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Gay Byrne inadvertently calls a woman after her daughter died

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Comments

  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3,689 ✭✭✭Kasabian


    Amazing how life can throw up such moments.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 24,878 ✭✭✭✭ Connor Gifted Weeknight


    cofy wrote: »
    I often tought of that woman and her family and wondered how they are? But it just goes to show that you just don't know what people are going through. A smile and salute may make the world of a difference to some one, it costs nothing.

    Plus one.

    I never heard of this one, and now I'm left thinking of the poor girl who was killed, her mother and the rest of her family and frends.

    God love them all.


  • Registered Users Posts: 5,818 ✭✭✭donvito99


    On Friday, I watched Jason Byrne attack an uncomfortable, wooden Ryan Tubridy on the now demising Late Late Show.

    Utter tripe. Gay Byrne dealt with that on live tv in a way that no one else could, with humility and reverance. Fair play to him.

    On a side note, would this have had anthing to do with Gay's stint a few years ago as head of the National Safety Council/RSA?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 24,878 ✭✭✭✭ Connor Gifted Weeknight


    Tbh I thought Gaybo made a bollox of that.

    Had he any co-op he'd have picked up the damned phone and had a chat to her instead of playing to an audience.

    I doubt he gave a toss.


  • Registered Users Posts: 27,939 ✭✭✭✭looksee


    whirlpool wrote: »
    Yeah, I've heard that that woman, who is most likely at LEAST aged 67 at this stage, frequents After Hours actually. :rolleyes:

    Look sonny, if you have a look around Boards you will find a good few people in her age group, just because you can't imagine being a half century older doesn't mean it won't happen.


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 16,658 ✭✭✭✭Peyton Manning


    I thought he handled it terribly too, the amount of detail he requested from her re: the death on live television was bloody excrutiating. Im sure he meant well, but "Was she killed instantly?"....really Gay!?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 11,583 ✭✭✭✭TheZohanS


    RIP Gaybo. Still can't believe he's gone.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 5,783 ✭✭✭Hank_Jones


    cannot_be_unseen.jpg


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,574 ✭✭✭whirlpool


    looksee wrote: »
    Look sonny, if you have a look around Boards you will find a good few people in her age group, just because you can't imagine being a half century older doesn't mean it won't happen.


    I was simply pointing out that it would be a massive coincidence if this lady so happened to be one of the over 67s in this country who browses Boards.ie AND browses After Hours AND saw this thread. But you personally think that those three things occurring is very likely, do you?

    Secondly, I happen to teach computers and social media to a class of over 65s, so congratulations on making a completely incorrect assumption about me.

    And calling me "sonny" isn't in the least bit patronising, whatsoever. Congratulations on that one.

    I truly hope you're not in the over-65s range yourself because I'm afraid your life wisdom hasn't served you particularly well in this case.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,574 ✭✭✭whirlpool


    Tbh I thought Gaybo made a bollox of that.

    Had he any co-op he'd have picked up the damned phone and had a chat to her instead of playing to an audience.

    I doubt he gave a toss.


    The woman went from feeling defensive ("are you being funny?") to feeling grateful ("thank you," etc) to even crying on the phone while a poem was read for her, to saying thank you after being told she had the support and prayers of the country, and feeling like she was doing something for her daughter by continuing with the phone call to win the car "for her." I'd say he handled it pretty damn well.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 1,817 ✭✭✭pebbles21


    Im sure Peter was at the "Tennis Club" at that hour of the night ;);)


  • Registered Users Posts: 27,939 ✭✭✭✭looksee


    whirlpool wrote: »
    I was simply pointing out that it would be a massive coincidence if this lady so happened to be one of the over 67s in this country who browses Boards.ie AND browses After Hours AND saw this thread. But you personally think that those three things occurring is very likely, do you?

    I took the roll-eyes to mean that you considered it staggeringly unlikely that anyone over sixty-whatever would be reading boards, whatever about the woman in question.
    Secondly, I happen to teach computers and social media to a class of over 65s, so congratulations on making a completely incorrect assumption about me.

