Real life people Fr Ted characters were based on.

Sardonicat · 04-12-2020 11:19am

Hangdogroad wrote: »

I'm not so sure the dancing priest in Ted was based on Horan, I dont think he was that well known in 1995, his real notoriety came later in the early 00s. Its possible though that he might been carrying on his dancing priest schtick much earlier, dont know much about his back story.

I recall him being interviewed on the radio before he pulled those awful stunts, possibly by Gerry Ryan. I remember recalling the interview when he became infamous. Not sure if that was round the time of Fr Ted or not, though, but he had been around a good while before the 00s.

cml387 · 04-12-2020 11:29am

Sardonicat wrote: »

I recall him being interviewed on the radio before he pulled those awful stunts, possibly by Gerry Ryan. I remember recalling the interview when he became infamous. Not sure if that was round the time of Fr Ted or not, though, but he had been around a good while before the 00s.

He wasn't in public prominence, but I had read a bit about him in a book by Liam Fay from 1997:

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images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQm7HZajgvPAXjM-lnZ4FlXBALMm6PjTAB668HvAF-drBTn54e1

Hangdogroad · 04-12-2020 11:31am

cml387 wrote: »

He wasn't in public prominence, but I had read a bit about him in a book by Liam Fay from 1997:

Ah ok, I remember seeing that bookcover in Easons or Waterstones. Had forgotten about that.

Hangdogroad · 04-12-2020 11:33am

I've long suspected that Tom, of the I Shot JR t shirt was partially based on Brendan Patrick O Donnell who murdered three people in Co Clare in 1994.

CountNjord · 04-12-2020 11:40am

A lot of the character's are actually based on the locals in the Kilfenora/Carron/Corofin area.

Most of the Chinese people were working in Chinese restaurants in Clare, the Lingerie scene was Dunnes stores in Ennis.
The roundabout with the milk float driven by Pat Mustard was in Lisdoonvarna.

Missus Doyles accent was very like a North Clare accent, similarly the lady who suggested that the Greeks invented Gayness had a Clare accent.

Fr Ted is a Clare thing, it's location is from Fanore to Corofin right across to Ennistymon, almost like a triangle.

Up the Banner

breezy1985 · 04-12-2020 11:58am

AndyBoBandy wrote: »

What an odd man;

“ In 2004 he was found not guilty of indecent assault against a seven-year-old girl. Though he did admit that he was naked while the girl tickled him and while they played hide-and-seek, during the court case he also claimed to own only one pair of tight-fitting green satin underpants that have never been washed as he needs them to 'always be ready for use', at one point Horan produced the pants from his pocket to show the jury.”

I met that clown once. I was at an anti West Bank settlement protest in London and turned round when I heard some Irish trad music to find him leading a 1 man pro Israeli counter protest up the middle of the crowd.

Hes also the one who disrupted the Athens olympic marathon, ran out in front of a Formula 1 car and is Jedwards uncle

Sardonicat · 04-12-2020 12:00pm

Hangdogroad wrote: »

I've long suspected that Tom, of the I Shot JR t shirt was partially based on Brendan Patrick O Donnell who murdered three people in Co Clare in 1994.

I have thought that too.

Sardonicat · 04-12-2020 12:01pm

breezy1985 wrote: »

... is Jedwards uncle

Really?

breezy1985 · 04-12-2020 12:08pm

Sardonicat wrote: »

Really?

I should point out this is only something I heard and have no proof of so sorry if someone was just pulling my leg

KevMayo88 · 04-12-2020 12:35pm

Love how you get a sense of the characters personalities on this

breezy1985 · 04-12-2020 12:39pm

KevMayo88 wrote: »

Love how you get a sense of the characters personalities on this

Amazing they had so many good characters in such a short run

the purple tin · 04-12-2020 12:45pm

AndyBoBandy wrote: »

Fr Jose Fernandez (who drives a Porsche)

Pretty much every priest who got into it for the riches (so probably everyone at the Vatican)

Also when Ted was ringing the vatican looking for a few bob, the archbishop telling him they were absolutely skint while having an expensive party complete with prostitutes.
Vatican hoovers up money but never gives anything back.

