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 Scottish referendum, the return of the Dáil and, surprise, water charges.
So here are the standout comments from the week that was.
The 5 most popular comments this week
1. Another video of a beheading by the Islamic State militants angered many people last Sunday, including Harry Byrne and the 3,037 who gave him a green thumb.
Fcking animals….I’m not pro war but these basturds don’t deserve a square inch of this planet
2. Is there always something to be said for a second referendum? Politics jokes with Greg Ward. 2,796 of you appreciated this one after the Scottish vote.
Maybe they should take the Irish government approach; “Ah now lads. Ye obviously didn’t understand the question. So we’ll ask you again…. And let’s get the right answer this time….”
3. Daphne Duck wasn’t impressed with Micheál Martin’s hopes of becoming the next Taoiseach. Neither were 1,855 of you.
That’s the first good laugh of the day done and dusted!
4. beachcomber is taking no rubbish from his relatives. This comment was made after some seniors revealed theirs were demanding inheritances – before their deaths. That one got 1,780 thumbs up.
5. Anto Clogher got in with the first comment about the lad or lady who won €87 million last night, getting 1,726 thumbs up and making us all laugh.
Lord jaysus if I won that much I’d just go mental and turn on all the taps or something. Shove your water charges… I’m a multi-millionaire!!!! Probably buy a new car too.
5. The top 5 articles which received the most comments this week
1. “He was a hero” – Condemnation after Islamic State beheads British hostage (368 comments)
2. Poll: If an election was held tomorrow, who would you vote for? (327 comments)
3. Here’s what the Taoiseach has to say about Irish Water and your PPS number (304 comments)
4. United Kingdom: Scotland votes No and rejects independence (255 comments)
5. Joan Burton: Vote Sinn Féin in and we might as well give the country back to the Troika (229 comments)
The big issue this week
Adrian De Cleir sets out some interesting views on the No vote in Scotland.
I’m disappointed as well but look on the bright side.1. It’s unfair to brand all the no voters as afraid and old fashioned. Many love the UK and they would have been equally as devasted.2. Salmond originally wanted an option of more powers to be included in the referendum. But Westminster said no. Now he’s getting them by default, they would have taken this situation 2 years ago.
3 . from a selfish perspective, Scotland would have been tough competition economically , perhaps it wouldn’t have affected us, it may even have been benefited us. But the fact remains we were are still the only cheap tax English speaking country in the EU.
4. This whole referendum and subsequent no vote has made me feel a little prouder to be Irish and living in an independent country, and one of the first to have to fight successfully for that. We can moan about EU all we like but the fact remains we enjoy our own sovereignty where we get to choose our laws and economic decisions and spending.
Joke of the week
This one did the rounds, but I love my country still got 1,485 green thumbs for it. Fair play.
Apple literally bringing a whole new meaning to the term ‘Pro Bono’
Some of our favourite comments
The Glinsk community in Galway came together to ensure Seán Parker is buried on home soil. Ger Grady-Reilly had some insight into the man’s life.
My Granny is the woman who took care of his dog Terry . I remember as a child hearing stories from Granny about the Parkers.
She always worried about little Sean .
What a very sad and tragic story. Everyone in Glinsk is very touched by this . A brilliant community , who always look after everyone .
He will get a good homecoming .
RIP Sean
The Voices section started a discussion on anorexia this week and Jenster shared the devastating story of her oldest friend.
My oldest friend started showing signs of anorexia when she was 14. It took hold and remained with her for the duration of her short life. She sadly passed away when she was 28 from heart failure. It was so tragic to watch a young, beautiful, intelligent & talented young woman become a complete shadow of her formal self. At the time there were only 3 beds in the county dedicated to eating disorders. She had one of them. Like all mental illness, more needs to be done to help people in this situation.
Thankfully death from anorexia is rare… But I knew looking at her, even in the earlier years that it would get her in the end. There isn’t a day that goes by where I don’t think of her. She was a straight A student, brilliant at sport and music but put huge pressure on herself. This was where it seemed to start. She once opened up about it when she was around 18. She said she longed sometimes to eat and she could hear a ‘grinch’ type voice say ‘No, No’. She was taunted by it. By the time she died, she weighed 3.5 stone and would have fit in a child’s coffin. She morphed almost into a child like state. It was devastating to watch. From the sounds of it, she was one of the more extreme cases. There is far too much focus in the media nowadays on ‘skinny’. It’s not completely to blame, but it doesn’t help. So much focus is put on a healthy body. But without a healthy mind, it’s a waste. You need both. RIP
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