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 …

So here are the standout comments from the week that was.

The 5 most popular comments this week

Dublin Says No Dublin Says No

1. beebop scooped the most popular comment this week, with this response to an Anti-Austerity Alliance councillor’s views on a water charge protest, getting 4,372 green thumbs.

“People have a right to breach security if they want” – eh no they don’t ya silly goose. If thats a right I’m exercising it and going in to the vault of my bank tomorrow. I’ll do it peacefully too

2. The story of Karen Buckley’s death was on the mind of a lot of people this week. 3,883 of you agreed with how Brian Fitzmaurice summed it all up:

Dreadful news. R.I.P. Thoughts are with her parents at this horrific time.

3. Following Eamonn Lillis’ release, 2,995 people thought Karen Mullen made a valid point about the length of prison sentences handed down for murder.

It takes longer to divorce someone in this country than to serve your time for killing them.

4. Before Karen Buckley’s body was found, Rachel Doyle Van Os still held out hope – as did another 2,826 of you.

What a nightmare for her family, can’t help but put myself in their shoes and feel part of their worry and devastation. Here’s hoping!!!

5. Some 2,629 of you approved of Julie Ann Lough‘s comment on the same story:

I live in Edinburgh and currently on the train to work in Glasgow for the first time since the news she was missing broke. I feel sick to my stomach thinking about what her parents are going through. As someone who’s lived abroad for ten years you worry about something happening to your parents while you’re away, you never think they may be worrying about the reverse. If anyone here knows of any groups meeting up to search or support her parents can you let me know.. She’ll be on my mind till she’s found.

The top 5 articles which received the most comments this week

1. Poll: How will you vote in the same-sex marriage referendum? (690 comments)

2. Breda O’Brien criticises Mary McAleese’s comments about same-sex marriage (555 comments)

3. Poll: Do you think a ‘conscience clause’ should be added to marriage equality legislation? (492 comments)

4. A massive same-sex marriage mural appeared overnight in Dublin city (461 comments)

5. Woman left bloodied after gardaí attempt to move anti-water charge protesters (421 comments)

Laughs of the week

Derek Mills deserves a round of applause. When he heard about Cadbury reducing the number of Fingers in a pack by two, he said:

Anyone who complains, they will give you the two fingers!

And another wahey! from Shane Walsh on hearing that a woman spent €650 on Joe Dolan’s hip bone.

What a waist of money!

Standout comments of the week

We had an amazing response to our Q&A session on parenting with child and adolescent psychotherapist Colman Noctor. Here’s just a sample of the questions asked and the support show.

Gwen Denny:

Since I’ve started minding children my little girl is very jealous and whiny and just seems sad all the time . I watch her in the school yard and she often is wandering around on her own but when I ask her is she lonely she says no . She often says no one cares about her and no one likes her which I know she is saying to hurt and believe me it breaks my heart. I love her with all my being and we need the money or I would give up minding the kids. I am so worried about her , she is only 5 and I have depression and anxiety and am absolutely petrified that I’m somehow rubbing off on her even though I try 200% to be happy around her and do stuff with her . She actually keeps me alive . Please please help so I don’t ruin her little life and get her to a confident little girl.

cníci replied:

Hi Gwen. I think if you work on boosting your own self confidence, in turn it will impact positively on your wee girl. Sounds like you are doing a great job. Children are great at making us feel guilty, sometimes we just have to be matter of fact with them, “mammy loves you very much and minding other people’s children is just a job”. Maybe you could work on a special project with your child, like making a family scrapbook/storybook or photo album that you can share together on your own time . Remember, today you are here and today you are doing your best! Lighten up on yourself because guilt can eat you up and you’ve nothing to feel guilty about. You’re a working mother, you should be proud of yourself and you are being a good role model for your child!

Dave J made some important observations about a recent video of a woman getting into trouble on Inis Mór.

Good work Seamus.
It was also very refreshing to see the person filming STOP filming as it appeared they tried to get over to help the girl. There are countless vids going around where people just continue standing there filming.

This is one of the most honest comments we’ve read in a long time about a sensitive topic. Thanks Róisin Connick.

I am fat. No if’s or but’s about it it.I have been fat since I was about seven. I can be a severe hoover when it comes to food. Stick it in front of me and I ‘ll more than likely eat it. I have no excuse as why my waist band expanded so much other than I’ve been greedy. I can admit that.Started making changes in January and the weight is slowly but surely going. It’s not as easy to burn those pounds as it is to put them on but you keep going.People are to cushioned (excuse the pun) these days, protected by a world that is making it ok to be fat and unhealthy. We rant and rave about these ‘skinny’ models but think its ok to have women who can be in the obesity range modelling letting us know its ok to have this body well it’s not.Your weight affects more than just yourself, you will slowly but surely begin getting the diet related sickness that will put a strain on an already exhausted health care system. Your kids, they see your diet they eat the crap you do and this affects their health and their life. Those diseases (heart issues) can lead to premauture death and that will affect those around you. You need to take responsibility for your health because no body else can do that for you.Small changes over time, diet exercise. Junk food is not the devil just limit your intake. We need to stop ‘protecting’ people when it is in fact making the situation a whole lot worse.Being fat and unhealthy is not ok.

Finally, these were the only five comments on Tuesday’s Evening Fix. Thanks MaryLou and 2Billion.

With contribution by Órla Ryan

See any good comments? Send them on to sinead@thejournal.ie