Who are Ireland's unsung heroes?

Eleven Benevolent Elephants

Mine is Padraig Nally.
He did society a favour and ridded us of vermin that otherwise would have robbed and terrorised other vulnerable people. Ward messed with the wrong person.

Ted_YNWA

Mod

Seeing as we go the Anti-Traveller post shoe-horned into the thread so early, there is no need for anyone else to do it.

Be civil with any contributions from here on.

Gregor Samsa

I'd go with Tidy Towns volunteers, who put a huge personal effort into keeping our towns and villages looking nice, and cleaning up other people's mess for no personal reward.

Or maybe the likes of Limerick Suicide Watch, who are trained volunteers who patrol the city, looking to help unfortunate people thinking of taking their lives in the river. Many lives saved.

Or SARDA, the Search and Rescue Dog Association - again, all volunteers, who put an enormous effort into training their dogs to exceptionally high standards for very difficult search and rescue duties.

Plenty of positive unsung heroes about to choose from, this list is not exhaustive.

I'd have the Coast Guard and RNLI volunteers at the top of my list, but in fairness, I don't think they're unsung - I think everyone does recognise their virtually unmatched heroism.

JohnnyFlash

Dil Wickremasinghe who used to present Global Village on Newstalk. Has disappeared from the public eye a little in recent years, but she did brilliant work in highlighting the struggles faced by immigrants, minorities, the LGBTQ community etc in Ireland.

martinedwards

Paddy Maine.

Played rugby for Ireland and the Lions, successful amateur boxer, lawyer, and in WW2 destroyed 47 enemy aircraft in a single (ground) action, so technically outscored the RAF's highest scoring ace.

John Frank Wilson

Drapers, Cobblers... Costermongers, to name a few.

corner of hells

My grandfather's dog , Jacko , killed nine rats one night after they overran his canary aviary.
In saying that he was a JRT, so killing rats was no big deal to him.

corner of hells

who what when wrote: »

In fairness his post wasn't anti-traveller, it didn't even mention travellers. If anything it was anti-criminal which to me is no bad thing.

You couldn't be that naive.

John Frank Wilson

corner of hells wrote: »

My grandfather's dog , Jacko , killed nine rats one night after they overran his canary aviary.
In saying that he was a JRT, so killing rats was no big deal to him.

Junior... Rat... Terminator?

Necro

who what when wrote: »

In fairness his post wasn't anti-traveller, it didn't even mention travellers. If anything it was anti-criminal which to me is no bad thing.

Mod:

PM the mod, don't derail the thread discussing mod actions.

Mad_maxx

JohnnyFlash wrote: »

Dil Wickremasinghe who used to present Global Village on Newstalk. Has disappeared from the public eye a little in recent years, but she did brilliant work in highlighting the struggles faced by immigrants, minorities, the LGBTQ community etc in Ireland.

Otherwise known as Dr Ebun Joseph these days

TomSweeney

JohnnyFlash wrote: »

Dil Wickremasinghe who used to present Global Village on Newstalk. Has disappeared from the public eye a little in recent years, but she did brilliant work in highlighting the struggles faced by immigrants, minorities, the LGBTQ community etc in Ireland.

Checks username .....


Checks post .....






eh ?

pgj2015

careers, I know they are looking after their own family but still they are saints in my eyes.

Eleven Benevolent Elephants

Eleven Benevolent Elephants wrote: »

Mine is Padraig Nally.
He did society a favour and ridded us of vermin that otherwise would have robbed and terrorised other vulnerable people. Ward messed with the wrong person.

I'm in complete agreement with you. That is all.

deise08

Yvonne in Hedgehog Rescue Dublin.
She's doing amazing work taking in so many sick, injured little hogs, while still studying at college.
She's fantastic.

dxhound2005

Choirs.

John Frank Wilson

I just want to put it out there, to balance this thread a little - that I quite like the travellers, I've had about 3 or 4 experiences with travellers - and I guarantee you a settled person wouldn't have helped me out in the same way that the travellers did. There is bad and good in everyone folks - and I've only encountered the good in travellers - I don't doubt there is bad out there, but as I say - there is good and bad in everyone. I'll share ONE, this one was from my childhood - there were a good few more, but here's one...

I remember a couple of new travellers came to town, and they had quite a few children - one of whom was in our class, now... on the morning this new lad appeared, his old man arrived at the door of the classroom, a little worse for wear - but smiling from ear to ear, and walked into the room - and presented the teacher with a big box of sweets for the class, he wished us all well - and went on his way. He didn't HAVE to do that, but he did - the poor man probably just wanted to try and make things a little easier for his beloved child - because... let's be real - a large section of Irish society have nothing but contempt for travellers - and it genuinely sickens me no end. It's just something that always stuck with me - as I say, there was a few more that I won't go in to - I just wanted to take the opportunity here to add some balance to the tone of this thread.

TomSweeney

Eleven Benevolent Elephants wrote: »

Mine is Padraig Nally.
He did society a favour and ridded us of vermin that otherwise would have robbed and terrorised other vulnerable people. Ward messed with the wrong person.

Yep, I remember even the Irish Times reporting on the story, reporting on his wife who was shouting and screaming obsenities outside the court room ... something like "Mrs _____ did her best to articulate her disagreements...."

Omackeral

In that vain, I'd say that loads of Travellers are gas with their gift of the gab. I remember talking to one of the lads that was on one of the infamous call-out videoes (SIMEY!). He was coming out of the gym. I said hello to him and went ''ah good man Simon, back training?''. ''Doing a bit alright sir, I likes doing the boxing bag cos the boxing bag won't box ya back.''

TomSweeney

Jedward

Granadino

Unsung heroes? Nurses, doctors, cleaners, bin men and bin women, shop keepers, fruit pickers, shelf stackers etc. But it's a bit of a stretch to call them "heroes". Well maybe doctors and nurses.
Any influencer, celeb, singer, actor, professional athletes etc are not heroes. Never were and never should be. If they didn't exist tomorrow, the world would still turn. Not the case with doctors, nurses, bin men, fruit pickers, etc.

Omackeral

I think general society has almost canonised doctors and nurses. Wouldn't say they're unsung at all.

Strumms

JohnnyFlash wrote: »

Dil Wickremasinghe who used to present Global Village on Newstalk. Has disappeared from the public eye a little in recent years, but she did brilliant work in highlighting the struggles faced by immigrants, minorities, the LGBTQ community etc in Ireland.

I used to listen to global village...got bored of her though. She’d absolutely shout down as opposed to listening to and engaging with those who had differing views to her own.... even people with similar views but a different road map to achieving them... she’d be talking over them, getting scorpy and personal, an arrogant individual...she asked at one point a guest on her show to explain how not being an lgbt person they felt qualified to make the points they were making about a particular subject ..,the interviewee.. “ your producer called me up, invited me on the show, ask him.... SILENCE !

Pintman Paddy Losty

Celebrity lawyer Gerald Kean is one of Ireland's unsung heroes if you ask me. He came from relatively humble beginnings, starting on a salary of only £7000 per year, but eventually became fabulously wealthy.


You don't see him in the spotlight as much anymore, but he used to have a lavish lifestyle and a very glamorous relationship with Lisa Murphy. Extremely charitable guy, often raising tens of thousands with his charity dinner evenings. Just seems like a top guy and don't think he's ever got the recognition he deserves.


While not unsung, Sir Bob Geldof is another of Ireland's real gems.

JustAThought

Theres a couple of neighbours down the road from me - paint over grafitti, sweep up the roads, hedges & edges, cut the couple
of acres grass - have been doing it for tears - a totally thankless task and the same scummy neighbours that toss their children out to wreck the place take them all for granted and that they will clean up after their kids and their scumbag behaviour year after year - which they do. Total unsung hereos. Working away quietly keeping an area good while knackers wreck the place. It is these people who are local heros - its on a different scale of personal responsibility and casual ongoing commitment and hard unrelenting unpaid work and sacrifice in all weathers.

Also people who are so abandoned by the resources the state does not give have no option but to become carers. They give up their lives and ambitions and personal dreams l for their lived one often to the cost of their future, own health, relationships , careers and to
their own long term personal financial ruin.

bullpost

I'd say those priests who have worked tirelessly for their communities and have had to carry the burden that those many bad apples in the priesthood have earned for them over the years.

Your Face

Cleaners.

Pintman Paddy Losty

Pintman Paddy Losty wrote: »

Celebrity lawyer Gerald Kean is one of Ireland's unsung heroes if you ask me. He came from relatively humble beginnings, starting on a salary of only £7000 per year, but eventually became fabulously wealthy.


You don't see him in the spotlight as much anymore, but he used to have a lavish lifestyle and a very glamorous relationship with Lisa Murphy. Extremely charitable guy, often raising tens of thousands with his charity dinner evenings. Just seems like a top guy and don't think he's ever got the recognition he deserves.


While not unsung, Sir Bob Geldof is another of Ireland's real gems.

In next Sunday's edition of Life magazine, a double feature on the hidden charity of Johnny Ronan.

