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Billy Connolly (File photo) Lynne Cameron/PA Archive/Press Association Images

Billy Connolly: "No regrets" over verbal abuse of photographer in Killarney

“I told her to go away properly, in a Glaswegian way. It only takes two words.”

COMEDIAN BILLY CONNOLLY has said he has “no regrets” after he reportedly verbally abused a photographer at a comedy gig in Kerry on Thursday night.

The female photographer was working at the INEC at the Gleneagle Hotel in Killarney during Connolly’s performance when the comedian told her to leave. “I told her to go away properly, in a Glaswegian way,” he said. “It only takes two words”.

The Irish Examiner reports that Connolly told photographer Valerie O’Sullivan to “get the f**k out of here” and called her an abusive name.

One person who attended the performance wrote on the INEC’s Facebook page that it “killed the show”. “We were sorry we didn’t leave,” she wrote.

O’Sullivan, who has worked as a photographer for the INEC and Gleneagle Hotel for twenty years, has not spoken publicly about the matter and has asked for her privacy to be respected.

Patrick O’Donoghue of the Gleneagle Hotel said that O’Sullivan had permission to photograph the Billy Connolly performance.  He described her as a highly regarded professional photographer and a highly respected member of the Killarney community.

“The numerous messages of goodwill and support that we have received is testament to the high regard in which she is held within the local community,” he said in a statement. “The INEC regret any upset caused to Valerie”.

Connolly is famous for his direct observational humour.

Speaking to Marian Finucane on RTE Radio One this morning, Billy Connolly said he had not realised the photographer was a woman as he could only see her in the shadows.

“She was half way up the hall taking pictures of me and I told her to go away and she wouldn’t, so I told her to go away properly, in a Glaswegian way,” he said. “It only takes two words”.

Do I regret it? Certainly not, I’m very proud of it.

Read: 7 important life lessons you can learn from Seth Rogen >

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197 Comments
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    Mute Damian Moylan
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    May 25th 2014, 9:48 AM

    Euro ming….watch out ecb…epp

    115
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    Mute Reg
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    May 25th 2014, 9:53 AM

    They must be quaking in their boots!

    61
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    Mute Jeremy Usborne
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    May 25th 2014, 10:25 AM

    EPP: 270 vs Ming, alone & shrill.

    Pooping they will be!

    27
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    Mute Mick Roach
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    May 25th 2014, 11:17 AM

    Jeremy, do you ever get tired of typing absolute tripe?

    63
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    Mute Business Cat
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    May 25th 2014, 11:52 AM

    What will Ming deliver Mick?

    Him being one obscure voice out of 750 members of the parliament.
    And an anti-Europe MEP so will be doubly ignored.

    35
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    Mute Reg
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    May 25th 2014, 12:37 PM

    I can’t actually understand why Ming wants to be a MEP. He’s now one of 700 odd instead of one of 160. He must have a cunning plan!

    19
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    Mute Chris Kirk
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    May 25th 2014, 8:14 PM

    Ming is one man representing ireland against the rest of Europe. Do we trust him….yes we do, go ming go and tell them that we are fed up of being pushed around.

    17
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    Mute Joe The Man
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    May 26th 2014, 4:05 AM

    You live in a world of fantasy Chris!

    6
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    Mute Were Jammin
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    May 25th 2014, 10:39 AM

    Saturday/Sunday voting in most European countries this election,, guaranteeing a higher turnout.

    I’m sick and tired of this cutehoorism by the establishment parties of running the vote on a Friday to increase the ratio of the grey vote which traditionally votes FF/FG.

    76
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    Mute horses for courses
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    May 25th 2014, 11:22 AM

    Great to see SF/Ind doing so well but surprised to see so many people still vote for FF/FG/Lab.They financially rape the country for generations to come and keep taking from the most needy in society to do so,empty the country of hundreds of thousand of people over the last couple of years and doctor the live register with the likes of the scambridge to make out they are doing a great job.
    They are like cult members that see no wrong in what their leaders have done and continue to do to this country.
    We have had so called leaders that are more concerned about the European Union than their own citizens.
    Total reform is needed to stop the huge pensions and salaries that these traitors are getting.Kenny,Biffo,Bertie will go down in the history books as the people that sold our country to keep the Euro elite happy.People need to be held accountable for what has gone on.Owe millions and get away with it, owe 160 euro for a t.v licence and get jail………..

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    Mute David Burke
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    May 25th 2014, 4:00 PM

    SF are doing well with 16% of the vote?

