Every Irish person who has complained to me about Irish politics has immediately followed it up with “of course I know it’s nothing compared with what you’re dealing with…”
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I just wish more of you would watch films like Michael Collins and Wind That Shakes the Barley, so you could start to have an idea on what you guys need to start doing.
I own the movie The Wind that Shakes the Barley. I had a very hard time watching it. My mother was 2 when her father died in 1922 and their home was raided by British soldiers in 1920 looking for guns. She had 6 siblings and she was the youngest.
My grandfather was a friend of Michael Collins -- I am sure people claim things like that all the time, but I actually have pictures somewhere. My grandfather -- who died in 1922 was involved in Irish politics shall I say?
Drinking can solve a lot of problems, or at least assuage them, but Tequila will have tariffs slapped on it, so we definitely have worse problems here than Ireland.
No one I know has any idea about what is going on in our own country’s politics, the noise from the US politics are so deafening. Of course it is also what get the clicks.
Let me share an inspirational Irish political joke: Q: What's an Irish swimmer's favourite stroke? A: Margaret Thatcher's. I don't think the orange fellow will get through 4 years with that stress, body weight and diet.
I know a lot more about British politics than Irish politics--the poor buggers--but I know the Irish don't even let their friends get big heads. Their politicians have to look like old dog toys after a while.
Nobody hates Conor McGregor more than Irish people. Trump/Musk gave him a platform because they want to undermine Irish democracy. They are working to destroy democracy throughout Europe.
I worry about their social media power, tbh. And their resources. I don’t underestimate the power of bribery & intimidation. Women who stood up to McGregor were threatened & had their houses/cars broken into (a total coincidence, I’m sure).☹️
My whole life I have complained about politics in this country but admitted that I would not want to live anywhere else because of freedom. I no longer feel that way - Ireland’s looking good - as if any American could go anywhere without protest from locals.
It is propaganda. The United States remains one of the least free countries on earth. There's an illusion of choice and freedom but it is just that, fake.
The US have made sure to properly brainwash not only people abroad but their own population too into thinking the US is the best in absolutely everything.
God save us, that says a lot. I still have Christy Moore swirling in my brain from St. Paddy's day:
"No time for love if they come in the morning,
No time to show tears or for fears in the morning,
No time for goodbye, no time to ask why,
And the sound of the sirens the cry of the morning."
Viktor Orbán's Hungary was the blaring warning sign the US ignored, thinking "it cannot happen here." So, Europeans are wise to be warned. It does seem like this kind of autocracy and oligarchy is spreading across the globe.
No matter what the Tangerine Tyrant says, we love our European friends. 💙☮️
The U.S. didn't ignore Orban -- they embraced him. This election had absolutely nothing to do with the price of eggs or the economy -- it was 100% about the racists and the misogynists thinking that the orange blob would hurt only the people they hate.
Solidarity across borders! It's vital to remember that while our struggles are unique, the fight for justice and equality is universal. How can we better support each other's movements?
Agreed!! They are doing their best to try to break up our alliances. Don’t think that all of America is for this regime.
We are not!
They circumvent every law they can to try to overthrow the government of the people.
We must protect each other’s sovereignties.
Respectfully, that is the wrong message. TRUMP is failing all of us. He's failing our veterans. He's failing our children. He's failing our economy. And WE will fight back.
No Trump is doing what he wants to do. The cruelty is the point. The chaos isn't a bug it's a feature. It's the opportunity he needs to make more money and secure more control.
He's not failing us because he was never on our side.
He's not a bad president, he's a bad PERSON that has to be stopped.
Republican members of Congress need to be made more afraid of their constituents than of Donald Trump. That is the only way we are going to get him out of the White House.
The #KKK #Nazis are in the White House, led by #PutinsPuppet.
A whole political party allowing a lawless president to go unchecked, because they like what he is doing right now. This is how democracies turn into autocracies.
I am convinced we Americans are in a special place in Hell because we're talking about fighting off our government, while Europeans are talking about football...
