Where Is George Gibney?

MEGA BRO WOLF 5000 · 25-09-2020 4:42am

I stopped somewhere at the start of ep3. It’s really really dragged out.

Tell me how · 25-09-2020 6:55am

The whole audio in the car at the start of some of the episodes sounded too contrived for me.
Don't know why they included the bit about the local resident asking them what they were up to as it made them seem amateurish.
Can only image the words that went around the area after that and given how he asked them was it someone in particular they were watching, I fear wild accusations could have followed in their wake.

Gary O'Toole had it all alright, athleticism, morals, character and obviously brains given he went on to become a surgeon. Fair play to him. Decent person and interesting to listen to on a range of subjects.

TRANQUILLO · 25-09-2020 2:55pm

Hunky Monster wrote: »

I stopped somewhere at the start of ep3. It’s really really dragged out.

its not great tbh. They haven't added anything to what we already know.

Well packaged with the Aaron Dessner score etc but feel its all fur coat and no knickers.

generalgerry · 27-09-2020 6:48pm

Tell me how wrote: »

Don't know why they included the bit about the local resident asking them what they were up to as it made them seem amateurish.

For me, that at least addressed the initial criticism of the podcast from another journalist (link on page one of this thread) who said that in spite of them presenting it like they carried out a slick and covert surveillance of Gibney, they were actually rumbled by the local neighbours in what was effectively a ramshackle and amateur operation. Seems that the journalist was essentially right on that one. Fair play to that brave guy for chasing them down in his bare feet to protect his family! Amazing bravery.

I am struggling a bit with the structure of the podcast as well. Would have preferred if the episodes had a more defined structure and sequence. It all seems pretty random. Still listening though.

Beersmith · 27-09-2020 8:10pm

Having listened to them all so far I also think its quite overrated based on many true crime like pods ive heard before. The central premise of where he is seems like an easy answer and while the obvious horror of the victims ordeals are laid out I'm not really sure of the whole purpose of the podcast except to highlight the story.

It isn't like the Serial where they question the innocence of the guilty or the teachers pet where no case was brought against the likely murderer.

GB got away on a technicality and went to America. Again I am just a bit unsure of what the podcast is actually achieving.

MEGA BRO WOLF 5000 · 27-09-2020 8:39pm

Beersmith wrote: »

Having listened to them all so far I also think its quite overrated based on many true crime like pods ive heard before. The central premise of where he is seems like an easy answer and while the obvious horror of the victims ordeals are laid out I'm not really sure of the whole purpose of the podcast except to highlight the story.

It isn't like the Serial where they question the innocence of the guilty or the teachers pet where no case was brought against the likely murderer.

GB got away on a technicality and went to America. Again I am just a bit unsure of what the podcast is actually achieving.

This is just it. If you’re used to true crime style podcasts where the standard these days is very very high this can’t compete.

big_drive · 01-10-2020 10:01am

How many episodes is there, is it ten?

eastie17 · 01-10-2020 1:02pm

Is there an undercurrent here that there was some sort of conspiracy or dare I say it a pedo ring at play?
Now that would be a good reason for this podcast. They have skirted around it a bit alluding to questions about how did the supreme court made this decision, there was also a reference to Gormanstown very briefly on how they all brought swimmers down there at different times for "team building" but some of the same characters involved would have been there at the same time irrespective of whether they had their teams or individuals there or not

BPKS · 01-10-2020 1:18pm

Another difficult listen today - the life that poor 'Susan' had because of this horrible b@stard.

Again, I hope the legal people who ensured he escaped justice listened to this and get a sick feeling and a few sleepless nights from it.

Brock Turnpike · 01-10-2020 2:29pm

That was very grim today. Tough to listen to the story of Susan, and then Chalky trying to find a way to get the word out about how he feels now because of what happened.

John_Rambo · 01-10-2020 5:37pm

Lives destroyed. Shocking trail of destruction left in Gibneys path of selfish pleasure.