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    Mute Reg
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    May 25th 2014, 9:14 PM

    Amazed that Fianna Fail are a full ten points ahead of SF in the locals.

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    Mute horses for courses
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    May 25th 2014, 10:57 PM

    Me too Reg.Amazed.Zombie nation alive and well……

    8
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    Mute Niall Murphy
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    May 25th 2014, 12:10 PM

    This government is finished, it has no mandate anymore, their pretence of a mandate is over!

    General election coming our way very very soon!

    46
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    Mute Business Cat
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    May 25th 2014, 12:21 PM

    Their mandate came from the last GE.

    You will get a chance to vote them from power in 2yrs.

    I’m not sure how SF coming 3rd is a mandate for government.

    Thats like saying the LibDems have a mandate to rub the UK.

    35
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    Mute Reg
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    May 25th 2014, 12:41 PM

    Last time I checked the constitution Niall we have General Elections every five years unless a government decides to call one earlier. Nothing unusual in sitting governments getting a slap in mid term elections.

    18
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    Mute Brendan Boyd
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    May 25th 2014, 9:47 AM

    Fairly poor showing for the alternatives for what will probably be the biggest protest vote in history.

    36
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    Mute Thomas O'Connor
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    May 25th 2014, 9:56 AM

    Blueshirts took a hammering (-90 seats approximately), Labour wiped out and massive gains for the left with Independent candidates and Sinn Fein making huge gains.
    Roll on the General Election. P 45 time foe Enda!!

    145
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    Mute Thomas O'Connor
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    May 25th 2014, 9:57 AM

    For

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    Mute Brendan Boyd
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    May 25th 2014, 10:01 AM

    They made gains but this is as good as it gets for them. FF also made gains and got 22% of the vote despite their catastrophic failures.

    39
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    Mute Ciarraioch
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    May 25th 2014, 11:49 AM

    Brendan Boyd – Does a bit of hopeful wishful thinking on behalf of his Blueshirt FG/Labour Comrades !
    But Brendan – it’s much worse then that a chara , for your Fascist Movement – ye guys are on the way out!
    The Citizens of Ireland have woken up and have smelled the coffee bigtime …..
    a Chara !

    42
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    Mute Brendan Boyd
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    May 25th 2014, 11:54 AM

    You will pay for those comments when we achieve our vision for a New Republic.

    6
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    Mute Thomas O'Connor
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    May 25th 2014, 12:24 PM

    Brendan we are already paying because of your Blueshirt anti people policy. Your lot and your Labour mudguards are worse than Ceaușescu and Stalin combined.

    40
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    Mute Alex Nevin
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    May 25th 2014, 3:13 PM

    Ciarraioch, despite all that Fine Gael have been through especially with the Garda scandal and the Water Tax, we are still the largest party in the state. Myself, and plenty of others like me, will still vote for Fine Gael in 2016 regardless of what is said or done.

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    Mute Alex Nevin
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    May 25th 2014, 3:14 PM

    Thomas, I was under the impression that you left wing liberal loons were all admirers of Socialist Stalin?!

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    Mute Joe The Man
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    May 25th 2014, 7:15 PM

    Yawn!!!

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    Mute Rob Ben Jones
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    May 25th 2014, 10:47 PM

    This is the thanks Fine Gael get for putting the country back on track. Can’t understand left wing politics. We would be bankrupt and beyond hope if they were running the country. All our taxes would be put into paying for our inflated Public reps.

    7
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    Mute SinAssist
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    May 26th 2014, 1:37 AM

    Not nearly enough ‘thanks’ for not derailing their centre-right gravy train and top-loading the burden of adjustment on an angry electorate, beyond the leafy snobburbs of south Dublin and elsewhere!!

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    Mute Nigellus Murphius
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    May 25th 2014, 1:11 PM

    Voting needs to be made mandatory.

    I traveled for four hours to vote for all Independents.

    I feel great for doing it because it’s the best way to effect change. Burning out the houses of corrupt politicians is not an option in my book.

    We need to push for a General Election and until that happens we need to get to those who voted for the Establishment groups.

    33
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    Mute Brendan Boyd
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    May 25th 2014, 9:56 AM

    Fis Nua’s results are hilariouss

    http://www.rte.ie/news/election2014/#/local/A03

    7 first preference votes for one guy! Even for standard headbanger party that is a stunning result.

    33
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    Mute Mick McDonagh
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    May 25th 2014, 10:59 AM

    With that number , it’s going to awkward when he goes out for a pint with his buddies – ‘so….which of you didn’t vote for me?’