    And I also teach computer subjects - to 20 year olds! Tho' I am not sure what assumptions I am supposed to have made or why that is relevant. :)
    And calling me "sonny" isn't in the least bit patronising, whatsoever. Congratulations on that one.

    The sonny was supposed to be a joke/dig at myself rather than you, as I am one of those you quote and might be expected to use that term. Yes I suppose it was a bit convoluted, I've been told I have a strange sense of humour.
    I truly hope you're not in the over-65s range yourself because I'm afraid your life wisdom hasn't served you particularly well in this case.

    Ooooh, *sharp intake of breath* I think you win!


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 10,898 ✭✭✭✭seanybiker


    I thought he handled it brutally in my opinion. Ask her does she want to carry on but asking about the details of the accident was stupid.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,491 ✭✭✭Yahew


    Tbh I thought Gaybo made a bollox of that.

    Had he any co-op he'd have picked up the damned phone and had a chat to her instead of playing to an audience.

    I doubt he gave a toss.

    It was clear he needed to put the call on speaker phone to allow the studio to hear. He could hardly have a private conversation on live TV.
    seanybiker wrote: »
    I thought he handled it brutally in my opinion. Ask her does she want to carry on but asking about the details of the accident was stupid.

    The other option was to hang up. He got it right.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 18,239 ✭✭✭✭WindSock


    The woman said she wanted to carry on, her daughter had sent in the card and she even said lots of little things like that had been happening since her death so it was obviously of some comfort to her.

    Gay came across as genuine and handled the whole thing very professionally instead of shutting down altogether and running away. I can't imagine how Pat would have reacted.

    It may come as a surprise but not everyone who is grieving wants to be quarantined in the 'don't even talk to them or ask' section. Had the woman not wanted to talk, she wouldn't have even come to the phone.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 554 ✭✭✭ThePower11


    WindSock wrote: »
    The woman said she wanted to carry on, her daughter had sent in the card and she even said lots of little things like that had been happening since her death so it was obviously of some comfort to her.

    Gay came across as genuine and handled the whole thing very professionally instead of shutting down altogether and running away. I can't imagine how Pat would have reacted.

    It may come as a surprise but not everyone who is grieving wants to be quarantined in the 'don't even talk to them or ask' section. Had the woman not wanted to talk, she wouldn't have even come to the phone.
    The nature of Gaybo's questioning was a bit insensitive in fairness, "was she killed instantly?", that's some question to ask.


  • Business & Finance Moderators, Entertainment Moderators Posts: 32,387 Mod ✭✭✭✭DeVore


    looksee wrote: »
    Look sonny, if you have a look around Boards you will find a good few people in her age group, just because you can't imagine being a half century older doesn't mean it won't happen.
    And has never been on the Oulwans and Aulfellas forum :)
    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=1480

    There are plenty if people 50+ on Boards. Our average age is in the 30s and we actually have a spike of users after 60!

    DeV.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3,972 ✭✭✭cofy


    ThePower11 wrote: »
    The nature of Gaybo's questioning was a bit insensitive in fairness, "was she killed instantly?", that's some question to ask.

    When someone dies suddenly even family members, first want to know if the person suffered, and hope and pray that they have not. It's the first question most people ask when told that someone has died in an accident.

    I think that Gay was probably the first person to speak to her in such a matter of a fact way (what had just happened was matter of fact). It just felt like to me that she appreciated this, as has been mentioned previously in the thread - most people just want to run away and not talk about it.

    When a person in this situation gets the chance to speak out loud, it sometimes helps to make sense of a senseless situation.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,692 ✭✭✭Loomis


    whirlpool wrote: »
    I remember that. And it was so awkward that I can't watch it again!


    Edit: I watched it after all. It wasn't so awkward, actually. It was touching.


    P.S. Did anybody else's heart stop for a second when the nun said "I don't believe in accidents?" My face: :eek: But then, my face: :)

    lol big time. And I think Gaybo's did too.
    But she'll pray for her, so that's ok. God killed her daughter but he made her win a competition so a nun would pray for her. And she gets to enjoy a car she can't drive in the meantime.
    /cynic

    Gaybo was brilliant. Can you imagine Pat Kenny in that position? :eek:


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,010 ✭✭✭ringadingding


    I have a feeling when he read the question, maybe he asked an easier question.