Porklife · 04-12-2020 12:59pm

I stayed in a hotel last night and was in the breakfast room this morning with my friend who's dying of a hangover. She gets severe hangovers and was sitting there pale as a ghost taking deep breaths. Mrs. Doyle aka the waitress lady comes over and says you'll have the full Irish and a cup of tea...my friend said no thanks, I'm fine...the waitress says will ya go way out of that sure you will you will you will. My friend looked like she was about to puke and I got a fit of the giggles. She said I really wont and the waitress said ah will you stop being daft sure you will you will you will. I was in tears laughing and had to leave the table

The waitress even looked like Mrs. Doyle. My friend had to leave the table to be sick. The waitress said again tell her not to be too long and I'll bring her breakfast so I will. I couldn't stop laughing.

Obvious Desperate Breakfasts · 04-12-2020 1:32pm

Muahahaha wrote: »

Yeah his F1 stunt was one thing but he was only ever going to hurt himself. Him attacking the Brazilian runner was far worse, he was leading the race for a gold medal but the Dancing Priest put him completely off his rhythm and he got over taken. Imagine training for four years to try win a gold medal at the Olympics and you're leading the race until this fruitcake dressed in the tricolour jumps out of the crowd and attacks you.

The guy who was leading probably wouldn’t have won, he was being gained on fast. But it’s a travesty that he didn’t get to find out.

cml387 · 04-12-2020 1:41pm

Going back to Henry Sellers, I would guess he was partly inspired by Eamonn Andrews.

OK for young folk Eamonn Andrews was the Graham Norton of his day.

His reputation in Ireland was near god-like so it was a nice conceit to imagine he had a dark side.

Now if you want did deeper you may find out that there were (completely unfounded) allegations that there was a dark side to Eamonn Andrews which featured in this intriguing clip from Kenny Live with someone you might recognise (the writer making the allegation is about to storm out).

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

Hangdogroad · 04-12-2020 1:46pm

cml387 wrote: »

Going back to Henry Sellers, I would guess he was partly inspired by Eamonn Andrews.

OK for young folk Eamonn Andrews was the Graham Norton of his day.

His reputation in Ireland was near god-like so it was a nice conceit to imagine he had a dark side.

Now if you want did deeper you may find out that there were (completely unfounded) allegations that there was a dark side to Eamonn Andrews which featured in this intriguing clip from Kenny Live with someone you might recognise (the writer making the allegation is about to storm out).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gjHbojpJAhc

I remember watching that at the time, yer man storming out and them meekly coming back when Pat calls him back.

He got a lot of stick for that book I recall with the general consensus that it was a hatchet job.

Snickers Man · 04-12-2020 1:46pm

Muahahaha wrote: »

Anyone know who was the Dancing Priest referencing? Was it that priest in Ballyfermot who ran concerts but later turned out to be a serial sex abuser?

If you mean the late Fr Michael Clery, I'm not sure it's fair to call him a "serial sex abuser". He was, in effect, a married family man with a son. Which of course was not, and is still not, permitted for members of the Catholic clergy.

But serial sex abuser? I doubt it.

cml387 · 04-12-2020 1:54pm

Maybe referring to Fr Tony Walsh.

But in fairness Fr. Ted has now been a bit spoiled by the revelations since. I know the writers have mentioned that if they knew then what they know now some scenes would not have been shown, indeed could it even have been made. Which is sad.

Hangdogroad · 04-12-2020 1:54pm

Snickers Man wrote: »

If you mean the late Fr Michael Clery, I'm not sure it's fair to call him a "serial sex abuser". He was, in effect, a married family man with a son. Which of course was not, and is still not, permitted for members of the Catholic clergy.

But serial sex abuser? I doubt it.

I think OP means Tony Walsh. He was kind of semi famous in the 80s as a "singing priest", I think he might have performed with Cleary but open to correction on that. Hes been convicted since of numerous counts of rape/sexual assault.

breezy1985 · 04-12-2020 2:03pm

cml387 wrote: »

Going back to Henry Sellers, I would guess he was partly inspired by Eamonn Andrews.

OK for young folk Eamonn Andrews was the Graham Norton of his day.