Your D4 dilettante,

Barry Egan

Church on Tuesday

John Frank Wilson wrote: »

I just want to put it out there, to balance this thread a little - that I quite like the travellers, I've had about 3 or 4 experiences with travellers - and I guarantee you a settled person wouldn't have helped me out in the same way that the travellers did. There is bad and good in everyone folks - and I've only encountered the good in travellers - I don't doubt there is bad out there, but as I say - there is good and bad in everyone. I'll share ONE, this one was from my childhood - there were a good few more, but here's one...

I remember a couple of new travellers came to town, and they had quite a few children - one of whom was in our class, now... on the morning this new lad appeared, his old man arrived at the door of the classroom, a little worse for wear - but smiling from ear to ear, and walked into the room - and presented the teacher with a big box of sweets for the class, he wished us all well - and went on his way. He didn't HAVE to do that, but he did - the poor man probably just wanted to try and make things a little easier for his beloved child - because... let's be real - a large section of Irish society have nothing but contempt for travellers - and it genuinely sickens me no end. It's just something that always stuck with me - as I say, there was a few more that I won't go in to - I just wanted to take the opportunity here to add some balance to the tone of this thread.

Appreciate your sentiment but It goes both ways.

For me, cleaners. Utterly thankless job.

CharlesMartel

Eleven Benevolent Elephants wrote: »

Mine is Padraig Nally.
He did society a favour and ridded us of vermin that otherwise would have robbed and terrorised other vulnerable people. Ward messed with the wrong person.

In all fairness, his praises have been sung far and wide

CharlesMartel

JohnnyFlash wrote: »

Dil Wickremasinghe who used to present Global Village on Newstalk. Has disappeared from the public eye a little in recent years, but she did brilliant work in highlighting the struggles faced by immigrants, minorities, the LGBTQ community etc in Ireland.

The real heroes are those that managed to listen to her shows without destroying the radio

.anon.

Eleven Benevolent Elephants wrote: »

Mine is Padraig Nally.
He did society a favour and ridded us of vermin that otherwise would have robbed and terrorised other vulnerable people. Ward messed with the wrong person.

He deliberately killed an already seriously injured man who was trying to get away from him. He should be serving a life sentence for murder.

thomasdylan

Cleaners. 10.80 an hour.

Probably worked harder than 90% of other people working in hospitals during the first lockdown.

CharlesMartel

.anon. wrote: »

He deliberately killed an already seriously injured man who was trying to get away from him. He should be serving a life sentence for murder.

He was living in absolute fear on his isolated farmhouse, with no support(law enforcement or otherwise) in an area where other farmers had been tortured and murdered. I suspect if he hadn't killed a larger gang would have come back and tortured and murdered Mr Nally.

Stovepipe

JohnnyFlash wrote: »

Dil Wickremasinghe who used to present Global Village on Newstalk. Has disappeared from the public eye a little in recent years, but she did brilliant work in highlighting the struggles faced by immigrants, minorities, the LGBTQ community etc in Ireland.

she turned what had started out as an interesting programme about foreign places and the lives of people into a platform for LGBTQ issues.....plenty of air space given to them already so I turned it off.

freshpopcorn

.anon. wrote: »

He deliberately killed an already seriously injured man who was trying to get away from him. He should be serving a life sentence for murder.

Some will say that but in that type of World Ward wouldn’t have being able to walk free with his 80 previous convictions!

StackSteevens

JohnnyFlash wrote: »

Dil Wickremasinghe who used to present Global Village on Newstalk. Has disappeared from the public eye a little in recent years ....

..... although she still managed to have an article published in the Irish Times as recently as two days ago!

CrabRevolution

This seems to be like the "What person can you inexplicably not stand?" thread where people give incredibly common examples like Ryan Tubridy and also give an explanation.
It's a total contradiction to the claimed purpose of the thread, but realistically the aim was just to harvest thanks anyway.

Who do people think they're kidding saying nurses are "unsung"? They're publicly feted, praised and sympathised with, and have been long before the pandemic.

CharlesMartel

StackSteevens wrote: »

..... although she still managed to have an article published in the Irish Times as recently as two days ago!

Just read Dil's online bio. Seems as a lesbien she was told her media career wouldn't progress in Sri Lanka, so she left. Bravery right there. Lecturing us on LGBT/immigrant rights, where safety is guaranteed, and career protected etc but wouldn't fight for her rights where she grew up and where she worked in the media. Pathetic. It would be like David Norris leaving Ireland as a young man and only returning after homosexuality is decriminilised, then lecturing us on how homophobic we are

JustAThought

CrabRevolution wrote: »

This seems to be like the "What person can you inexplicably not stand?" thread where people give incredibly common examples like Ryan Tubridy and also give an explanation.
It's a total contradiction to the claimed purpose of the thread, but realistically the aim was just to harvest thanks anyway.