    30
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    Mute Lashes
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    May 25th 2014, 11:13 AM

    What was that chaps name, link isn’t appearing

    11
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    Mute Martin Meyler
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    May 25th 2014, 12:41 PM

    Only if he has moer than 7 friends…what are the chances?

    1
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    Mute Martin Meyler
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    May 25th 2014, 12:42 PM

    OOOPS! Must wear glasses! “more” !

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    Mute Seamus Fitzgibbon
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    May 25th 2014, 1:59 PM

    Sometimes I cannot understand the voters of this country. Such as:

    - Voting for a party that destroyed the economic stability of the country. It’s like evicting an arsonist from your gaff for burning down your gaff. Rebuilding your gaff, and then inviting the arsonist back in again.

    or

    - Voting for a party that destroyed the lives of hundreds of innocent men, women & children with a pointless campaign, of murder, bombing, abductions and terror. Voting for the Shinners is pretty much like spitting on the graves of the innocent men, women & children that were murdered by Sinn Féin/IRA. Even without that, their economic policies appear to be completely empty, with a policy that appears to be sometimes along the lines of “let’s build a money tree!”

    32
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    Mute Mary Kavanagh
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    May 25th 2014, 7:11 PM

    Can’t understand how Fianna Fáil got 170 seats. Have people learned nothing? And as for Rathmines/Rathgar only one Independent and a Green, ffs!

    32
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    Mute Seán O'Sullivan
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    May 25th 2014, 7:26 PM

    people are brainwashed. still fair play to the Independents who may yet rock the boat in future

    13
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    Mute Lashes
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    May 25th 2014, 11:07 AM

    I don’t get it !!!

    13
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    Mute Damian Moylan
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    May 25th 2014, 8:48 PM

    Anti immigration right wing ‘danish peoples party’ top poll danish eu election set to form alliance with uk conservatives.

    11
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    Mute tomeenoldstock
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    May 25th 2014, 10:24 AM

    http://electionsireland.org/
    This site has up to date results

    9
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    Mute FiFi La Sparkle
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    May 25th 2014, 12:28 PM

    Does anyone know whether they have even started counting in Kildare’s Celbridge/Leixlip area?? Thanks!! :-)

    8
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    Mute Brendan Boyd
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    May 25th 2014, 10:04 AM

    http://www.rte.ie/news/election2014/#/local/A19

    Our very own Jeff Rudd with 112 votes! Better luck next time chap. Did you not get a nod from DDI?

    5
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    Mute Jeremy Usborne
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    May 25th 2014, 10:28 AM

    DDI died before they were born.
    (Which was inevitable seeing the muppets running the thing)

    Great poster though.

    https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-frc3/t1.0-9/10151313_512019718903996_7778265834169953048_n.jpg

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    Mute Brendan Boyd
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    May 25th 2014, 10:30 AM

    Christ. Catchy headline/meandering prose,

    2
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    Mute Mick Rooney
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    May 26th 2014, 1:12 AM

    “0.51 – We really hope that what we’re hearing about the count in Dublin isn’t true… that we’ll be here until 5am until the other two seats are filled…”

    You get what you voted for and the system you use to count.

    Most of Europe is done and dusted and gone to bed. Good luck to you!!

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    Mute The Mandarin
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    May 26th 2014, 12:42 AM

    They’ll ride us anyway.

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    Mute My Views
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    May 25th 2014, 5:43 PM

    Does Enda have Frank Underwoods Blackberry ringtone?!

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    Mute Q8K9dOAu
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    May 25th 2014, 7:41 PM

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

    Tá sé faoi gach a tús amach, agus tá siad aon héiliam.

    SFFTW

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    Mute Frank L. Ludwig
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    May 25th 2014, 10:50 PM

    Has my comment been deleted? Why?

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    Mute Sheik Yahbouti
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    May 26th 2014, 2:35 AM

    G’wan da Nessa!

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    Mute John B. Reid
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    May 26th 2014, 1:58 AM

    What do the green ribbons, which some of the candidates of different parties are wearing on their lapels, represent?

    Can anybody tell me, please?

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    Mute John B. Reid
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    May 26th 2014, 2:59 AM

    Who on earth would thumbdown my innocuous question above?

    I have long wondered who the lost souls are who travel around TheJournal.ie and some other websites simply downthumbing people’s comments (no matter what the content of them) in a most illogical manner. Or is it an automated system that is used?

    I think the system of downthumbing people’s comments without actually becoming a member of the website or writing a comment of one’s own should come to an end, as it discredits the website as a whole.

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    Mute Anthony O'Shea
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    May 25th 2014, 4:21 PM
    1
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