Pat Kenny much like his colleague Ryan Tubridy is really uncomfortable talking about lesbian and gay issues, never mind those of gender identity. However this unease does not stop his brain working overtime.
This morning while discussing Peter Robinson’s statement on his wife’s affair, Pat speculated that some aggrieved gay person was out to get Iris for her remarks on homosexuality and hence why the story was broken. Himself and Eamon Mallie then went on to talk about the hatred for Iris from gays and others. Cough, her own ire for us didn’t get much of a look in. Lovely woman seemingly if very unpopular everywhere.
I’m still laughing here at the thoughts of a gay man being so conniving – you give the gays far too much credit Pat? And of course it’s a convenient air time filler while you and everyone else wait for the Spotlight programme to go ahead. It wasn’t a gay man that Iris was having an affair with, and allegedly getting people to give money to was it?
Update:
11.15 Pat returns to ‘the gays’ and Iris and interiews Samuel Marr about his documentary, Mise an tUafás, trying to interview Iris Robinson about her comments about homosexuality. Pat wonders if ‘the gays’ are ‘too touchy’ on the subject.
Pat started his working life teaching housepainters at technical college in Dublin, or so I’m led to believe. It may have been in the days when there was still lead in paint. QED.
One more thought. The TUV are more likely candidates maybe. Though the stage management involved suggests that the whole episode has been engineered by the Robinsons and the DUP.
LOL!!
While I do empathise on the case of someone with mental health issues, her ‘undoing’does not surprise me that much. (There have been such instances in the USA where you’ve seen certain rightwing/God-fearing public figures been caught in a lie.)
Combined with Pat’s conspiracy theory on some sort of gay retribution squad, the whole episode might have been caused by that devious gay icon, Stewie Griffin… so says the guy watching a Family Guy box set!
There were questions raised on the expenses claims of both Peter and Iris Robinson…earlier last year. There may be more to come out either on that or with grant/ business funding for the friend Iris was “helping” I would not put it past some closet gay person who was close to the Robinsons to have leaked this one at all…or someone else with sympathy for gay people.
Ah, the “Swish Family Robinson”- here’s a few thoughts and suggestions based on too much experience of dealing with the DUP and their manipulations over the years in the North:
If I were caught between the unrelenting nature of free presbyterian fundamentalism and the ire of a man like Peter Robinson I might have a few mental health problems too.
I can rememember when Iris was first elected with a massive majority, greater than her husband’s had ever been, his response when interviewed on tv about her acheivement was not that of a loving husband proud of his wife’s victory, but a peevish ” well, I got a greater percentage of the vote.” There are also a few ( now retired staff) from Dundonald hospital who might be able to provide another perspective on that marriage.
Let’s see, Peter knew about the affair and the suicide attempt 9mths ago, but he chooses now to make known his anguish ( not to mention his forgiving nature).. timing is everything when you and your spouse’s financial dealings have been the subject of scrutiny for the best part of a year now. Both Robinson’s were mentioned in the Westminister allowances fiasco last year too. But I think Peter is throwing Iris to the hounds to deflect from his own position.
And as for Iris, I do have some sympathy but not much,mainly because homophobic bigotry aside, she is nowhere near as vicious and conniving as her cuckolded spouse- he’s just much better at getting away with it. But perhaps there is a biblical theme to all of this.. “what ye reap so shall ye sow”.
PK is a knob. Thanks for reminding us. Living away I’d forgotten the bizarre links that guy can make for the sake of a bit of “titillation”. Knob.
As a point of accuracy – I believe the Robinsons are members of the Metropolitan Tabernacle in Belfast (http://www.whitewell.com/church/) who are Pentecostal Evangelists – a branch of the Elim Pentecostal Church founded by a Welshman in Monaghan (typical bloody brits eh?) – so they probably have more in common with Baptists than Presbyterians. But – you know me and religion Suze, red rag to a heifer.
Ach, I think they are both dreadful, but I would agree that I see Iris as more the victim in that marriage than the transgressor. I take no pleasure in seeing anyone’s descent into poor mental health – and it was obvious she had that when she started spouting about curing queers I’m afraid.
I’ve put a suggestion up on Facebook which I pass on here. Someone from the North of Ireland might set up a Facebook petition page entitled ‘Justice for the Robinsons. We demand to see the BBC’s accusations.’ After all if the Spotlight programmes is pulled there will always be doubts about the R’s probity and that’s just not fair. They should have the chance to know what is being said and to defend themselves, if possible.
I managed to feel a level of sympathy for Iris right until I found out this bloke was 19 at the time of the affair. This women, who denounced homosexuality as ‘viler’ than paedophilia, was carrying on with a teenager. Ok, he was an adult. He probably knew what he was doing. I’m not saying it was vile, but it sure as hell was creepy.
Her statement, purporting not to use mental health issues as an excuse while blatantly doing so, was irresponsible in the extreme. (Incidentally Pat, wasn’t just gay people who were angered by her comments. They were intolerable whatever your sexual orientation.)
And I suppose if Mrs Robinson had called catholics an “abomination” it would just be laughed off as “touchy?”
The problem with Robinson’s comments was that they were an incite to hatred and violence, a justification for continuing persecution, never mind discrimination, and the product of a malicious and malevolent thought process that knew full well where the consequences of those remarks would take her.
I really do hope she has learned something and is learning right now.
The sad fact is though even though Peter Robinson is odious and creepy, there is far worse waiting in the wing should he be forced to resign as leader.
On the other hand, its at last removed any last vestiage of moral superiority that DUP insinuated they had. No wonder they are meekly chattering away to the Shinners at present. They haven’t a leg to stand on.
Oh bring back Ken McGuinness, from the days when unionists at least had a little dignity.
Laura – this won’t remove moral superiority from the DUP. Not a word from Ian Snr (now givne the antics of Ian jnr maybe he feels he can’t) but Jeffrey, Nigel and co will be up on their high horses soon enough.
The things that haunted me from last night – Did Peter Robinson leave Iris at home having attempted suicide and not call medical help and wait for it to arrive? And the image of Peter shouting instructions to Iris while she was on the phone to Selwyn..
And please no Ken McGuiness…save us please.