I’m interested to see what the general consensus from Ireland is about McGregor’s speech at the White House? Is anything he said true, or is he just spitting the typical white Christian nationalist propaganda points???
His 'data' came from a betting site. And it was a complete misreading of the actual data.
The general consensus in Ireland is McG is a rapist and we want nothing to do with him.
McGregor raped a woman so violently that her tampon had to be surgically removed. He is the absolute scum of the earth. His branded products have been removed from supermarket shelves here. Nothing he says is true.
This is too good, but we knew MAGA never looks at the bigger picture of how they're strategy will hurt this economy. This will become another "The Big Short" with housing market on the line, construction on the line, product market on the line, etc.
#WEARERHEFLOOD
Many ppl still thinks we’ll replace him in 4 years…now he wants to become Putin (to get rid of/disappear anyone he dislikes no questions asked), Xi (forever hold the power) or Kim Jung Un (to have his daily military parades).
#ImpeachTrumpAGAIN
#DonaldTrumpIsAboveTheLaw
Pisses me off,people are dead because of this lawless asshole his half or less blew it.There are those who patronize me saying"I'm loved,I'm stressing out because I'm over thinking it".
I'm not an over thinker I'm a well informed thinker,they're stupid.
Our political troubles being greater than theirs, at this moment, doesn't stop theirs from being what they are. To be clear, I'm glad they're cognizant of the current state of affairs here. But, as with illness and disability, we don't need to compare woes.
I mean a bit over half of you voted for him so he must be liked by quite a lot not that rich people. Why he is liked by so many of you, I can't tell. But he clearly is. Lots of supporters still even despite the hasty unconstitutional decisions and wild remarks hinting war against an ally or 3.
All convicted rapists, misogynists, incels, and far right nut jobs are now welcome at the White house. All the top officials are spouting russian propaganda. There is no European country envious of your political environment.
Well yeah, the Irish have one somewhat good and popular political party, and some less popular good political parties. It's hard to compare it to the openly fascist party and the falsely reluctant collaborators.
Yes they have three parties in coalition. One is somewhat good (Sinn Fein) and there are other smaller parties which are also somewhat good, better in some ways.
I mean, FF, FF, and SF are all good in ways that zero US political parties are, but FF and FG are also not very good
Sinn Fein is not in government, of the three mentioned, they are opposition. It's the other two that have been in power, usually opposing each other, for decades. These two parties responsible for a half million euro bike shed, the most expensive building ever, and a hire freeze of health workers.
Sinn Fein is not in the coalition, it's a coalition of the two centre right parties. Responsible for the golden tiger era and the eventual economic collapse.
To even be nominated for president you first have to have the backing of either 20 members of the Oireachtas (collective term for the president, the Dáil and the Seanad) or 4 local authorities (city/county councils), so it's unlikely he'll be in the running
Campaign spending and donation limits too so they can't just get all their billionaire buddies to donate. I'm sure some find ways around that but it at least puts most on an even footing
Yes, the British were the fascists but Irish people were the “home” of the suffering. My point was that people who have been through some serious shit in their history feel for the US. Is that a good clarification for you
Yeah I get why you were going for, I just didn't like the way that comment felt like it was blaming the Irish for the actions of the colonizer, but we're all good
They were forced into famine by the same type of fascists that are about to inflict famine on america. Little has changed but the resistance being slowly widdled away.
This is not a complaint. I mean it is, but I know there is nothing to be done really. It’s just a thing I’ve noticed more of recently. Low effort political content seeping into BlueSky in recent months…
Their problems must seem so minute compared to ours 😆 It’s like complaining that your steak wasn’t prepared right to a person who hasn’t eaten in days.
That's the response of every non-American I've encountered in the past year, at least. I'm sure there are a few countries up there with us, but we aren't in the middle of a physical war in our homeland yet.