01-10-2020 5:56pm

BPKS wrote: »

Another difficult listen today - the life that poor 'Susan' had because of this horrible b@stard.

Again, I hope the legal people who ensured he escaped justice listened to this and get a sick feeling and a few sleepless nights from it.

Legal people don’t have it in them to feel anything other than what they made from getting him off.

generalgerry · 01-10-2020 6:26pm

Yeah I listened to this on the way in to work this morning and jaysus I was none the better for it. Very grim story. It really is shameful that there is no justice for the victims. Is it not possible for the victims to take a civil case or is there a statute of limitation on those as well? The legal people who got him off will burn in hell with him.

Can't imagine how guilty the parents must feel knowing that they unwittingly transported their kids to this guy to be abused.

Robert McGrath · 01-10-2020 10:45pm

I get the impression that the primary function of this podcast is not to reveal an explosive fact about the case that no one knew before, but to give the survivors a voice. To make them three dimensional and human and more than just details in Gibney’s charge sheet. And I think it does a good job of that - while we get details of Gibney’s background, it’s the survivors who I think are at the centre of the pod

Raoul · 01-10-2020 11:32pm

Robert McGrath wrote: »

I get the impression that the primary function of this podcast is not to reveal an explosive fact about the case that no one knew before, but to give the survivors a voice. To make them three dimensional and human and more than just details in Gibney’s charge sheet. And I think it does a good job of that - while we get details of Gibney’s background, it’s the survivors who I think are at the centre of the pod

I think that's what the podcast is doing best and what it should have aimed to do. I think the whole sitting outside his house and following him is detracting from that. Kinda seems like two different ideas.

deisedude · 02-10-2020 10:01am

The podcast is putting the spotlight on Gibney. Whether it reveals nothing new that hasn't been talked about before doesn't really matter

Every newspaper column, tv and radio interview generated on the back of the podcast highlights this miscarriage of justice to a wider audience and you would hope ultimately leads to pressure on US authorities to deport him back to Ireland where he will face trial

Brock Turnpike · 02-10-2020 10:55am

deisedude wrote: »

The podcast is putting the spotlight on Gibney. Whether it reveals nothing new that hasn't been talked about before doesn't really matter

Every newspaper column, tv and radio interview generated on the back of the podcast highlights this miscarriage of justice to a wider audience and you would hope ultimately leads to pressure on US authorities to deport him back to Ireland where he will face trial

Will he face trial though? Wasn't the original ruling that the statue of limitations had passed? I know recently there have been convictions for historical sexual assaults but, if a judge already ruled on it, can it be revisited or would it have to be a whole new trial citing different offences?

deisedude · 02-10-2020 6:01pm

Brock Turnpike wrote: »

Will he face trial though? Wasn't the original ruling that the statue of limitations had passed? I know recently there have been convictions for historical sexual assaults but, if a judge already ruled on it, can it be revisited or would it have to be a whole new trial citing different offences?

Honestly I don't know. I thought irish authorities were looking for the US to deport him so assumed they were looking to have him face trial

02-10-2020 6:36pm

While not perfect, the legal system isn’t nearly as shady now as it was then.

02-10-2020 7:19pm

Raoul wrote: »

I think that's what the podcast is doing best and what it should have aimed to do. I think the whole sitting outside his house and following him is detracting from that. Kinda seems like two different ideas.

filler that seemed "edgy" in principle to the podcasters.

in reality it comes across as keystone cops meets garda patrol.

patob · 02-10-2020 8:16pm

glasso wrote: »

filler that seemed "edgy" in principle to the podcasters.

in reality it comes across as keystone cops meets garda patrol.

