“When are we going to have a voice?” said the commenter with a disability on my YouTube channel. In his comment under my video about freedom of speech/expression in Irish law he refers to himself being “an Irish disabled man living in my own country” and “other people with different backgrounds like L.G.B.T+ their own… Continue reading This Irish disabled man has more in common with L.G.B.T. community and foreigners than he thinks
Category: Society
Vera Pauw’s half time talk
After the ladies World Cup match the other day in which Australia, the host country, narrowly defeated Ireland by one goal to nil I listened carefully to what Vera Pauw said on the six one news. She said that she told her girls at half time that the match would be won and lost by… Continue reading Vera Pauw’s half time talk
The problem with information nowadays
The problem with information nowadays is not that there is no, or insufficient, information. There is plenty of it. More than any person has ever experienced in the lived experience of a human being. No, the problem now is being able to figure out which information is worth paying attention to and which is best… Continue reading The problem with information nowadays
Dáil committees blow their Perry Mason moment
And so, we have had the spectacle of the Dáil committees questioning Tubridy, Kelly, and RTE management over the last couple of weeks. Members of these committees had their Perry Mason and Rumpole of the Bailey opportunities and cast them aside like mob bosses at a strip club. Playing to the gallery-that is, their parish,… Continue reading Dáil committees blow their Perry Mason moment
Going to Croke Park again
I was in Croke Park again yesterday for the first time in years. Most of my summers as a young man were spent going to Croke Park and I was lucky enough to play there for Kildare minors in the Leinster championship in 1980 when we lost in the final. Many years after that involved… Continue reading Going to Croke Park again
What did Marty Morrissey do wrong?
My first reaction when I heard the Marty Morrissey “controversy” broke was “say it ain’t so, Joe”. My second reaction was one of puzzlement about the alleged wrong of which Mary Morrissey is accused, and which has prompted howls of outrage from many quarters in Irish society. According to Morrissey he did 7 unpaid gigs… Continue reading What did Marty Morrissey do wrong?
Having an opinion as a citizen
I have made a great deal of videos about Irish law and business, which can be found on my YouTube channel. They have been instrumental in helping me grow my solicitor’s practice. But I also enjoy making the videos and they have allowed me to build a tribe or audience. I have over 20,000 YouTube… Continue reading Having an opinion as a citizen
What this great con artist can teach you about negotiations
Victor Lustig was one of the great con artists of the 20th century. He managed to sell the Eiffel Tower not once, but twice, to two different sets of investors. He identified 10 steps to being a great con artist. And one of the most important was the ability to listen. He claimed, rightly, that… Continue reading What this great con artist can teach you about negotiations
“Why do you turn off comments on some of your videos?”
“Why do you turn off comments on some of your videos?” is a question that popped up on my TikTok account recently. I had made a video about some of the misunderstandings surrounding the so-called “undocumented” asylum seekers coming to Ireland. The video is here if you care to take a look: “Let’s talk about… Continue reading “Why do you turn off comments on some of your videos?”
The stunning cynicism of Donald Trump and the so-called culture wars
I came across a video on YouTube last week called “Donald Trump just admitted what the GOP’s anti-trans agenda is all about”. The video shows how Trump, and other politicians, discovered that there are certain hot button topics which will incite and energise voters more than more noble, worthy causes. And if you are cynical… Continue reading The stunning cynicism of Donald Trump and the so-called culture wars