Fintan O'Toole

ragg

What an arsehole

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/opinion/2009/1103/1224257961995.html

The only thing worse then a self loathing Irishman, is a self loathing irishman with an audience.

Jesus Wept

The clue is in his name.

orourkeda

He's right. It's not his fault that people are Jedward loving x factor junkies.

FunkZ

The-Rigger wrote: »

The clue is in his name.

Fintan is such a **** name.

ragg

I agree, Fintan is such a steamers name

stovelid

He's being unnecessarily cruel.

In the absence of a decent health support network, we should always support Irish children with special needs. The fact that, in this case, twins are afflicted should make them doubly deserving of attention and specialist care.

mink_man

leprechaun name

Jesus Wept

stovelid wrote: »

He's being unnecessarily cruel.

In the absence of a decent health support network, we should always support Irish children with special needs. The fact that, in this case, twins are afflicted should make them doubly deserving of attention and specialist care.

Please stay on topic - his name.

stovelid

The-Rigger wrote: »

Please stay on topic - his name.

Sorry:

Fintan is being unnecessarily cruel.

In the absence of a decent health support network, we should always support Irish children with special needs. The fact that, in this case, twins are afflicted should make them doubly deserving of attention and specialist care.

Cupcake_Crisis

His name made me giggle

Joey the lips

The irish times and fintan o toole.... not worth the conversation afik!



#oh the irony!

markesmith

He's right on the money, if you ask me. The X Factor is a joke show for idiots, and the way that Louis Walsh claps and dances whenever they're on, it's like Satan getting excited at the birth of Hitler.

Maybe I should take it over to Ranting & Raving?

stovelid

markesmith wrote: »

and the way that Louis Walsh claps and dances whenever they're on.

He'll be getting two meat for the price of one when the time comes to earn negotiate their contract.

Hence the excitement.

niceirishfella

stovelid wrote: »

He'll be getting two meat for the price of one when the time comes to earn negotiate their contract.

Hence the excitement.

nahhhh, its just showbiz.

irish_bob

if he,d limit commentary to showbiz , i might get to like the guy

FlutterinBantam

markesmith wrote: »

He's right on the money, if you ask me. The X Factor is a joke show for idiots, and the way that Louis Walsh claps and dances whenever they're on, it's like Satan getting excited at the birth of Hitler.

Maybe I should take it over to Ranting & Raving?

Spot on there marcus,and the bovine punters who lap it up, and fail to see the whole fooking thing is set up to generate talking points amongst those whose level of discourse never strays from tabloidal headlines.

The talentless performers these types of shows have spawned, the "presenters" who achieve fame are nothing but street wise cnunts who know how to turn a bob or two and make themselves very very rich because of the public's stupidity.


Never fails to amaze me.

sceptre

Ignoring the occasional thesaurus masturbation in the article, he's got a few good points in there.

What was the criticism of the article then? That he doesn't like that tone-deaf pair? That he reckons that self-praise is no praise and that this recent praise for the sake of it is worth even less? That it's our fault that these guys think they have talent as well as being our fault that they're still there, regardless of their lack of it? Or that he's poking fun at the Celtic Tiger, latterly built on quicksand?

Or is it just that his name is Fintan and that he writes for a proddy paper?

PirateShampoo

It will all end in tears when Louis gets one of them Pregnant.

Zebra3

Wtf is X-factor?

AnonoBoy

I'm glad I've never seen these two twin yokes on the telly. They look like people who got beaten up a lot at school.

markesmith

Wasn't ragg (the OP) recently outed as an Indo "journalist"?
</devilsadvocate>

fricatus

enniscorthy wrote: »

i say SET THE WOLFE TONES ON HIM hahahahaha see how he likes that oh he would wet himself what a little girly hehe little poncey hahahha my little pony they should call him hahah hey what about polly pocket hehehe what u all think:p

Y'okay there boss? Mind now, your knuckles will get all scratched there... here, let me wipe that drool off your chin...