Agree that the benefit of this so far is to hear the stories of the survivors and their families to get insight into the horror and impact of the abuse. The surveillance and driving around the US neighbourhoods adds a bit of drama. Sounds like there are plenty of local campaigners who have been all over his movements, like the Irish guy based in Florida. Useful to read the Paul Kimmage interviews with Gary O'T in Sunday Independent last couple of weeks to give more if the history.

big_drive · 05-10-2020 10:11am

I'll be honest, i knew very little about this until a couple of weeks ago. The name Gibney was someway familiar but nothing more. Have listened to all episodes, i find it very interesting. Its one of those things thats hard to listen to but at same time you want to hear more.
Lots of emotions listening to it, very sad for the victims. Lot of anger too, really want this guy to suffer something and not get away and die without facing justice. With modern social media, tracking etc surely he can be found, charged and thrown into a prison cell to die!

Beersmith · 05-10-2020 1:30pm

big_drive wrote: »

I'll be honest, i knew very little about this until a couple of weeks ago. The name Gibney was someway familiar but nothing more. Have listened to all episodes, i find it very interesting. Its one of those things thats hard to listen to but at same time you want to hear more.
Lots of emotions listening to it, very sad for the victims. Lot of anger too, really want this guy to suffer something and not get away and die without facing justice. With modern social media, tracking etc surely he can be found, charged and thrown into a prison cell to die!

What are you on about? He has been found, many times, charged with what? The crimes he already went to court about and got off

Brendan Filone · 05-10-2020 3:13pm

Susan's story was heartbreaking, don't know how Mark Horgan restrained himself from swinging for Gibney when he saw him.

big_drive · 06-10-2020 11:04am

Beersmith wrote: »

What are you on about? He has been found, many times, charged with what? The crimes he already went to court about and got off

Im on about going after him again. Surely he can be brought up for something. Outcomes can change. Charged with what? Child abuse id imagine
Why just stand back and let him away

06-10-2020 4:10pm

big_drive wrote: »

Im on about going after him again. Surely he can be brought up for something. Outcomes can change. Charged with what? Child abuse id imagine
Why just stand back and let him away

https://www.otbsports.com/other-sports/george-gibney-muchnick-update-966190

06-10-2020 7:34pm

Seems like yer man Muchnik (the guy who has been covering Gibney in the US and pushing to get him followed up on) is not really impressed with the podcast

https://concussioninc.net/?p=14638

yosser hughes · 06-10-2020 7:44pm

https://www.broadsheet.ie/2020/10/06/irvin-muchnick-not-making-waves/

I don’t expect to be named Miss Congeniality for having to break the news to folks in Ireland that the BBC/Second Captains podcast Where Is George Gibney?, despite being hyped to the heavens by the herd of independent minds in the Anglo-Irish media, is pitifully exploitative and faux-earnest, and that its practitioners are callow.

Tonight.

Journalist Irvin Muchnick (above) will Answer A Broadsheet Reader.

Please leave any questions on Gibney, the BBC Sounds/Second Captains podcast or any other matters for Irvin below.

Tell me how · 06-10-2020 8:54pm

yosser hughes wrote: »

https://www.broadsheet.ie/2020/10/06/irvin-muchnick-not-making-waves/

Irvin obviously made his mind up in the first second of the first episode as he says here.

I don't think anyone connected with the show is saying that it is breaking new ground, but it is bringing the story to new people.

I too found the car chase type thing at the start to be a bit strained but since then I've found it paints an interesting story on just how bad the situation was as late as the mid-90's in terms of child security. The litany of people connected with swimming who were convicted of/accuse of various crimes was extraordinary.

Beersmith · 06-10-2020 9:12pm

He seems to bw speaking a lot of truth. I think WIGG has been all production over substance alright.

Robert McGrath · 06-10-2020 11:49pm

Tell me how wrote: »

Irvin obviously made his mind up in the first second of the first episode as he says here.

I don't think anyone connected with the show is saying that it is breaking new ground, but it is bringing the story to new people.

.

Yes. Briefly reading through his stuff, it seems Irvin is affronted by anyone else telling the story in a way he considers unacceptable. He has a go at Justine McCarthy, for God’s sake.

Spanish Eyes · 06-10-2020 11:53pm

I have it on the podcast list, but honestly am reluctant to listen to it since AFAIK Gibney is free. Despite what he did to those kids.