Imagine that, other countries are looking at America with a microscope, and a C the corruption, pain and suffering of our people and the rich just loading over the masses
We were in Ireland during the 2016 election. We were at a B and B that we’d stayed at a number of times over the years. When we went down to breakfast, Tom, our host, sighed and said, “Oh, dear… it appears you all have gone and elected Berlusconi…” The remainder of the trip was surreal…
Well, now I'm sad I don't have that meme of the car going down the road with a huge pile of hay on top that was labeled "Donald Trump spotted on his way to his next rally"
He is, but like Sam says when the clouds part and he spots the light of Gil-Estel, the star of High Hope: the Shadow is only ever a passing thing. There is light and high beauty for ever beyond its reach.
This hope, called estel, is not prognostication, but a belief that the world is worth saving.
I will admit. You are spot on that Elon bears a startling resemblance to Wormtongue. He's greasy, slimy, and creepy as hell. Let's hope that, when shit hits the fan with the Trump administration, Musk and Trump's relationship will end like Wormtongue and Sarumon's did.
Irish politics is a bit like a TV soap opera, American politics... Thriller, horror and comedy all rolled into one. Hoping it's fixed soon for all our sakes
I agree!☝️ I communicate with physicists/musicians from across the pond and they all literally say that and “..but I don’t understand how TRUMP got elected they call him an old stupid tosser/wanker depending upon Ireland 🇮🇪 and Scotland 🏴!🤦🏼♀️💦Trump & his morons need to be neutered out of power ASAP
Once, while I was in Italy, I was listening to locals at the Tabacci complain about Berlusconi and I said, as an American, "oh yeah, we don't like our politicians either," to which they responded, "Yes, but we've been doing it longer."
Great. It's gotten so bad that a country with a wannabe authoritarian, roided up, rapist freak pales in comparison. 😐 Not shit talking the Irish- just saying we're *really* fucked if they say it's worse here.
I wonder if my Irish family will sponsor me like my Aunt and Uncle sponsored my mother back in the day? I don't have my mother's birth certificate so I have no idea how to get my Irish citizenship.
The Irish typically think we have a really good country, but are frustrated with bits of mismanagement that get in the way of it being a great country, whilst you guys, uh...
I think I can safely say that not a single Irish person left Ireland specifically to fight for the Union. One the million or so who left in the 20 years prior to the civil war did so sheerly for the purpose of survival. They would have had a visceral dislike of monarchy and servitude but hunger No.1
The Irish who left for the US during the years of both wars were doing so to escape the poverty of a colonized & famine-ravished land. Many ended up recruited into the army, sometimes against their will, sometimes not. But I don't know of any significant number who went to the US "to fight." On Mex:
This is when my family came over. Consequently, this is partly where my distaste for colonialism and landlords comes from.
A couple generations removed, I can't say I like to fight, but I can say that I tend not to back down in the face of one. Especially over my principles.
Idk. USA was isolationist, practicing eugenics, and Nazi happy up until Pearl Harbor. The war time propaganda made them unpopular to American citizens like the Red Scare.. Then Nixon/Reagan got the ball rolling to Trump. Actually a predictable outcome many of us were screaming about for decades.
The USA is a great county. But I am only talking about the land, not the people. We have really good people, but those are often the quiet ones. The good ones are finally starting to use their voices, though, so it gives me hope.
You can make a difference in 8 days - 1st April - 1x Wisconsin Supreme Court election (that musk has but 11m into), 2x Florida congressional elections, 1st and 6th. You don’t need to live there to support the non-MAGA candidate
What I find interesting is, the amount of people here in Europe who have absolutely no desire to visit the US, not to live there nor go on holiday. And it's especially worse with the tv show POTUS and his apartheid minion. Republicans bang on about immigrants like everyone wishes they could go there
Oh really???? Guess it's third hand memories.
Bombings, shootings, random revenge killings.
No safe place for either side nor in GB. We thankfully are not nearly there yet. Thank God.