Johnny Utah

The X factor and all other similar reality television are merely a speck of sh1t on the toilet bowl of society. I wish somebody would flush them away!

niceirishfella

PirateShampoo wrote: »

It will all end in tears when Louis gets one of them Pregnant.

:eek:

FlutterinBantam

Johnny Utah wrote: »

The X factor and all other similar reality television are merely a speck of sh1t on the toilet bowl of society. I wish somebody would flush them away!

Hmm..... big dollop of ripe scutther I'd be more inclined to say John.

stovelid

PirateShampoo wrote: »

It will all end in tears when Louis gets one of them Pregnant.

Don't be worrying.

Up the mucker spells no babies.

BarryM

This thread is interesting, it was obviously started by someone who watches X-f, and who has probably never read FO'T or doesn't read him regularly. F is one of the very few people in the meja who has stuck to his guns for ever on the theme of how we cod ourselves into believing what we read/hear/see without questioning. He started a long time ago with Larry Goodman and Charles J and the beef business, remember that, CJH bull****ting on about how it was to become the industrial future of Ireland? F continued to pursue Goodman et al and then the Bovalers, and so on. Has any other journo kept up the pressure?

He is right about being codded by x-f; it used to be called 'bread and circuses' keeping the peasants occupied, it is now joined by (British) football, gaa, and much else as a means of keeping their minds off the reality. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying sport is bad, just the (over) emphasis.....

Bye, Barry

Executive Steve

I'd imagine that anyone who can find fault with Fintan's article is probably the sort of mouth breathing troglodyte who texts in "votes" for these cretins every week.


How on earth is loathing vulgarity the mark of a "self hating Irishman"?

Pherekydes

markesmith wrote: »

Wasn't ragg (the OP) recently outed as an Indo "journalist"?

Let's review the evidence:

ragg wrote: »

What an arsehole

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/opinion/2009/1103/1224257961995.html

The only thing worse then a self loathing Irishman, is a self loathing irishman with an audience.

Surely the Indo's standards are higher then [sic] this?

sceptre

[cm]tyranny wrote: »

How on earth is loathing vulgarity the mark of a "self hating Irishman"?

There's a certain view out there that we should support everything that's Irish, merely by virtue of it being Irish.

Also, we're supposed to get one over on the government at all times (especially if that involves tax evasion), take any opportunity to criticise the UK and those feckless Yanks and of course castigate everyone that doesn't by calling them west brits and probably also implying that they're gay. It worked in the schoolyard so why not now. Oh yes, and skew Internet polls so that Daniel O'Donnell gets voted the greatest living Frenchman, the cliffs of Moher get voted bigger than the moon and we can all become king of the travellers. Just as long as we're noticed.

We're a young country. At times, a young teenage country. But only bits of us. A few slaps around the head and that pituitary gland will start churning out the good stuff. Then we're sucking diesel. Apparently. Because that's what we'd really like to be doing. But in the meantime we can get great joy out of acting pubescent and wondering with wide innocent eyes why the Germans are suspicious of us with their money. Boo yah! Take it in the eye, people with some element of taste!

<sigh>

stovelid

Pherekydes wrote: »

Let's review the evidence:
Surely the Indo's standards are higher then [sic] this?

But the user name is rag(g).

Incontrovertible, really.

coolbeans

enniscorthy wrote: »

fintan o'toole oh he is a disaster an embarassment a disgrace a little battie boy heheheheheh writing for the west british times what more could you expect from this garbage?????

i say SET THE WOLFE TONES ON HIM hahahahaha see how he likes that oh he would wet himself what a little girly hehe little poncey hahahha my little pony they should call him hahah hey what about polly pocket hehehe what u all think:p

ooh ahh up the ra:p:p:D hehehehehehehahahahahahohohoho:cool:

I wouldn't be laughing at anyone if I were you, you're barely literate.

enniscorthy

coolbeans wrote: »

I wouldn't be laughing at anyone if I were you, you're barely literate.

get a haircut you hippy :mad::mad:

TheZohanS

coolbeans wrote: »

I wouldn't be laughing at anyone if I were you, you're barely literate.

enniscorthy wrote: »

get a haircut you hippy :mad::mad:

Stop bickering!

