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ALRIGHT, ALRIGHT — BEFORE you even start reading this article, we concede that of course there are far more serious things to be talking about, and that perhaps the last thing we need in the Irish media is another article about Garth Brooks.
For instance, if you want to catch up on the latest international headlines you can always click to that section of our site. And for the latest science and technology news — yes, we have that covered too.
That said, this piece didn’t take that long to write, and well, you clicked on it — so really you’ve only yourself to blame for reading this far.
Last chance to leave the Garth Brooks article!!! Click here.
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Right.
We did the counting so you didn’t have to — and it turns out that, starting from 3 July, when Dublin City Council first announced that it would only grant permission for three of the five planned concerts by the country star, there were 103 individual mentions of Garth Brooks’ full name.
That’s across the Dáil, the Seanad and the various Oireachtas committees — and includes everything from off-the-cuff, off-subject interruptions like these….
…to the committee hearings later in the month at which representatives from Dublin City Council, Aiken Promotions and the GAA appeared to provide their accounts of the debácle.
The singer made cameo appearances in all sorts of places (insert your own Garth-based pun here), including debates on a number of important pieces of legislation, like these:
The National Treasury Management Bill 2014.
In fairness, Fine Gael’s Michael D’Arcy was trying to draw attention to something entirely different when he uttered the be-hatted superstar’s name…
There are 75,000 people in employment today who were not working this time last year. I am always amazed why there is not more comment about this wonderful news story, particularly when people can discuss Garth Brooks incessantly for almost two weeks.
- 15 July.
The Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland Bill 2014: Second Stage
Independent TD Maureen O’Sullivan making a similar point…
I wonder what it is doing for our international reputation that the national Parliament on several days this week has discussed Garth Brooks at a time when there is a homelessness crisis in the country and there are international incidents such as that referred to in Gaza and the abduction of hundreds of girls by Boko Haram in Nigeria because they want an education.
- 10 July.
Employment Permits (Amendment) Bill 2014: Second Stage
I agree with Senator White about the Garth Brooks debacle but I do not think he was refused a visa to come to this country.
- John Kelly, Labour, 9 July… Click here for the full context.
Before we finish (and you get back to the real news) TheJournal.ie’s award for ‘Most Cringeworthy’ Mention of Garth Brooks in the Houses of the Oireachtas (2014 Edition)’ goes to Senator Catherine Noone of Fine Gael…
Yesterday was a bad day for Dublin, particularly, I suppose, if one was a Brazilian Garth Brooks fan. Not to be flippant about it in any sense, Mr. Brooks followed through on his threat to cancel all five concerts and it is a considerable blow to the Dublin economy.- 9 July.
PA Wire/Press Association Images
It’s wouldn’t have been a bad joke (if not a particularly original one) — if only she’d committed: it’s never a good idea to say something flippant and follow it up with “not to be flippant”.
It’s the first rule of comedy.
Probably.
Usually in an economic crisis countries resort to economic protectionism and barriers to free trade. Thankfully we’ve learned from the past and are instead seeing free trade as one of the many routes to recovery. Fair play to Obama, ain’t no way in hell Mitt Romney would have touched this idea.
Let’s hope we can use our presidency to advance these talks. We’ve everything to gain in the way of foreign direct investment and jobs.
the federal reserve runs america not the president so it wouldnt have made a difference whether its obama or romney.
If you want to learn from the past, maybe you should take a look at the mess that NAFTA made of the Mexican economy.
@limofax nafta also destroyed the US economy as mexican truck drivers undercut americans.US companies now outsource manufacturing to mexico as its cheaper & pay no import duties on goods.free trade is all about the big boys maximising profits.its the little guy that suffers with job losses.
The damage to Mexican farmers is down to US subsidies to the corn industry, not to the free trade policy itself.
and overall NAFTA has been of benefit to the Mexican economy.
Wrong on both counts. You need to Google it a bit harder than that.
Mexico’s economy is booming. GDP growth of 4% last year and rising.
Another step towards a one world government ? US, Canada & Mexico linked in the AMERO & Europe linked in the Euro & now the US & Europe will be linked so when the next crisis happens the talks will be about lets link the Euro & AMERO to create jobs & growth ? ? ! !
The ‘invisible hand’ as introduced by Adams into Economics will be used to line more pockets for the rich from the hard work of the middle and lower classes.
Can you imagine if people made these comments when free trade in the EU was first proposed?
Thank God TheJournal wasn’t around back then, Europe would still be at war.
Oh I contradicted your faith in greed just as I’m contradicting your belief in supernatural superstitions now. This god of your was created as another control mechanism for the workforce. A better life in the next one. Don’t make me laugh :)
I don’t think David that there is anything wrong with being very cautious about any new agreements. However, blind optimism is just plain stupid. A deal will only be a good deal if its a great deal for our citizens. Anything which would further drive down wages or allow multinationals to lay waste to our SME sector or independent retailers would be a disaster.
Well look, you go close the borders while I get my coat.
There’s no future in this country without free trade.
They once told us a country couldn’t survive without free trade in men, women and children of the same skin colour as the lad in the pic. Don’t take everything you learn in Trinners as a student mate as gospel mate. Been there. Done that ;)
I never mentioned closing the borders. I was talking about a good deal for our citizens. David, you could save yourself and FG any further daily embarrassment by not commenting on anything at all. I’d nearly believe that the reason FF polled higher than FG on Monday is down to your mutterings on here. If you’re the future of FG, then we all need to get our coats. Gullibility is not something to shout about.
Oh he’s a blueshirt. They’ve always been all about expansion. I should have known better and realised his was a party political broadcast.
Watch the US government pushing GM sh1t on Europe with Monsanto nudging them along. They’ve screwed up farming and food over there. Soon you’ll hear how GMO will help our agri industry prosper…. NO NO NO!!!!!!
Free trade will benefit the whole world. This is great news.
American’s eat GM food with no adverse effects to their health or environment. I would like to have the option of buying cheaper food. What if there’s a global famine in 50 years or so. I want food security for our grandchildren’s generation. Let the anti GM people starve and gather wild berries. The rest of us can eat crops.
Is that why the EU has banned some of Monsanto chemicals because it stops bees from collecting pollen & is killing them off ?
Have you not seen the studies on the rats that eat only Monsanto sprayed chemical food ?
Food security ? Tell the EU to stop putting a cap on what can be used, like their law trying to make bananas more straight or odd shaped fruit being banned ?
Be prepared to see SOPA or ACTA like proposals being made core parts of this agreement. They have done it before with Canada.
Roll on the NWO
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