To be fair most of Ireland was hardly affected, it was happening in Northern Ireland and didn’t impact us - we were piss poor in the 70s and 80s and be it right or wrong, that was what concerned most people in their day to day lives
President of Ireland is a largely ceremonial position, with real political power being vested in the Taoiseach.
McGregor would never be elected, the majority of Ireland want nothing to do with a sexual abuser.
Much sympathy for America, he'll die before he pays but hold his enablers to account.
He ain't making it. On his first day, on that first podium, in the first few seconds speaking in public, it's over. Remember how viral Farage or Robinson go when they get milkshaked? By one milshake. This twat will make every MaccyDs in the countey run out of milk. He is a dirty wee rapist. Always
I have more faith in Irish citizenry than the U.S. If McGregor does a rally anywhere in Ireland, there'd be absolutely mad, and creative, acts of civil disobedience that would wreck him. If Trump was Irish, there'd have been a trough of shit waiting for him at the bottom of the escalator in 2015.
he'll visit (again) but he won't ever get the welcome Biden or Obama got. Last time Trump didn't do any public outings at all, he just stayed at his own hotel..
Compare that with biden/Obama who mixed directly with crowds, Obamas visit in Dublin was insane!
I’m interested to see what the general consensus from Ireland is about McGregor’s speech at the White House? Is anything he said true, or is he just spitting the typical white Christian nationalist talking points???
Well I'd actually suggest getting on the ballot is relatively accessible e.g. the support of 4 councils gives fairly ready access to genuine candidates.
You're absolutely correct though that this will be very tough (impossible really) for McGregor - because he has no support whatsoever.
People are worried as male immigrants are bused into villages that have not got the infrastructure to cope. They are angry that the immigrants get housing, medical and benefits. McGregor and others push this agenda without facts and people accept this narrative as the Government ignore their fears.
Scratch any of those so-called 'concerns' and you'll just find racism. Fix any of those 'concerns' and they'll just find others. Anything at all to justify their racism. You can't change them. They are loud but small in number, neither smart nor pleasant and deeply unpopular.
No one here likes him, we all get second hand embarassment from him.
Now, the twitter bots will tell you otherwise.
There was a far-right party that got loads of support on twitter, and they got like 4 votes in the election.
I didn’t see his “ speech “ as he’s a thug and reviled by the majority in ireland. Prob just rehashing the white supremacy “ replacement “ racist view that got trump into power. the housing crisis means that, say, 500 people queue up to rent one apt or house so asylum seekers stress our system
Nothing he said was remotely true. The idiot appeared to be coked out of it as he ranted his racist bile from the WH. He is reviled in most of Ireland, and the sooner his 15 minutes are up the better for mankind.
He is detested by normal decent people who regard him as nothing more than a thug who brings disgrace to this country every time he opens his gob. No, nothing he said is true, he is pandering to a very few extremists & the sort of criminal scum who rioted in Dublin 18 months ago.
There is a far right cohort in Ireland that would share Conor McGregors views but thankfully it’s still a minority which was reflected in our most recent elections. This is what our Tánaiste has to say re same;
Seriously? What do you mean by this? We don’t have any more issues than most countries. We just returned the same Democratic government overwhelmingly in recent elections.
Yes I am Irish. I am totally aware of our history but right now we have no bigger issues than most countries. Our government was returned in recent elections and Democracy is safe. Our biggest problem will now be the US and their tariffs.
I am very aware. I fear for the entire world as the orange one plays Monopoly with real people. Ireland and the US are inextricably linked but I see a parting of the ways until such a time as the Republicans are disposed of.
They probably just mean that Ireland has had a pretty rough history, and not all of it ancient. The Troubles are still living memory. It's likely that a decent percentage of the people Hank's talking about lived through it or grew up while it happened, and they're saying things are bad in the US.
Irish political corruption is the most blatant I've ever seen living in a country even compared to a country where you'd have to "pay" officials to get them to do their jobs. So yeah Ireland has a few more issues than most but not as bad as many others
Lived there for 5.5 years recently. Did my PhD there. Taught 12 uni classes there. So yeah I know it and could see it more easily as a blow in and how they fecked over international students on insurance only to make friends rich and union took bribes from uni to skirt our rights. Need more??