    There was no way he was going to ask a question if there was even the slightest chance she was going to get it wrong.

    I think, in hindsight he will have a couple of cringeworthy moments, but on the whole, being caught on the hop like that, I think he done really well.


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3,528 ✭✭✭foxyboxer


    Nowadays if something similar happened on the Late Late, you'd see Tubridy's body language tense up as the producers voice in his ear piece would be saying "time to wrap up the grieving mother, time for more quinn direct ad's..." :mad:


  • Registered Users Posts: 25,243 ✭✭✭✭Jesus Wept


    It reminds us how good a TV show host Gay Byrne was, that he was a consumate professional regardless of what happens. Nobody ever said that he did it on purpose, it just happened to be the luck of the draw. The woman was treated with the utmost respect by Gay, the guests and the audience.

    Did I watch a different clip to the rest of you?
    Gay Bryne doing his usual condensing stick which makes his attempted climb down to humility all the more awkward and cringey.

    Then: Let's all have a good pray and nothing is an accident.
    fml

    The only saving grace is Brendan kennelly
    Or that other string bean, Tubridy? I dont know how he'd jazz hands his way out of that one.

    I think he'd handle it a lot better.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 11,299 ✭✭✭✭later12


    The woman was treated with the utmost respect by Gay
    Serious?

    'Why did she die?"
    'Was she killed instantly?'

    He didn't even ask her, a grieving mother, whether she was comfortable with these intrusive questions about her dead daughter on live television.

    Granted, it would be difficult for any talk show host to act intelligently after having that conversation sprung on them, but I can't believe people actually think that GB handled that situation well.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,214 ✭✭✭wonton


    will people stop menting the "why did she die" thing, he obvioulsy meant "how did she die" which is a normal question to ask after hearing about someones death.


    I'm sure whether he handled it well or not, but I've cert


  • Registered Users Posts: 8,800 ✭✭✭Senna


    I think he could have handled that much better.
    He is bound to have talked with grieving families before and even through it was sprung on him, he looked like he switched his brain off. In my job i do meet with people who have lost a loved one only the day previous (they are booking funeral meals with me) and i wouldn't ask such stupid questions. You simply give you commiserations, maybe ask what age, married, how many family but that's it and after every answer you would commiserate again.
    But you dont ask "was she killed instantly", how he even thought to ask that is beyond me.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,285 ✭✭✭eoinf


    is anyone else a bit skeptical about the timing of this video raising its head again.

    its a badly kept secret that Gaybo is back touting for a job with RTE. I wouldn't be surprised if this was a plant to garnish a bit of public support for Gaybo.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,115 ✭✭✭Pdfile


    for this alone gaybo should be president, nobody has the integrity or class he has when to comes to PR politics, nobody presents them self's as well either, be it just speaking over the phone or representing a nation...


    just look at how he handled that minefeild... jesus.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,983 ✭✭✭Darksaga87


    The irony of it all. She won a car.


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 7,225 ✭✭✭Yitzhak Rabin


    The-Rigger wrote: »
    It reminds us how good a TV show host Gay Byrne was, that he was a consumate professional regardless of what happens. Nobody ever said that he did it on purpose, it just happened to be the luck of the draw. The woman was treated with the utmost respect by Gay, the guests and the audience.

    Did I watch a different clip to the rest of you?
    Gay Bryne doing his usual condensing stick which makes his attempted climb down to humility all the more awkward and cringey.

    Then: Let's all have a good pray and nothing is an accident.
    fml

    The only saving grace is Brendan kennelly
    Or that other string bean, Tubridy? I dont know how he'd jazz hands his way out of that one.

    I think he'd handle it a lot better.

    It may not be any consolation to someone of our generation, but to be fair that lady did seem to take solace from the fact that the country were praying for her daughter.


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3,761 ✭✭✭chucken1


    Tubridy had this piece on his show yesterday morning (Tue)

    I missed WHY he played it but..he played it. He left out the nun though.


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