John O'Donoghue - 2005 Ard Fheis Speech

friendface

Eerily relevant speech from 2005 Ard Fheis in which John O'Donoghue addressed a crowd of Fianna Fail supporters about dangers of voting for a FG/Labour government.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YIkh_UviAyI

A Chairde do you remember this?

"I can hear the bells of Dublin
In this lonely waiting room
And the paperboys are singing in the rain
Not too long before they take us
To the airport and the night
To get on board a trans-atlantic plane
We've got nothing left to stay for
We've got no more left to save
And there isn't any work for us to do
So farewell you boys and girls
Another Bloody flight of Earls
Our best asset is our best export too."


It is not that long ago


It is not that long ago since Ireland yielded up its youth
To London, New York, Melbourne and beyond.
It is not that long ago
Since the Dole Queue was the only alternative to leaving this country.
It is not that long ago
Since this country hovered on the brink of economic oblivion
And it is not that long ago
Since Ireland was crippled by mass unemployment, rampant inflation and the highest debt per capita in the world.
It is not that long ago
Since there was a feeling of hopelessness, a feeling of helplessness and a feeling of despair stalking the land.

The Opposition say that this is ancient history -- The so called alternative government say that this is something we should forget
They want the Irish people to engage in a mass act of collective amnesia. Why what is it they want us to forget?


They want the people to forget that the last time FG & Labour were elected to government; Ireland had a higher debt per capita then some third world countries
They want people to forget that during their tenure, emigration was endemic and over 30,000 Irish people left Ireland for good every single year
They want people to forget that 17% of the Adult were without a Job
They want people to forget that PAYE workers were taxed as high as 65p in every pound,
They want people to forget that inflation stood at 21%, That National debt was 125% and GNP and Interest rates exceeded 20%

They want people to forget that the London Times infamously wrote that the International Money lenders were going to pull the shutters down on Ireland.

Delegates, I am here to tell you this even that there will be no forgetting and Fianna Fail is not going Back.......

Ireland will reach a crossroads soon when the Irish people must decide whether to go forward with us or gamble with FG, Labour or the Green.

I thought it was an interesting video given current circumstances and the fact that John O'Donoghue has just lost his own long-held seat in South Kerry.

ronaneire

Not to worry, he won't be speaking to the same extent anymore.

Liam Byrne

This the same guy who promised zero tolerance and wasted Dáil time when he was caught with a pathetic waffly revenge diatribe?

Didn't read or watch because he's an ignorant vindictive expense-grabbing waffler.

johngalway

Kerry finally enforced a zero tolerance policy on Bull Friday.

Chucky the tree

He got the parties wrong, but he predicted the future nearly perfectly.

Pherekydes

Interesting that he should propose the electorate gamble with the Greens. How ironic that his party ended up their political life with Na Glasraí, as Mary Coughlan memorably put it.

I'd like to take this chance to thank the people of South Kerry, Dun Laoghaire, Donegal SW, Dublin SW and others for sending certain "personalities" their pink slips. Three cheers!