I was in New Zealand recently. They’ve got a pickle with a right-wing know-nothing majority party. But all of them said, “You’re way worse off. I’m sorry you have to go back.”
America will descend into 'troubles' before it gets better. I hope it's not as bloody as Ireland.
But you can only blame yourselves, there is no one else making it happen.
If that does happen it will be a thousand times worse than here. After all gun ownership here in Ireland was rare and mostly confined to sporting pieces, whereas in the US its everything from revolvers to stuff armies would be jealous of.
The weapons will just make it faster. The Irish troubles lasted for so long because of deeply held beliefs and were very tactical. The Americans will not be tactical and their ideologies are not strong enough for more than a month of fighting
1.2 The readily available,quick firing weapons will make it much worse much quicker,+ I wouldn't be so quick to say it won't be tactical/idealogical. There are plenty of organised militant far right hate groups out there waiting with bated breath for normal American society to crumble. Not all of..
Fascism never works because it reduces everyone who participates in it into idiots. They stop thinking and abandon any kind of real meritocracy. They are incapable of anything constructive and their pointless cruelty eventually alienates their support.
They create enemies and reasons to support them
2.2..them are beer bellied yobs with too low an IQ to tie their own shoe laces. If things go pear-shaped over there, how soon before some far right governor calls for help to impose his rule?Even without that call, there are plenty of groups who will move against the targets of their hate, big time
I’m Irish & agree with your sarcasm. The local far right bandits here are generally career freeloading idiots going between the bookies & the pub on dole day thinking they know how to solve global issues or the 5 baby daddy moms afraid of loosing their social welfare & gawd forbid actually work!!
Irish politics is complicated. Remember the IRA / Hamas etc joint training camps. Peeps in the UK think things are great now in NI. Seen the armoured Land Rovers? The massive wall? The split city? The piper bands training kids? No go areas galore. Still awful, but no bombings, kneecappings ...geez.
I'm Irish w/a passport & lived there & it's true that if you put 10 of my people in a room, you'll hear at LEAST different 12 opinions & possibly more. Add to that a parliamentary form of government & the complications grow exponentially. But this is normal -- this is what it's like in a democracy.
When trumpie was wannabe 45 Potus. Every American I met in Dublin up to Saint Patrick's Festival. When asked about trumpie. Would say. Oh we're from Canada in a thick Boston or Brooklyn accent.
🇪🇺🇮🇪
The irish press is particularly hard hitting on the Trump regime. I have reposted original stories from them that highlight aspects not covered by our feckless MSM.
You've got the polarisation, the extremism, because there is no one source of information, all those countries where there are public service media organisations have less polarisation the data tells us.
There was less polarization when we had 3 channels to pick from. Before Fox News and Robert Ailes and Rupert Murdoch thought it a good idea to plunder the mediascape with lascivious hosts spouting lies.
Don't forget that we also used to have the fairness doctrine in the US. When they got rid of that we got all of these talking heads shows where the news was spun instead of told.
Does that include RT, because that's state propaganda. This is why I want continuing independent news sources. They may be the only ones telling us the honest truth, before too long.
Comments
Thank you Ireland ❤️🩹🥲
I guess it fits y'all would be empathetic about dealing with fucked up authoritarian power structures
One thing all Irish politicians have in common is that they are trying to be decent people, even if they have different ideas of what decent means.
Stop him
You KNOW shit is beyond fucked
Look for the helpers! - Mr.Rodgers
https://bsky.app/profile/aoc.bsky.social/post/3lkynaqf6ds24
Fun Fact -- That's where Linda Ronstadt went to high school.
You literally can be jailed in Ireland for a meme.
Let that sink in.
"No time for love if they come in the morning,
No time to show tears or for fears in the morning,
No time for goodbye, no time to ask why,
And the sound of the sirens the cry of the morning."
