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 terrible tragedy in Cavan, the Olympics, and the Eighth Amendment.
The 5 most popular comments this week
1. Patrick Norton got 1,134 likes for this comment about coverage of the tragic deaths of five members of a family in Cavan:
Just read what the Sun newspaper wrote about the family. The headline said deranged teacher slaughters family, absolute rag of a paper. Wouldn’t use it to clean me arse
2. Under the same story, TheBrain FromDublin got 871 likes for this comment:
I know someone living in that area, from what they say, there is complete shock, no one, not one person seen any sign, they were a very well respected family, they took part in all community activities, not one single sign, no depression, no aggression, no keeping to themselves. the mind is a fragile thing and when it breaks , horrendous things can happen, spare a thought for the children, their lives taken before they begin, and next time your with family or friend ask the simple question “…is everything OK? Im here if you need me.”
3. The third most popular comment on the site this week was from Dotrice Altrium Hollohatch, who had this to say about food critic John McKenna’s criticism of review sites like TripAdvisor:
Must disagree. Sites that give customers’ views on restaurants, hotels, pubs etc. – are a great indication of standards, locations and service. Mostly unbiased – just ignore the top and bottom 10% of comments.
That one got 868 seals of approval.
4. After a garda wrote an open letter to Garda Commissioner Nóirín O’Sullivan about the difficult conditions they and their colleagues face, Anthony Power got 835 likes for this observation:
It is a tough job and the judicial system in this country doesn’t help them at all.
5. After Olympic silver medallist Paul O’Donovan put in another stellar performance to secure the World Rowing Championship gold in the men’s lightweight sculls final, joseph cooley summed it up well:
What a man
Some 816 of you agreed.
The top 5 articles which received the most comments this week
1. Woman delivers letter ‘formally complimenting’ Sydney Rose to RTÉ (377 comments)
2. British group launches helpline for women in Ireland who buy abortion pills online (366 comments)
3. “You let me down” – Sydney Rose lifts lid on festival reaction to her abortion remarks (291 comments)
4. Nine new Educate Together schools opening this week only ‘scratching the surface’ (275 comments)
5. ‘I should have used both hands’: German minister defends giving neo-Nazi protesters the finger (236 comments)
Standout comments
Thousands of children started their first day at primary school this week.
TheBrain FromDublin shared his experience:
Dropped my 2nd youngest off this morning for her 1st day, she told my wife “mammy bring daddy home i`m ok, i think hes going to cry and make me look silly in the class” …i think the kids can handle it better then the parents, but daddy’s find it harder to let their little angels go :(
True that.
Nine new Educate Together schools opened during the week, leading Coles to write:
There really is nothing that gives more hope for the future than a new school.Very best of luck to the kids, parents and staff.
Speaking of education, more than 2,500 second round CAO offers were made on Thursday. Kerrie was one of the people who got good news:
I got no offer in the first round as I studied foundation maths, I woke up to an offer to study Arts- English & Law in Maynooth.
Congrats!
In other news, joseph cooley started off a musical tribute to Paul O’Donovan, with several others joining in. All together now…
Last weekend marked 30 years since Hurricane Charley, one of the worst storms in living memory, swept across the east coast of Ireland.
Fiona Fitzgerald shared this memory:
Hurricane Charley lived up to the forecast all right. I remember coming out of Nutgrove shopping centre after it picked up speed, and the field beside it was flooded, water pouring onto the paths. I couldn’t stand upright with the force of the gale, people were being blown into the traffic one by one, and a group of us spontaneously linked arms to get to the bus shelter in a chain. Walls blown down, branches flying past, it was some storm.
During the week, RTÉ aired the first episode of Keeping Ireland Alive: The health service in a day.
Filmed over 24 hours, on 31 May 2016, 75 cameras recorded what was happening at hospitals, clinics and mobile health units all over the country.
mickmc had this to say after watching the show:
After watch that program last night I was real thankful that my Family and I all have good health. Very challenging situations for a lot of people.
Yesterday marked the start of the 160th annual Lisdoonvarna Matchmaking Festival. Willie Daly spoke to us about how matchmaking has changed over the last 50 years.
Chewey Bacca quite liked one Daly’s quotes, commenting:
“If ya touch my magic book with both hands you’ll be in love and married in 6 months”Sometimes the best chat up lines are staring you in the face
Finally, we have to applaud Link‘s efforts under an article about growing red hot chilli peppers – the food, not the band.
Hold on One Hot Minute, you left out that they should never be left Under the Bridge and By the Way, I once heard that Mothers Milk will result in some Freaky Stylie Chili Peppers. I’ll get me coat. Ps. Watch out for Fleas. OK I’m done now.
Anthony Kiedis is proud of you.
See any good comments? Send them to orla@thejournal.ie.
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