Robert McGrath · 06-10-2020 11:55pm

“In the interview of Susan’s sister, she betrays this superficiality. The tragedy of her sibling’s ruined life is, yes of course, that Susan, following multiple suicide attempts, would turn into a mental patient who required institutionalisation. But the other tragedy is the one about how the evil coach dashed a family’s dreams of Olympic glory — Susan’s, directly, and their parents’, vicariously.

Thus does our world devolve into full-tilt jockocracy, a place where the ultimate grievance is the one expressed by the Marlon Brando character in On the Waterfront: “I could have been a contender. I could have been somebody.”

The above is from Irvin’s article in that Broadsheet link. It’s pretty disrespectful to the family of one of the survivor’s of Gibney’s abuse. It seems to me that he can’t see the value of this podcast simply giving the survivors a voice as an end in itself. And that’s fine, but he doesn’t have to be an ass about it

Beersmith · 07-10-2020 5:00am

"BBC/Second Captains’ Where Is George Gibney? may prove to have significant fresh information, or it may prove to be applying, for the umpteenth time, broadcast production values to old information.

Regardless, if it turns out theirs is the voice that nudges deportation/extradition over the top, I’ll tip my hat."

He also wrote that. Fair enough he is being blunt about it I think.

Tell me how · 07-10-2020 5:04am

Beersmith wrote: »

"BBC/Second Captains’ Where Is George Gibney? may prove to have significant fresh information, or it may prove to be applying, for the umpteenth time, broadcast production values to old information.

Regardless, if it turns out theirs is the voice that nudges deportation/extradition over the top, I’ll tip my hat."

He also wrote that. Fair enough he is being blunt about it I think.

Surely that ship has sailed given that he was already charged with such crimes and broadcasting a podcast on the topic would at the very least be used in his defence as making it difficult for him to have a fair trial.

Brock Turnpike · 07-10-2020 7:58am

Irvin coming across extremely bitter. Seems he's not happy with the attention/praise being heaped on WIGG

Evil_g · 07-10-2020 9:01am

Robert McGrath wrote: »

“In the interview of Susan’s sister, she betrays this superficiality. The tragedy of her sibling’s ruined life is, yes of course, that Susan, following multiple suicide attempts, would turn into a mental patient who required institutionalisation. But the other tragedy is the one about how the evil coach dashed a family’s dreams of Olympic glory — Susan’s, directly, and their parents’, vicariously.

Thus does our world devolve into full-tilt jockocracy, a place where the ultimate grievance is the one expressed by the Marlon Brando character in On the Waterfront: “I could have been a contender. I could have been somebody.”

The above is from Irvin’s article in that Broadsheet link. It’s pretty disrespectful to the family of one of the survivor’s of Gibney’s abuse. It seems to me that he can’t see the value of this podcast simply giving the survivors a voice as an end in itself. And that’s fine, but he doesn’t have to be an ass about it

Well he does if he wants to use this to promote his website and books (all of which look pretty atrocious).

TRANQUILLO · 07-10-2020 4:51pm

Beersmith wrote: »

He seems to bw speaking a lot of truth. I think WIGG has been all production over substance alright.

It thinks its season 1 of serial.

The Aaron Dessner ( love the national) piano and Horgan masquerading as Sarah Koenig in the "car chases".

TRANQUILLO · 07-10-2020 4:53pm

Tell me how wrote: »

Surely that ship has sailed given that he was already charged with such crimes and broadcasting a podcast on the topic would at the very least be used in his defence as making it difficult for him to have a fair trial.

Im not trying to act like an internet hard man but I don't understand how this fella hasn't at least been tracked down and given an absolute hiding. If he is in the states under a fake name etc hes hardly going to go to the cops to report you if you break his legs.

Still Ill · 08-10-2020 8:38am

Thought today's episode was excellent. The investigative aspect of the podcast really started coming together. Think some of the criticism here was a little hasty. Gonna be very interesting next week.