Executive Steve

sceptre wrote: »

There's a certain view out there that we should support everything that's Irish, merely by virtue of it being Irish.

Also, we're supposed to get one over on the government at all times (especially if that involves tax evasion), take any opportunity to criticise the UK and those feckless Yanks and of course castigate everyone that doesn't by calling them west brits and probably also implying that they're gay. It worked in the schoolyard so why not now. Oh yes, and skew Internet polls so that Daniel O'Donnell gets voted the greatest living Frenchman, the cliffs of Moher get voted bigger than the moon and we can all become king of the travellers. Just as long as we're noticed.

We're a young country. At times, a young teenage country. But only bits of us. A few slaps around the head and that pituitary gland will start churning out the good stuff. Then we're sucking diesel. Apparently. Because that's what we'd really like to be doing. But in the meantime we can get great joy out of acting pubescent and wondering with wide innocent eyes why the Germans are suspicious of us with their money. Boo yah! Take it in the eye, people with some element of taste!

<sigh>

Great post - although I suspect that our ambivalence about laws has deeper roots in our past as a colony too.

Also - "boards" != "ireland" by a long shot, although the vast majority of the opinions expressed on here may very well be echoed by many who aren't members here I doubt whether many of the views are one encounters on here are as prevalent in the "non boards" sections of Irish society.

Calling one of Ireland's more perceptive cultural analysts a "self hating" Irishman all because of his opinion of a couple of contestants on a foreign gameshow is still bonkers, no matter which way you dress it up.

Executive Steve

Pherekydes wrote: »

Let's review the evidence:



Surely the Indo's standards are higher then [sic] this?

You'd think that, wouldn't you?

enniscorthy

TheZohan wrote: »

Stop bickering!

hiya mate just saying cant believe this little blow in from the cycling forums (heheheheh cyclin forum hahahahaha good1) who doesnt even post in AH would come in here to my fan club and humiliate and embarass me in front of all my friends family fans :mad::mad::mad:

genericguy

enniscorthy wrote: »

hiya mate just saying cant believe this little blow in from the cycling forums (heheheheh cyclin forum hahahahaha good1) who doesnt even post in AH would come in here to my fan club and humiliate and embarass me in front of all my friends family fans :mad::mad::mad:

-1

enniscorthy

genericguy wrote: »

-1

WHO IS THIS:mad::mad::mad:

walshb

He mentions no discernible talent? That didn't stop many many "artists and entertainers" in the past. Holy sh!t, Mary Coughlan is classed as a singer, Ronnie Drew is classed as a singer. The list goes on and on.
Bono is classed as a singer.

The lads are 18, having a bit of craic, enjoying themselves and putting on a show.
They IMO do have talent. They entertain. Not great singers, but they get by and are better than some so called singers out there.

Pure begrudging attitude. They are Irish, and wouldn't it be some ****ing skit if they pulled this off?

Seriously, I'd rather see them win it than some of the other bores in the show.

TheZohanS

enniscorthy wrote: »

hiya mate just saying cant believe this little blow in from the cycling forums (heheheheh cyclin forum hahahahaha good1) who doesnt even post in AH would come in here to my fan club and humiliate and embarass me in front of all my friends family fans :mad::mad::mad:

Infracted.

Dudess

walshb wrote: »

Pure begrudging attitude.

There's a difference between thinking someone's sh1te and irritating... and begrudging them success.
If John and Edward ended up on the bingo hall circuit (and there's a good chance they could) I personally would still consider them sh1te and irritating.

And I seriously, seriously doubt Fintan O'Toole begrudges them...

