EVERY SATURDAY MORNING we take a look at all the best comments left on the site by our readers over the past seven days.
This week there was a lot of talk about the Olympics, boxing, and burkinis.
The 5 most popular comments this week
1. It was a mixed week for Ireland at the Rio Olympics. There was the ticketing controversy, and wins and losses – with one loss in particular that many people felt was unjust.
Despite dominating the bout from start to finish, World, European and Commonwealth champion Michael Conlan was deemed to have lost his fight against Russian Vladimir Nikitin.
Conlan, and many others, slated the judges’ unanimous decision.
Declan Moran got 1,427 green thumbs for this comment:
Absolutely disgraceful result.
2. The second top-rated comment of the week is also about Conlan and his assertion the fight was rigged, saying: “Amateur boxing stinks from the core to the very top.”
Jack Curtin, and 1,325 other people, agreed. He wrote:
He’s spot on
3. During the week, gardaí tracked down a teenager with two shotguns following a large-scale manhunt across Dublin.
Before the teen was arrested, Paul Howe wrote:
The suspect better hope he’s not caught or he could be looking at a heavy suspended sentence.
That one got 1,173 green thumbs.
4. Another Conlan-related comment is in fourth place, with Irishoversea getting 1,120 likes for this one:
I like him even more now.. I love this type of honesty.
5. Under a poll asking readers if Conlan’s defeat affected how they view the Olympics (it has for 84% of you), Coco Beware wrote:
I’m done with the olympics, full of drugs, bribes and politics, a pure shambles that has had negative headlines from day 1
That one got 919 likes.
The top 5 articles which received the most comments this week
1. Mayor of town on French island bans burkinis after beach brawl (273 comments)
2. Daylight robbery as Michael Conlan denied Olympic medal by more farcical judging (254 comments)
3. Another town on the French Riviera has banned burkinis (222 comments)
4. Poll: Should Ireland consider changing its position on neutrality? (219 comments)
5. Danny Healy-Rae says Noah’s Ark is “a fact” (214 comments)
Standout comments
It was a week of high drama at the Olympics where Ireland was concerned. It was a bad few days for Irish boxing, with Katie Taylor also losing her bout.
Staying focused on our athlete’s achievements, Gooner Sean had this to say about Taylor:
Olympic Gold medalist five times World Champion numerous European Championships God made Katie Taylor a very Special Athlete and Person. We’re proud of you Katie and always will be.
Between ticket scandals and loses, people were delighted when Annalise Murphy won a silver medal in sailing.
Joseph Molloy summed up how a lot of people were feeling:
Congrats to her on keeping Irish hopes and dreams alive
There was also a lot of praise for Paul and Gary O’Donovan since their Olympic silver medal win in the men’s lightweight double sculls final.
The Cork brothers have made international headlines thanks to their laid-back approach to interviews and humble attitudes.
Steve McMahon wrote:
They’ve made sport fun again
While Joe Murphy added:
Loads of people out rowing down by Parc Ui Chaoimh marina yesterday, not young ones either…
During the week, activists released shocking footage of a small boy sitting in the back of an ambulance after being rescued from the rubble of a building hit by an airstrike in Aleppo, Syria.
This distressing footage brought home the horror of the Syrian war, which has now been raging for over five years.
Fergal O’Hagan commented:
Imagine this was your son, imagine this was your family home, imagine living thru this hell. for land or power or oil or laughably religion. The people in power on this earth are a disgrace. This child should be asleep in his bed not being blown from it
Tributes were paid after the death of musician Stevie Martin, known as Rainy Boy Sleep.
Rónán Johnston wrote:
He came in to do an interview and a few songs on the show around the time of the “Supermarket Song”. I was struck by how true and fragile his songwriting was. He had an ability to really sing from his heart. A real artist and a very lovely person. It was a real shock to hear he was missing, and this is of course the worst possible outcome. Thoughts and prayers with his family and all those who knew him well (and there were many). He was a special soul.
Under an article about a professional declutterer, Blind Faith had this to say:
William Morris: “Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful”. . I have a teenager that fits the bill.
Meanwhile, the Leaving Cert results came out on Wednesday and Matt Connolly had this to say:
Russian had the highest amount of A1′s? Is there nobody they won’t bribe?
No comment.
Finally this week, German Chancellor Angela Merkel was named as Forbes’ most powerful woman in the world for the sixth year in a row.
Beachmaster made this valid point:
I’ve read the article twice and I still have no idea how much she benches.
Sadly, we may never know.
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