Who do people think they're kidding saying nurses are "unsung"? They're publicly feted, praised and sympathised with, and have been long before the pandemic.

Pre covid nurses were certainly believing their own hype - I watched plenty of ignorant, disinterested, lazy and in some cases shockingly dangerously lazy nurses in the 3 years I spent visiting an acute ward in a so called centre of excellence city hospital. I guess now that there is risk and consequence attached to their job they will be permanently sanctified. I wonder how many are getting away with their lazy disinterested ways now that there are far less witnessess and no families to watch put for the vulnerable and those needing anything done for them in long term ‘homes’ and unsupervised family funded commercial care institutes.

Firemen. Unsung heros.

Eleven Benevolent Elephants

.anon. wrote: »

He deliberately killed an already seriously injured man who was trying to get away from him. He should be serving a life sentence for murder.

Do you think Ward would have cared if Nally was injured?

The fück he would. He'd step over him to get what he wants. Good riddance to bad rubbish.

Omackeral

.anon. wrote: »

He deliberately killed an already seriously injured man who was trying to get away from him. He should be serving a life sentence for murder.

When he was in jail he received more well-wishers mail than anyone I've ever seen in my life. Take from that what you will.

.anon.

Omackeral wrote: »

When he was in jail he received more well-wishers mail than anyone I've ever seen in my life. Take from that what you will.

A hero to those who think it's acceptable to shoot a person dead when he's on the ground, trying to escape, having already been shot in the arse and given a beating. Not unsung, and not a hero to anyone with a shred of basic human decency.

Omackeral

.anon. wrote: »

A hero to those who think it's acceptable to shoot a person dead when he's on the ground, trying to escape, having already been shot in the arse and given a beating. Not unsung, and not a hero to anyone with a shred of basic human decency.

Trying to escape from what? What was he doing there? Most people's sympathies lie with Mr Nally. The poor man took no joy in what he dead. He was reduced to sleeping in a shed like an animal. Where's the human decency in that?

CharlesMartel

.anon. wrote: »

A hero to those who think it's acceptable to shoot a person dead when he's on the ground, trying to escape, having already been shot in the arse and given a beating. Not unsung, and not a hero to anyone with a shred of basic human decency.

You post like Nally was leading a normal life, not living in fear, and didn;t have to make a pressured hasty decision. And Ward was not the new postman either

Granadino

.anon. wrote: »

He deliberately killed an already seriously injured man who was trying to get away from him. He should be serving a life sentence for murder.

To be honest, Mr Ward f*cked with the wrong guy.

Granadino

Pintman Paddy Losty wrote: »

Celebrity lawyer Gerald Kean is one of Ireland's unsung heroes if you ask me. He came from relatively humble beginnings, starting on a salary of only £7000 per year, but eventually became fabulously wealthy.


You don't see him in the spotlight as much anymore, but he used to have a lavish lifestyle and a very glamorous relationship with Lisa Murphy. Extremely charitable guy, often raising tens of thousands with his charity dinner evenings. Just seems like a top guy and don't think he's ever got the recognition he deserves.


While not unsung, Sir Bob Geldof is another of Ireland's real gems.

G Kean is hardly a "hero" though...

.anon.

Omackeral wrote: »

Trying to escape from what? What was he doing there? Most people's sympathies lie with Mr Nally. The poor man took no joy in what he dead. He was reduced to sleeping in a shed like an animal. Where's the human decency in that?

Trying to escape from a man who was trying to kill him. Whatever Ward was doing there - and let's assume, based on his history and his general character, that he intended to steal from Nally - he didn't deserve to be killed for it. We don't have the death penalty for the most heinous crimes, let alone theft. It could be argued that when he shot and brutally beat him (to the extent that his skull was exposed), Nally was acting in self-defence. There's a chance that he might even have died from those injuries. But Nally went back, reloaded his gun and made sure to finish him off. That's not heroic.

Samuel T. Cogley

Landlords. Supplying housing for the proletariat.

kowloon

I live in a rural area, so pretty much every GAA player is a hero according to many of my neighbours.

StackSteevens

.anon. wrote: »

A hero to those who think it's acceptable to shoot a person dead when he's on the ground, trying to escape, having already been shot in the arse and given a beating. Not unsung, and not a hero to anyone with a shred of basic human decency.

Are Frogs a preserved species under the Wildlife Acts?