Fratton Fred

Fintan O'Toole wrote:

As Simon Cowell, one of the talent show judges, puts it: “They are completely deluded and they live in a fantasy world, but they’re lovely.”

Who better to embody the nation we have been?

I LOL'd

runs off to hide somewhere safe and warm

walshb

Dudess wrote: »

There's a difference between thinking someone's sh1te and irritating... and begrudging them success.
If John and Edward ended up on the bingo hall circuit (and there's a good chance they could) I personally would still consider them sh1te and irritating.

And I seriously, seriously doubt Fintan O'Toole begrudges them...

Yeh, maybe he doesn't begrudge them, but he's obviously a poor judge of talent, IMO.

Folks seem to be forgetting that the show is more than just a singing competition.

The lads put on a hell of an energetic performance. I'd personally rather watch and listen to their act than any of the others this year. All the acts have talent, jeez, to get up there and do what they do takes guts and talent. I am not saying they are the next Beatles or Queen, but they do have talent.

The twins are also IMO far more likable and endearing than the others

Dudess

walshb wrote: »

but he's obviously a poor judge of talent, IMO.

He obviously isn't, IMO. In fairness, he said they have a lack of "discernible" talent, implying there's possibly some there but he personally just can't see it.

walshb

Dudess wrote: »

He obviously isn't, IMO. In fairness, he said they have a lack of "discernible" talent, implying there's possibly some there but he personally just can't see it.

Well then, he needs to go to specsavers!

CliffHuxtabel

I think Fintan O'Toole thinks too much about Jedward

ascanbe

I think people are entirely missing the point of this article; it has very little to do with the x-factor twins and everything to do with 'Celtic Tiger' Ireland.
And it's pretty much spot on.

sceptre

[cm]tyranny wrote: »

Great post - although I suspect that our ambivalence about laws has deeper roots in our past as a colony too.

Yes indeed, I think you're on the nose as to why and when there.

sceptre

walshb wrote: »

Pure begrudging attitude. They are Irish, and wouldn't it be some ****ing skit if they pulled this off?

You mean, like funny? For some reason I'm reminded of that Muppets exchange between Statler and Warldorf:
"He was doing all right till he fell off the stage"
"No, he was doing all right till he got on the stage"

Personally, my disdain finds their Irishness or non-Irishness irrelevant. I'd rather see other people with more talent stay in place of the pair of pseudo-comedians. And there are plenty of them, they've been voting them off for a few weeks now. The tone-deaf pair would still be eligible to do their comedy routine in Britain's Got Talent or whatever our equivalent is. Just like Stavros Flatley, who at least understood that his act was entertaining because it was funny.

And ascanbe's right, he's really writing about the Celtic Tiger. Which is all of us and all that jazz.

coolbeans

I have a problem with "Jedward" because they're ****, pure and simple. What's more Irish people vote for them time and again which baffles the mind...oh wait, it all makes sense now, we voted for FF after all.
Seriously though, Fintan O'Toole is right on the ball. Personally, I have no problem with the guys but the best should get through based on merit and merit alone and not because of some tribal "stick it to the Brits" bull**** mentality that people like "enniscorthy" seem to harbour. My real problem is with a system that allows two lads who are completely and utterly bereft of talent gain such exposure when there are loads of promising musicians all over the country who would kill for such an opportunity. These are people who have taken the time to learn to play instruments, to sing in tune and to, in many cases, write their own music. X factor and Jedward are a complete insult to these people and are an affront to anyone who believes that fame and fortune should come as a result of God given talent, graft and some luck. Jedward and their ilk just want the fame. Talent seems completely irrelevant. O'Toole rightly laments the fact that the Irish people vote for those who seek a short cut to fortune, an attitude that has played a large part in bringing us to where we are today.
And please, spare me the "begrudger" accusations. They're singers and they're really **** singers. That's not begrudgery, that's a fact!:eek: