

Let us be under no illusions about the nature of these extremist activists who, as I said in my opening speech at the festival, ‘pretend to understand the reality of our region better than those who live there, both Israelis and Palestinians’.  These are no idealistic two-state-solution campaigners eager to help in mediating a peace settlement between Israel and its Palestinian neighbours.

On the contrary, people attending the festival were shocked to hear them chanting the slogan “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free!”, a cry that can mean only one thing – that Israel, the homeland of the Jewish people, must be abolished and exterminated, and a single state of Palestine substituted in its place.

In the words of Labour Party councillor Richard Humphries of Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown, their attempt to shut down the festival shows “a chilling contempt for the legitimacy of the Israeli perspective”.  It makes no sense that only a short while ago an Iranian film festival was held in Dublin with no disturbance and no demonstration, and that only Israel, according to these activists, should be deprived of the right to express and exhibit its culture and society.

The activists’ slogans, chanted mindlessly over and over, allow no argument.  Theirs is not the language of rational debate but the language of hate, using terms borrowed from other conflicts such as apartheid and ethnic cleansing that have no relation to the very different circumstances of the Israel-Palestinian conflict.  Israel is an island in the Middle East – an island of liberalism, freedom of speech and equality.  It is the only democracy in this region, where Arab people have more rights than in any Arab country and where women, gay people and all minorities have rights that bear no comparison with any of our neighbours.

The totalitarian mindset of the extremists gives a foretaste of what the people of Israel could expect if they were to get their way.  But it also shows what the people of Ireland could expect if they were to succeed in closing down democratic debate, cultural interaction and the freedom of speech and expression right here in Ireland.

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    Mute Nan
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    Aug 21st 2020, 2:07 PM

    So weddings can go ahead In the same format ??

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    Mute David Clements
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    Aug 21st 2020, 2:08 PM

    @Nan: they’ve already clarified that they can

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    Mute Anna Anna
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    Aug 21st 2020, 2:27 PM

    @David Clements: hotels have been calling couples and advising them to get their numbers down to 50. This multiple rooms option was never brought up until now and for obvious reasons. If you have two rooms holding 80 people it’s very unlikely there’ll be no mixing between the two rooms, so your close contacts for the event will be more than allowed 50 by the end of the night. Hotel staff aren’t going to be guarding doors like security to prevent mixing between the guests.
    -It’s a win anyway for people holding weddings/events if this is allowed now, though I doubt it will be

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    Mute Kate Flaherty
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    Aug 21st 2020, 2:28 PM

    @Nan: according to other guests staying at said hotel there were no guidelines being followed, no social distancing, no masks and people shaking hands at reception as they were introduced, all very disheartening and infuriating for the rest of us and as for those on the front line they were only short of sticking two fingers up to them!..

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    Mute David Clements
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    Aug 21st 2020, 2:34 PM

    @Anna Anna: sorry yeh I thought the person was asking whether weddings were subject to the new 6 person limit. Obviously splitting the event is absolute and total nonsense and they bloody well knew it. A farce!

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    Mute David Clements
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    Aug 21st 2020, 2:35 PM

    @Kate Flaherty: please don’t demean this important issue with unsubstantiated hearsay. We know enough about how these people broke the regulations without adding any whatsapp stuff into it…

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    Mute Michelle Corry #FBPE
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    Aug 21st 2020, 4:49 PM

    @David Clements: A guest contacted Liveline with those details

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    Mute PΛÐÐY ЯOOПΣY
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    Aug 21st 2020, 5:26 PM

    @David Clements: Because the whole of Ireland is looki g to the Journal comments section for official guidance?

    9
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    Mute Kate Flaherty
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    Aug 21st 2020, 5:29 PM

    @David Clements: I don’t do “unsubstantiated here say”, and I most certainly don’t do what’s app!….

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    Mute Kate Flaherty
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    Aug 21st 2020, 5:32 PM

    @Kate Flaherty: *hear.

    2
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    Mute dowthebow
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    Aug 21st 2020, 2:28 PM

    All our reporters and media presenters seem to be forgetting Sean O’Rourke was there as well, why??

    258
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    Mute Donal Desmond
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    Aug 21st 2020, 5:30 PM

    @dowthebow: His wife is a F.G.press officer.

    69
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    Mute GrumpyAulFella
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    Aug 21st 2020, 5:45 PM

    @Donal Desmond: she must be a good golfer.

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    Mute Conor Kennelly
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    Aug 21st 2020, 5:47 PM

    @dowthebow: Sarah McInerney mentioned him. On her last day and let out a priceless Jaysis before an ad break that wasn’t meant to be aired. She’ll be missed.

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    Mute Ann Basquille Smith
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    Aug 21st 2020, 6:44 PM

    @dowthebow: the today programme on rte asked him on several times this morning as did liveline. Not sure how you or anyone could read and listen to every media source. So rather a broad statement from you.

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    Mute Luke
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    Aug 21st 2020, 2:08 PM

    Legal, illegal
    Within restrictions or not
    Many hundreds of weddings have been cancelled under the guise such a loophole like a room partition didn’t exist
    It’s terrible optics for them to sit at tables of ten and do the exact opposite of limit social contacts as the public have been asked
    No matter what it was totally unacceptable

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    Mute LITTLEONE
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    Aug 21st 2020, 2:09 PM

    Put in a partition.. Leave it open for speeches. Sure let’s call it 2 rooms. The politicians and judges and bankers etc will fall for the spin. Sure they love the spin themselves

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    Mute Dan
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    Aug 21st 2020, 2:10 PM

    Will look to book 4,5 rooms for a massive party….cheers for the tip

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    Mute aidanshaw
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    Aug 21st 2020, 2:25 PM

    @Dan: dont forget the partitions dan lol

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    Mute Eugene Walsh
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    Aug 21st 2020, 3:43 PM

    @aidanshaw: sher Dan be able to shtick a few partitions under both arms, pop em up there in the one room, call it 4 rooms. Off ya go. Have a blasht Dan

    32
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    Mute Tom Quinn
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    Aug 21st 2020, 2:33 PM

    Please don’t tell me this jolly was paid for or subsidised by the taxpayer.

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    Mute MickN
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    Aug 21st 2020, 4:12 PM

    @Tom Quinn: I hope not, anger will go up many levels if it was.. This government would be over

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    Mute Grainne Peoples
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    Aug 21st 2020, 8:21 PM

    @Tom Quinn: FOI request should be looked for. I think maybe it is, just by the nature of our beast/government

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    Mute Ray Martin
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    Aug 21st 2020, 2:11 PM

    It should have been cancelled,end of story.
    Muppets

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    Mute Garreth mc mahon
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    Aug 21st 2020, 2:51 PM

    @Ray Martin: why, if they followed guidelines they did nothing wrong. And I mean if. Optics are not laws

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    Mute David Walters
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    Aug 21st 2020, 5:55 PM

    @Garreth mc mahon: They didn’t follow guidelines. That’s the point.

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    Mute Garreth mc mahon
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    Aug 21st 2020, 8:53 PM

    @David Walters: they did if it was in two separate rooms, it’s a technicality and can be classed as two separate events

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    Mute Jjohn Cconway
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    Aug 22nd 2020, 6:54 PM

    @Garreth mc mahon: it wasn’t two separate rooms. It was one room with a partition that was pulled back for the speeches. There was up to ten people per table and also a number of staff moving between tables. The number 50 for indoor events includes staff so this breached regulations on many different levels.

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    Mute Munster1
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    Aug 21st 2020, 2:25 PM

    No masks and shaking hands.. Their arrogance is out of control

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    Mute john lovern
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    Aug 21st 2020, 3:20 PM

    No they didint, and I guarantee you all this partition of the room malarkey wasnt offered to all the people that were supposed to getting married, hotels were saying 50 people max including hotel staff,so there was actually more than 81 if you included the staff, and I heard on radio today that the partition was raised for the speeches, are you telling me it went back down after,yeh right!,a man on the radio said he was there with his children and he saw them all arriving at reception, shaking hands no social distance

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    Mute Shane Terry
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    Aug 21st 2020, 4:25 PM

    I had to have maximum of 50 people at my fathers funeral last week even though the church could have accommodated 4 times that amount and still maintained adequate social distancing. Everyone who attended that golf event or who was part of the organisation of said event should be sacked and fined.

