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Where have all the good political orators gone? How many in Dail Eireann? Last Great Dail speech?

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  • 22-03-2024 3:18pm
    #1
    gormdubhgorm
    Registered Users Posts: 18,235 ✭✭✭✭


    In the 19th and 20th century UK and Irish politics you had people such as Benjamin Disraeli, De Valera, Padraig Pearse, Galdstone, Parnell, James Larkin, Winston Chruchill, W.T Cograve, C.J Haughey. Sean Lemass, Garrett Fitzgerald, etc.

    Who are the good orators in Dail Eireann?

    We have have a few ranters and ravers at worst, or at best quiet measured speech which is not memorable that says nothing of note. Plenty of c

    In more recent past I would have had Alan Shatter as an excellent orator, he could carry a room. Ironically this was spun by his opponents such as Aengus Ó Snodaigh as being indicative as a man out of touch. When Michael D. Higgins was in the Dail in could command attention, a man who is clearly very well read and erudite.

    But on the other hand we had a Taoiseach in Bertie Ahern who almost played up on his "ordinary man" image in not pronouncing his "th's" and it almost made him look like the victim when attacked politically.

    Is it due to the fact that good orators go elsewhere in business and are not attracted to politics? Or is because they feel they have to "dumb down" their speech to get more voters attention?

    When was the last speech in Dail Eireann regardless of party that made you sit up and take notice?

    And I am not talking about Paul Gogarty TD from the Green Party with his infamous speech.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ugailEn8U5o


    Or I am not talking about Danny Healy-Rae on climate change, and calling for drink driving permits


    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oeiEO6rv97s


    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jUQ5k8i45CA


    I am talking about a speech that was powerful, well composed and well delivered. Can anyone think of any in recent times?

    Guff about stuff, and stuff about guff.



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