His reputation in Ireland was near god-like so it was a nice conceit to imagine he had a dark side.

Now if you want did deeper you may find out that there were (completely unfounded) allegations that there was a dark side to Eamonn Andrews which featured in this intriguing clip from Kenny Live with someone you might recognise (the writer making the allegation is about to storm out).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gjHbojpJAhc

Sellers was probably a mix of things but I always thought there was definitely a bit of Wogan in there

Sardonicat · 04-12-2020 2:32pm

Snickers Man wrote: »

If you mean the late Fr Michael Clery, I'm not sure it's fair to call him a "serial sex abuser". He was, in effect, a married family man with a son. Which of course was not, and is still not, permitted for members of the Catholic clergy.

But serial sex abuser? I doubt it.

His 'wife' was 15 years old when he first slept with her. He would visit girl's schools giving talks on them maintaining their purity and not leading boys astray, videos of which were shown in schools around the country. I sat through a few. He was obviously a hypocrite at best and a predator at worst. May have not been a 'serial' child abuser, but a child abuser all the same.

Philipx · 04-12-2020 3:25pm

Deleted User wrote: »

Thats what she told you and you believed her?

No reason not to :rolleyes:

You could book it for tea & scones (I presume you still can).

I believe most interior scenes were done on a set.

The family have a front room set up with a few props, the black tape Hitler moustache on the window etc. Harmless enough :P

It's still a regular stop for photos at the gate, even after all this time.

Muahahaha · 04-12-2020 8:37pm

Hangdogroad wrote: »

I think OP means Tony Walsh. He was kind of semi famous in the 80s as a "singing priest", I think he might have performed with Cleary but open to correction on that. Hes been convicted since of numerous counts of rape/sexual assault.

Yeah it was Tony Walsh I was referring to, just couldnt remember the name. I remember seeing footage of him singing at some concert in Ballyfermot, there was probably a thousand people there all singing along, he was like a rock star at the time. Wiki says he was associated with Father Michael Cleary

In the late 1970s, Walsh became part of Father Michael Cleary's All Priests Show as an Elvis impersonator.[1][2] He was dropped from the show in the 1980s following rumours of child abuse, which were not reported to the Gardaí.[1] He was known as a "singing" priest.[1]

04-12-2020 9:16pm

cml387 wrote: »

Now if you want did deeper you may find out that there were (completely unfounded) allegations that there was a dark side to The Eamonn Andrews which featured in this intriguing clip from Kenny Live with someone you might recognise (the writer making the allegation is about to storm out).

The writer didn't make a convincing argument about Eamonn Andrews by storming out so I will stay with my opinion that Eamonn was a decent sod.

Obvious Desperate Breakfasts wrote: »

I don’t enjoy Clare Grogan in the Sinead/Dolores role. Her Irish accent is shockin’ and that’s especially a problem in a show filled with natural Irish accents. I think Linehan wanted her on the show because she was a teenage crush of his but he should have gone with a different actress. It’s a shame because the character is really well-written.

It's a caricature of a south Dublin arty accent, not intended to be totally real. As such it worked.

.anon. · 04-12-2020 9:46pm

cml387 wrote: »

OK for young folk Eamonn Andrews was the Graham Norton of his day.

His reputation in Ireland was near god-like so it was a nice conceit to imagine he had a dark side.

I'm sure he was a very nice man, but I don't understand his God-like reputation. He presented a British remake of a cheesy American light entertainment show for thirty years. I'd rank Graham Norton way above him.

Austria! · 04-12-2020 11:43pm

CountNjord wrote: »

the Lingerie scene was Dunnes stores in Ennis.

Was it Ireland's biggest?

mistersifter · 05-12-2020 1:52am

thw whole elvis impersonator priest thing... there was a real elvis impersonator priest who was also fiddling with kids.

edit: already mentioned i see!

interlocked · 05-12-2020 4:47am

.anon. wrote: »

I'm sure he was a very nice man, but I don't understand his God-like reputation. He presented a British remake of a cheesy American light entertainment show for thirty years. I'd rank Graham Norton way above him.

Because you're taking it out of context.

The BBC in the 60's 70's and 80's was by modern standards horrifically bad, look for example, Dr Who, Blakes 7, or most of the sitcoms, the sets and the special effects were in retrospect, really poor.