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    Mute l
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    Aug 21st 2020, 2:46 PM

    Red herring. It was one room with a screen, well over the 50 allowed on the old system. It was removed for the speeches ffs. Clowns were abusing the system before the changes.

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    Mute Pauline Fedigan
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    Aug 21st 2020, 2:07 PM

    OFF COURSE THEY DID???????

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    Mute Logan Shepherd
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    Aug 21st 2020, 2:10 PM

    @Pauline Fedigan: LOOKS LIKE YOUR HOUSE PARTY JUST GOT THE GREEN LIGHT PAULINE ..

    120
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    Mute BriP75
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    Aug 21st 2020, 2:32 PM

    Any way who won the golf

    61
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    Mute Brigid Smith
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    Aug 21st 2020, 3:42 PM

    They should all be tested today and quarantine until results come back.

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    Mute David Clements
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    Aug 21st 2020, 2:07 PM

    This is what happens when you cause confusion. I hope the government now realise that, seeing as they’ve had a pretty decent kicking all day….

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    Mute Stephen Fitzgerald
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    Aug 21st 2020, 2:12 PM

    @David Clements: it will be the usual matra…move along nothing to see here, once it has died down all welcomed back with open arms. Lesons learnt – none. We get what we vote for.

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    Mute David Clements
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    Aug 21st 2020, 2:20 PM

    @Stephen Fitzgerald: I’m 42 and with the exception of the moment AJ Chopra walked down merrion street, I can’t remember a worse day for an Irish government in terms of self inflicted damage…

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    Mute David Clements
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    Aug 21st 2020, 2:20 PM

    @David Clements: but it’s not a great time for an election

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    Mute Bert Carolan
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    Aug 21st 2020, 2:26 PM

    @Stephen Fitzgerald: Indeed we do get what we vote for. We get versions of ourselves and if our politicians are unprincipled, rule bending dodgemeisters what does that say about us?

    29
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    Mute Billy McNamara
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    Aug 21st 2020, 2:36 PM

    @Stephen Fitzgerald: I did NOT vote for any of these spoofers and chancers.Yoy may have and I hope you have learned your lesson.Vote SF for a proper government next time.

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    Mute Bert Carolan
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    Aug 21st 2020, 2:47 PM

    @Billy McNamara: It’s a done deal that Sinn Fein will be in power next time. And it will be correct.

    33
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    Mute Denis Rohan
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    Aug 21st 2020, 3:37 PM

    Is the the Irish Hotel Federation or the Government that are in charge of trying to manage Covid 19. Last time I checked it was what passes for a Government. GUBU comes to mind.

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    Mute Michael Burke
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    Aug 21st 2020, 4:39 PM

    Did Phil Hogan travel from a locked down county to get to this event? Journalist on radio earlier said he may have been staying in Kildare.

    50
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    Mute Donal Desmond
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    Aug 21st 2020, 5:34 PM

    @Michael Burke: Yes he stated that. Essential travel only as county in lockdown…Don’t think a FF/FG golf piss up would be included in essential travel.

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    Mute Richard Griffin
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    Aug 21st 2020, 4:30 PM

    Who paid for this event?

    39
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    Mute Caoimhín Ó Seanáin
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    Aug 21st 2020, 5:26 PM

    Can’t we check the security cameras? Aren’t they all over the place in hotels?

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    Mute Peter Cuthbert
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    Aug 21st 2020, 2:29 PM

    Assume to allow tracking all attending signed a list ,hopefully its doesn’t lead to another localised spread or close down of the County
    Sounds like Alice in Wonderland

    33
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    Mute Michael Burke
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    Aug 21st 2020, 4:50 PM

    Did Phil Hogan travel from a locked down county to get to this event? Journalist on radio earlier said that he may have been staying in Kildare!

    31
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    Mute GO GREEN
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    Aug 21st 2020, 2:36 PM

    Too many died, too many people have suffered, to listen to this crap, that is pouring salt on the wounds, just to give the elite a special position, not to obey the rules. They all should resign asap. This is a wrong statement says Journal its – its 7 out of 10 toxic.

