WDYTYA Ireland

Hermy wrote: »

I think it's pathetic that he's still unapologetic about that remark he made about what economists should do with themselves.
It's like he saw the show as an opportunity to throw another few digs.

Well, he did actually apologise for his poor choice of words at the time. He was just pointing out in the show that people were quick to say that he had no understanding of suicide after the incident when he actually did.

Hermy wrote: »

If he had any real understanding of suicide and the agony it causes for those left behind he would never have made that remark. But he knew what he was doing. He knew that by making the remark he'd become the story and the warnings from the economists would be pushed off the front page.

But back on topic - I thought the show was rubbish. Their apparent unwillingness to delve into the past, to go beyond the subjects grandparents, or even step into the 1800's is really taking from the whole point of the show.

I doubt that he purposefully tried to make himself the subject of national scorn. Of course, a public figure should always be careful with their words and he shouldn't have said what he did but everyday people make remarks like that who aren't under public scrutiny. My mum has said such a person would send her to the river a few times when this is how her own uncle died whom she loved dearly. I'm just coming from the perspective that we shouldn't be so quick to judge when we don't actually know what's happened in anyone's life. He didn't experience it personally but I'm sure that he saw how it affected his father. Everyone is different so what may seem like a harmless comment to Bertie or my mum could be a trigger for others so sensitivity is needed with these issues. I remember my teacher joking with some hyperactive student (class clown type) that he thought a student was having a fit but a student got really upset because her father had epilepsy. We have so many phrases like 'are you blind' that are harmless to most but can upset some people who are personally affected.

I did find the show interesting. It was interesting more from a historical perspective than genealogical though. It is a shame that they didn't go back any further than they did but they must not have been able to find anything that was interesting enough to broadcast. I enjoy these shows for what they are though and I don't really expect to learn any new genealogical techniques or anything like that from it. It is a show intended for entertainment and I do find the stories that are told interesting. I always like any of the US or UK WDYTYA episodes that have an Irish focus so I've been enjoying all of the episodes so far. I'm just glad to finally have an Irish series of the show back. These types of shows are often what trigger genealogical interest in people and it probably did have a part to play for me. It offers some Irish history as well providing context for events.

I do find it interesting to look at how the Civil War influenced party politics. My dad's family were Fianna Fáil so from that it's possible that they were anti-treaty while my mum's family were Fine Gael so likely pro-treaty. Then there's Sinn Féin people who tended to support the IRA (generalising from where I'm from, not saying everyone who supported or supports Sinn Féin supports/supported the IRA). My dad's father was staunchly Fianna Fáil and refused to vote for any other party. When the recession hit and people turned on Bertie and the party, my grandfather still voted for them while my parents secretly voted for Fine Gael since my grandfather would have been angry if he knew. I find it interesting that he had such a loyalty despite the downturn but he could be very stubborn.

I'm guessing that this was the episode where John Grenham was presenting the genealogical research that he hadn't actually researched. Surprise surprise, they didn't find a connection to British royalty despite what some thought would happen!

Ipso wrote: »

Hopefully they’ve looked up all the trees in North Dublin.

I actually don't know what you mean in that comment

Mine was made around 10pm, halfway through the show.

Yes i found the first half interesting, the whole agricultural Cork background. The background of his mam who died, ironically, the week he was signing the Good Friday Agreement with British PM Tony Blair centrally involved.

But as said previously the show just got stuck in 1919-23 thereafter. Nothing pre famine. A boring enough story about the head of Dunmanway Workhouse and that was it.