BUT, we were looking in awe at the same channels, thinking that they were incredible, so when of our own made it over there, we thought it was a huge achievement.

The ironic thing was that the Late Late Show, really rewrote the book on chat shows, it really was groundbreaking in its impact, the guests were not announced in advance, you had no idea what was coming next, it could have been anything, a five minute slot or an entire show, it's hard to explain if you weren't alive at the time, but if you ask Graham Norton, I'd say he'd agree it was just brilliant tv

some random drunk · 05-12-2020 6:13am

Bit more of an obscure one, but the (unseen)character of Matty Hislop from "Cigarettes and Alcohol and Rollerblading" is based on Matt Talbot, who has a street and bridge named after him in Dublin.

"Who?" "Matty Hislop. He was a notorious drunkard who found God and then decided to punish himself for his sins. Oh, he used to do all kinds of things. Like he had this terrible allergic reaction to cats. So instead of avoiding them, he used to carry a kitten in his pocket. He'd sniff it from time to time. His head just inflated like a balloon."

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matt_Talbot

*I say unseen but there is actually a painting in the background of him sticking his hand in a toaster

https://youtu.be/PIY9WCRAVZE

PhilOssophy · 05-12-2020 7:50am

What about Father Shortall? I suppose, he's based on an 80 year old priest?

Hangdogroad · 05-12-2020 9:04am

Wonder if Jon Kenny's Eurovision presenter was based on someone in RTE, the chap who offscreen talks drunken gibberish but once onscreen is slick and articulate?

Capt'n Midnight · 05-12-2020 3:28pm

A song for Europe - we owned Eurovision in the 1990's

In 1990 we came second

We won in 1992,1993,1994

In 1995 Norway won. But with only 24 words in the song it was really an instrumental by Fionnuala Sherry.
The rules got changed to stop anyone trying that trick again.

1996 we won.

Came second in 1997

No wonder RTE were scared of having to pay out to host it again.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VLiTkF1XvF4

The video that inspired the My Lovely Horse one

Muahahaha · 05-12-2020 3:52pm

The short segment with Larry Duff and other priests getting stopped by the British Army and one of them running away- was that a reference to anything? Not sure but was there a priest caught up in IRA gun running at one stage?

breezy1985 · 05-12-2020 4:51pm

Muahahaha wrote: »

The short segment with Larry Duff and other priests getting stopped by the British Army and one of them running away- was that a reference to anything? Not sure but was there a priest caught up in IRA gun running at one stage?

I don't know about a border incident but one of the IRAs top smugglers was a priest.
I think he also credits himself with inventing the IRA system of bomb timers using these little european parking ticket timers

Muahahaha · 05-12-2020 10:32pm

ah that was probably it, had just read somewhere years back a priest was involved with them.

cml387 · 06-12-2020 12:05am

some random drunk wrote: »

Bit more of an obscure one, but the (unseen)character of Matty Hislop from "Cigarettes and Alcohol and Rollerblading" is based on Matt Talbot, who has a street and bridge named after him in Dublin.

"Who?" "Matty Hislop. He was a notorious drunkard who found God and then decided to punish himself for his sins. Oh, he used to do all kinds of things. Like he had this terrible allergic reaction to cats. So instead of avoiding them, he used to carry a kitten in his pocket. He'd sniff it from time to time. His head just inflated like a balloon."

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matt_Talbot

*I say unseen but there is actually a painting in the background of him sticking his hand in a toaster

https://youtu.be/PIY9WCRAVZE

That is an excellent spot. Kudos to you sir.

breezy1985 · 06-12-2020 10:04am

some random drunk wrote: »

Bit more of an obscure one, but the (unseen)character of Matty Hislop from "Cigarettes and Alcohol and Rollerblading" is based on Matt Talbot, who has a street and bridge named after him in Dublin.

"Who?" "Matty Hislop. He was a notorious drunkard who found God and then decided to punish himself for his sins. Oh, he used to do all kinds of things. Like he had this terrible allergic reaction to cats. So instead of avoiding them, he used to carry a kitten in his pocket. He'd sniff it from time to time. His head just inflated like a balloon."