Mission accomplished, MAGAs. 😞
as for the Irish, not by chance did trump shunt the pm Martin on st Paddy's and instead invited the brain dead racist McGregor.
No matter what the Tangerine Tyrant says, we love our European friends. 💙☮️
We are not!
They circumvent every law they can to try to overthrow the government of the people.
We must protect each other’s sovereignties.
He's not failing us because he was never on our side.
He's not a bad president, he's a bad PERSON that has to be stopped.
Republican members of Congress need to be made more afraid of their constituents than of Donald Trump. That is the only way we are going to get him out of the White House.
The #KKK #Nazis are in the White House, led by #PutinsPuppet.
Thanks, FOTUS
The general consensus in Ireland is McG is a rapist and we want nothing to do with him.
#WEARERHEFLOOD
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/big-short-investor-predicted-2008-181733029.html
Many ppl still thinks we’ll replace him in 4 years…now he wants to become Putin (to get rid of/disappear anyone he dislikes no questions asked), Xi (forever hold the power) or Kim Jung Un (to have his daily military parades).
#ImpeachTrumpAGAIN
#DonaldTrumpIsAboveTheLaw
Pisses me off,people are dead because of this lawless asshole his half or less blew it.There are those who patronize me saying"I'm loved,I'm stressing out because I'm over thinking it".
I'm not an over thinker I'm a well informed thinker,they're stupid.
I mean, FF, FF, and SF are all good in ways that zero US political parties are, but FF and FG are also not very good
https://news.sky.com/story/why-conor-mcgregor-has-close-to-zero-chance-of-becoming-irelands-next-president-13331498
In other news, I’ve noticed a lot more “unrelated memes” in your replies lately. It’s killing the vibe a lil. Just a lil.
Deservedly so I might add.
My grandfather and family came to US in 1918
This hope, called estel, is not prognostication, but a belief that the world is worth saving.
Not a fucking chance. We don't put up with rapist degenerates
He won't even get on the ballot.
yeah. no argument there.
Everyone either hates us or pitys us, and both are correct.
I know it's a pernicious stereotype, but could it also, maybe, possibly be true that the Irish just like fighting?
A couple generations removed, I can't say I like to fight, but I can say that I tend not to back down in the face of one. Especially over my principles.
What are they doing talking politics with Hank Green when they could be talking science?!?!
Bombings, shootings, random revenge killings.
No safe place for either side nor in GB. We thankfully are not nearly there yet. Thank God.
And then smack him in the puss from all of Ireland
McGregor would never be elected, the majority of Ireland want nothing to do with a sexual abuser.
Much sympathy for America, he'll die before he pays but hold his enablers to account.
Yep, yep, everyone heard that 😂
he'll visit (again) but he won't ever get the welcome Biden or Obama got. Last time Trump didn't do any public outings at all, he just stayed at his own hotel..
Compare that with biden/Obama who mixed directly with crowds, Obamas visit in Dublin was insane!
That's all you need to know really.
I look forward to McGregor's humiliation when he fails to secure a nomination to run in the Presidential election this November.
You're absolutely correct though that this will be very tough (impossible really) for McGregor - because he has no support whatsoever.
Now, the twitter bots will tell you otherwise.
There was a far-right party that got loads of support on twitter, and they got like 4 votes in the election.
Nobody cares what he says because it's not genuine. He knows nothing, and is thick as bottled pigshit. He represents nobody, and never will.
That is the consensus. 100%.
Conor McGregor 'represents the very worst of toxic masculinity' https://jrnl.ie/6652590
I want out. 😢
But you can only blame yourselves, there is no one else making it happen.
They create enemies and reasons to support them
🇪🇺🇮🇪
Wonder about them now....
Read "Furious MAGA turns on Pam Bondi after ‘unprecedented’ number of Fox News appearances" on SmartNews: https://l.smartnews.com/p-jHRVEW5/f3TUdm