Vincent Hanley documentary

Fab Vinny 'kissy kissy'

(that was his catchphrase on 2fm or RTE Radio 2 as it was known back in the day)

It was sad alright he died prematurely just as his career was taking off ...wonder did he tell his family the true extent of his illness, just hope he didn't have a lonely end.

His brother died in 2020 so all family gone as was mentioned last night, maybe that had to do with the timing of it, dunno!

I watched 'The Way we Were' programme few nights ago that covered 70/80s and I read Nell McCafferty's book on the Kerry Babies case recently, between those and last night's programme it really brings you back to what sort of life we lived back then. I was born in 1960 so all that stuff is relevant, it's hard to believe now, I had forgetten that you had to be married to get a prescription for condoms etc! Thankfully there was a few mail order options!

Shocking stuff looking back at it now.

Not all people from country areas, have country accents.

Well put together documentary, much more fleshed out than the Fab Vinnie one from a couple of years ago which at half an hour was too short.

Pat Benatar or Dennis De Young / Desert Moon for me. It was also the first time I saw acts such as The Cars and Bryan Adams. MTUSA was required viewing for a few years growing up, as we were starved of such entertainments those days; it knocked the spots off TOTP. The first 2 hours were mainstream videos, including triple plays, while the last hour was more indie stuff or lesser known artists.

Would love to see a few old episodes of it again complete with nascent 8-bit computer intro graphics.

Vincent Hanley is buried in St Patrick's cemetery in Clonmel.

Is that what he was at ?

I heard the MT USA tapes do not exist of the full programmes, a few clips are on You Tube though

Dire Straits Walk of Life is the song that comes immediately to mind when I recall MT USA. Raging I missed this show, will have to brave the player to watch it. I remember when he died, my mam told me it was pneumonia. It was only years later when I was googling the show that I found out he had died of aids.

I think it's very easy to judge history harshly by today's standards and knowledge.

In the early 80s not much was known about how AIDS was spread.

HIV itself was only labelled in 1986. So while he may have been HIV positive and looking back his friends may have pieced it together there's no way he was officially diagnosed as HIV positive before 86.

It was only when people were really sick that they got the AIDS diagnosis.

Its not homophobia if it was the truth. Things were portrayed that times were fairly crazy in the film Dallas Buyers Club. "I am gay and I can do what I like when I like with who I like" attitude. I was fairly young at the time and was not aware of the goings on. Its all just fun and games until someone gets sick and then everyone wonders if they are the next person going to get sick.