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    Mute Mick Costello
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    Aug 21st 2020, 5:30 PM

    Has big phil proved he isolated for 14 days before attendance at this shindig??? The hotel is as guilty as the rest of them here but prob got told you be alright lads

    31
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    Mute Donal Desmond
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    Aug 21st 2020, 5:40 PM

    @Mick Costello: He isolated in Kildare ..that county is in lockdown. Seamus Woulfe has issued a statement stating he knew nothing about the dinner that was to take place later… Lucky he had a suit handy ..and walked into a room with 80 people plus staff. Why did he not leave ?.

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    Mute Jim Buckley Barrett
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    Aug 21st 2020, 5:02 PM

    So if you open the partition doesn’t that make it one room?

    How was the hotel ensuring that they weren’t mixing? In that situation networking would be to priority for everyone attending.

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    Mute Aidan O' Neill
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    Aug 21st 2020, 2:26 PM

    50 at any one time. People could easily mix between them then. Turning into some blame game.

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    Mute 8-Bit-Relic
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    Aug 21st 2020, 2:16 PM

    They have probably asked the Oireachtas who organised the event and went for the more profitable solution.

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    Mute Gavin Mckenna
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    Aug 21st 2020, 2:11 PM

    @Ann Illing: Hello Gem gem. Bad day at court this week? Good woman!

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    Mute Kem Trayle
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    Aug 21st 2020, 2:30 PM

    @Ann Illing: “Collective evolution” – oh the irony. The huge, massive irony.

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    Mute Garreth mc mahon
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    Aug 21st 2020, 2:54 PM

    @Ann Illing: quick question do my eyes deceive me or seriously, did your parents named you after a certain rear position

    18
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    Mute Helen Farrell
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    Aug 21st 2020, 5:32 PM

    GUBU. Appalling judgement by hoteliers, attendees, those involved in any way whatsoever as so many attendees are people responsible for drawing up safety guidelines for the country.

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    Mute Ray Martin
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    Aug 21st 2020, 5:36 PM

    Why didn’t the IHF just ask the dogs in the street,they could have told them it was wrong.Are you fit to be an organisation advising anyone

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    Mute Pauline Cahill
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    Aug 21st 2020, 4:57 PM

    Wonder why I don’t believe that

    16
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    Mute Sal Paradise
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    Aug 21st 2020, 4:51 PM

    Why are the Gardai getting involved if it is only guidelines being breached? Has an actual law been broken? Not sur eit is a good use of Garda resource to be asting their time with these clowns when we all know nothing will come of it.

    18
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    Mute Alan McDonagh
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    Aug 21st 2020, 5:34 PM

    FF FG LAB and RTE the cosy corruption of Ireland.
    Do as I say NOT as I do !!!!

    23
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    Mute GrumpyAulFella
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    Aug 21st 2020, 5:49 PM

    @Alan McDonagh: don’t forget the Shinners attending funerals and hugging supporters also. They’re all in it.

    14
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    Mute Hilda Harte
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    Aug 21st 2020, 5:53 PM

    If all this is true about 2 separate dining rooms and social distance was upheld why would you resign…………. guilty as hell

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    Mute BriP75
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    Aug 21st 2020, 4:55 PM

    Balls on a plate sums it up

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    Mute Patricia Tsouros
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    Aug 22nd 2020, 5:41 AM

    So Phil Hogan is either blind or was unable to assess the situation at the dinner – which was not in compliance with government guidelines. I am concerned he holds the position he does. To quote Stephen Donnelly ‘it was wrong’ and the dogs on the street would have coped that.

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    Mute Hilda Harte
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    Aug 21st 2020, 7:44 PM

    If all social distancing was adhered to and 2 rooms was used why resign….. wink wink I think

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    Mute Syl Farrell
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    Aug 22nd 2020, 9:19 AM

    At the time the event was held only 6 people were allowed at a private function. This was effectively a private party and was not open to the public so was well in breach of the guidelines.

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    Mute Joe
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    Aug 21st 2020, 4:07 PM

    Storm in a tea cup.

    3
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    Mute Richard Carroll
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    Aug 23rd 2020, 2:03 PM

    Greedy hotels

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    Mute Tom Burke
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    Aug 21st 2020, 5:03 PM

    Did the federation get clearance for 10 to a table?

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