Imhof Tank · 08-10-2020 1:28pm

See IT reporting John Mullins, guy with the english accent who stood his bail, has just stepped down from Swim Ireland board, SI saying they knew nothing about the detail he went into on the podcast . Hard to believe his links with GG were not widely known in swimming.

08-10-2020 2:02pm

Imhof Tank wrote: »

See IT reporting John Mullins, guy with the english accent who stood his bail, has just stepped down from Swim Ireland board, SI saying they knew nothing about the detail he went into on the podcast . Hard to believe his links with GG were not widely known in swimming.

I think SI are saying the detail they did not know about was the bail money John Mullins came up with for Gibney. But the links between Gibney and John Mullins were well known.
I really enjoyed this episode. The earlier episodes were moving a bit too slow. I am really looking forward to the last few episodes now.

AndrewJRenko · 08-10-2020 4:19pm

yosser hughes wrote: »

https://www.broadsheet.ie/2020/10/06/irvin-muchnick-not-making-waves/

Does anything on Broadsheet have any credibility these days? They're the lads who supported Gemma and are giving a voice to the anti-maskers.

dr.kenneth noisewater · 08-10-2020 5:59pm

Found today's episode disappointment after last week, thought they'd have more from that interview with the Irish guy in Tampa. All the in the car stuff feels very like filler, doesn't add much imo

08-10-2020 7:03pm

dr.kenneth noisewater wrote: »

Found today's episode disappointment after last week, thought they'd have more from that interview with the Irish guy in Tampa. All the in the car stuff feels very like filler, doesn't add much imo

I was surprised that that guy even went "on tape" tbh

Found it an interesting episode

Seems pretty obvious that it was him who sorted out the job offer thing for Gibney (year before the court case)

The keystone cops car stuff wasn't as bad this week either I thought as they actually revealed something to come out of it re where he was spending his time etc - before it was "they are in Walmart - quick let's hide in the ice-cream isle" type of thing.

dr.kenneth noisewater · 08-10-2020 7:26pm

glasso wrote:

Seems pretty obvious that it was him who sorted out the job offer thing for Gibney (year before the court case)

Yeah sounded like he was waiting for Mark to produce evidence he'd done it so didn't want to get caught lying

Raoul · 09-10-2020 12:11pm

TRANQUILLO wrote: »

It thinks its season 1 of serial.

The Aaron Dessner ( love the national) piano and Horgan masquerading as Sarah Koenig in the "car chases".

Yeah but to be fair Serial was one of the first type of those podcasts and almost in a way invented a whole genre of podcasts. So you can forgive that. This is years and years later.

yosser hughes · 09-10-2020 6:06pm

glasso wrote: »

Seems like yer man Muchnik (the guy who has been covering Gibney in the US and pushing to get him followed up on) is not really impressed with the podcast

https://concussioninc.net/?p=14638

He has revised his opinion after hearing the latest episode; in fairness to him.

But since Horgan has delivered big-time with Banks and there is more to come, it is not appropriate to dwell on what have become relatively small flaws.

There are complementary Irish broadcast and American journalistic approaches and emphases. Where Is George Gibney? now has justified its own, and has the juice to move forward toward real action holding Gibney and his many institutional enablers accountable.

https://www.broadsheet.ie/2020/10/09/irvin-muchnick-finding-banks-and-giving-credit/

09-10-2020 7:48pm

Yes well I thought myself that it was perhaps the best episode so far and as said was surprised that the Banks guy actually did the interview.

John_Rambo · 09-10-2020 9:13pm

yosser hughes wrote: »

He has revised his opinion after hearing the latest episode; in fairness to him.

Yeah, well observed, thanks for that. He might be best staying quiet till the full podcast is revealed. It's clearly building the story to people not acquainted with the whole atrocity. A story he's more than familiar with. He could bit annoyed this telling is getting so much attention. That's human nature, he's put a lot of effort in to this and may feel he could have been part of it.

Where Is George Gibney?

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