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matt_Talbot

*I say unseen but there is actually a painting in the background of him sticking his hand in a toaster

https://youtu.be/PIY9WCRAVZE

Imagine having your love of bondage misinterpreted to the point that you get a bridge named after ya in Dublin

Hangdogroad · 06-12-2020 11:51am

Fr O Shea, a one off character who appears in Flight Into Terror. Its revealed that he impregnated his housekeeper, as Michael Cleary did.

George White · 06-12-2020 2:16pm

DellyBelly wrote: »

Think Pat Mustard was based on Sony Knowles. He looked like him even...

I believe the intetnion was to parody 70s erotic-based British humour, the Confessions... films, the more ribald end of Benny Hill, the later CArry Ons...

the purple tin · 06-12-2020 2:24pm

I have met a few Fintan Stack type priests over the years. Ignorant as feck.

George White · 06-12-2020 2:29pm

Hangdogroad wrote: »

I've long suspected that Tom, of the I Shot JR t shirt was partially based on Brendan Patrick O Donnell who murdered three people in Co Clare in 1994.

Linehan has said the character is based on Bill McKinney's character in Thunderbolt and Lightfoot, who drives around with a car boot full of rabbits that he shoots.

Hangdogroad wrote: »

I think OP means Tony Walsh. He was kind of semi famous in the 80s as a "singing priest", I think he might have performed with Cleary but open to correction on that. Hes been convicted since of numerous counts of rape/sexual assault.

He was part of the All-Priests Show. Saw footage of him on Six One with his priest friends pixellated and his voice muted. He seemed to have a more of an Alvin Stardust/Gene Vincent thing going on. I have often been morbidly curious to actually hear his singing voice. My uncle (briefly a Catholic priest before switching sides in order to marry and have kids) worked with him, briefly. Said he fooled people.

George White · 06-12-2020 2:38pm

Hyperbollix wrote: »

Yeah, she had the look of Dolores and the attitude of Sinead O'Connor.

As for the writer, Marian Keyes maybe?

Keyes is too young.
I suppose there's a bit of Edna O'Brien and Maeve Binchy in there.

06-12-2020 2:39pm

Obvious Desperate Breakfasts wrote: »

I don’t enjoy Clare Grogan in the Sinead/Dolores role. Her Irish accent is shockin’ and that’s especially a problem in a show filled with natural Irish accents. I think Linehan wanted her on the show because she was a teenage crush of his but he should have gone with a different actress. It’s a shame because the character is really well-written.

Same here about Claire Grogan, mad crush on her when I saw her in Gregory’s Girl!

06-12-2020 3:03pm

Side note regarding that Kenny Live clip, Miriam was an insanely hot woman!

06-12-2020 3:13pm

Muahahaha wrote: »

The short segment with Larry Duff and other priests getting stopped by the British Army and one of them running away- was that a reference to anything? Not sure but was there a priest caught up in IRA gun running at one stage?

This lad was subject of a longrunning extradition saga

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patrick_Ryan_(Irish_priest)

Also I believe a priest was heavily involved in the Claudy atrocity, I'm sure a good proportion of clergy were at least sympathetic to that cause.

PhilOssophy · 06-12-2020 3:59pm

What about Fr. Jimmy Rannible?

.anon. · 06-12-2020 6:06pm

the purple tin wrote: »

I have met a few Fintan Stack type priests over the years. Ignorant as feck.

If you ever say that to me again...

George White · 08-12-2020 12:42pm

Suddenly reminded who the writer I was trying to think of who reminded me of Polly Clarke in God Created Woman.

Deirdre Purcell.

08-12-2020 8:46pm

zorro2566 wrote: »

Side note regarding that Kenny Live clip, Miriam was an insanely hot woman!

Less of the was !!

saabsaab · 17-02-2021 8:17pm

Would be great if they did a short spin off series or a special for Christmas?

You could have Fr Dougal becoming Bishop (clerical error of course) and say Dylan Moran becoming the new (not religious) parish priest. Mrs Doyle would be replaced by her daughter and the the Foil Arms and Hog trio would place other priests.

Real life people Fr Ted characters were based on.

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