Taoiseach's Aide de Camp at Katy French funeral

donaghs

What's that about? Did he know her? Did she represent the state?

I don't want to sound like an old major myself, but its a bit of an insult to ordinary people who don't buy drugs from criminals. Who have to bury relatives who did not die from self-inflicted recklessness.

Dancor

I dont know why we as a nation didnt have a day of mourning for her............

flogen

I was a little bemused by the Taoiseach having a representative there. Does that mean Katy French was as important to the State as those volunteer firemen who died (or indeed any more important than the countless funerals that he's not represented at, such as the two men who died after eating cocaine in Waterford)?

jmayo

So was the Taoiseach represented at the funerals in Waterford or did he just send Martin Cullen ?
Then again Cullen would probably screw that up like everything else he was ever asked to do.

Fratton Fred

it just demonstrate that Katy somehow managed to get into the upper tier of society (AKA FF fan club) that can get away with breaking the law and still be regarded as a model citizen.

It is a shame that her death has been so badly handled by the media and politicians, because no matter how she died, or who was at her funeral, her parents must still be devastated.

Zombrex

I think after the whole Princess Di nonsense (the flag doesn't fly at half mast for anyone except a divorced Princess) politicians are in a bit of a rock and a hard place when it comes to funerals of people the public care about but who don't really have anything to do with the State.

If the government had sent no one no doubt the Sun/Star brigade would be saying that it was a disgrace.

Moriarty

Mike65, silverharp, I've deleted your posts. Everyone else: behave or you'll recieve a ban without further warning.

eoin5

Wicknight wrote: »

I think after the whole Princess Di nonsense (the flag doesn't fly at half mast for anyone except a divorced Princess) politicians are in a bit of a rock and a hard place when it comes to funerals of people the public care about but who don't really have anything to do with the State.

If the government had sent no one no doubt the Sun/Star brigade would be saying that it was a disgrace.

So the government answers to the taboids now. Even in paranoid ways. In any tragic celeb death by misadventure would the gov turn up?

kaiser sauze

I'm going to overdose on coke and if at least a Minister is not at my funeral, my will instructs that my estate goes to my family instead of a trust fund for the government for the sole use of paying for their Armani suits.

Zombrex

eoin5 wrote: »

So the government answers to the taboids now.

The government answers to the people. And the people are, in general, morons (again Princess Diana death as a classic example)

So the government, all governments, are torn between doing the sensible thing and doing what the public (who are morons remember) want.

Sure how do you explain the very fact that FF are even in government in the first place?

kaiser sauze

Wicknight wrote: »

The government answers to the people. And the people are, in general, morons (again Princess Diana death as a classic example)

So the government, all governments, are torn between doing the sensible thing and doing what the public (who are morons remember) want.

Sure how do you explain the very fact that FF are even in government in the first place?

Sorry, I don't appreciate being called a moron in the midst of your mass sweeping generalisation.

Although I also can't stand FF, I would disagree with that statement, too. We all know the real reason that they are still in power. Another topic.

CerebralCortex

Wicknight wrote: »

The government answers to the people. And the people are, in general, morons (again Princess Diana death as a classic example)

So the government, all governments, are torn between doing the sensible thing and doing what the public (who are morons remember) want.

Sure how do you explain the very fact that FF are even in government in the first place?

Because people for sure are morons.

GuanYin

lads.... please

baztard

The media have blown her death completly out of proportion. The vast majority of people had no idea who she was before she died. I think Bertie, eager as he is to get back into the publics goodbooks (after tribunal and ministerial wages bad press) has jumped on the medias Katie French bandwagon. With all due respect to her, I think the Taoiseach has cheapened the role of an Aide de camp (sp?) at a funeral, by sending one to Katie Frenchs funeral.

eoin5

I suppose you can look at it as a PR for the government for those disallusioned with the political process. Maybe those who are taken in with the world of celeb will see it as the politicians care about what they think, even if the feeling isnt mutual. Theres also the thought like our western mates that these people arent supposed to vote anyway and that the politicians just need to be seen doing something every now and again to show that they exist as some sort of reassurance.

This stuff is beginning to hurt my head :S

Any sort of "most people are stupid" statement is hard for me to understand. Most people are human and therefore open to manipulation is a better way of putting it I think.

Fuascailt

I thought i was the only one who felt like this... reading the newspaper coverage of her death, it makes me feel insulted on behalf of the millions who die and aren't noticed. Are those who die from drugs alone, in a deserted alley or the likes very differtent from Katy French? In the end, it was her choice to to take drugs. It wasd in her control.

MoominPapa

Does anyone know of anybody in the <sneers> general public whose reaction to the death of "The Peoples Junkie" was other than "Who?", "Who cares?", "F*ckin eejit" or at best "Sympathy for her family, none for her?" cause I don't. Plenty of revulsion at the media coverage in general though

oscarBravo

Point of order: until it's been conclusively determined that illegal drugs were a factor in Ms French's death, please refrain from making that assumption here. Thanks.

nacho libre

it's sad she is dead but it's hard to feel sympathy for her especially when i heard about a young woman dying due to a brain aneurysm recently.

Offalycool

I think people like her don't really realise the kind of consequences cocaine can really have. This is in part due to the complete lack of education on the facts of the matter, something the government should rectify ASAP. Most people until recently thought getting addicted to the stuff would at worst empty your pocket, clearly everyone is surprised by the recent spate of deaths due to the stuff.

I sympathise with her, She was young, pretty and outgoing and probably wasn't the super confident person she sold to the world. Bertie is just doing what any card playing politic would do in his lousy situation. Play human to the camera. People need to wake up to this toxic crap.. maybe now some will.

chauvejean

Most importantly, the government didnt send him as a representative. The Taoiseach is not associated with the Aide-de-Camp. The Aide-de-Camp is a member of the Defence Forces and therefore under the sole authority of the Supreme Commander, i.e. Mrs. MacAleese. He is not a representative of any TD, minister or senator.

strassenwolf

Maybe he thought it would be the diplomatic thing to do, given that she was French.:p

eoin5

chauvejean wrote: »

Most importantly, the government didnt send him as a representative. The Taoiseach is not associated with the Aide-de-Camp. The Aide-de-Camp is a member of the Defence Forces and therefore under the sole authority of the Supreme Commander, i.e. Mrs. MacAleese. He is not a representative of any TD, minister or senator.

Does anyone else find that if Mrs McAleese sent him its much more troubling?

flogen

chauvejean wrote: »

Most importantly, the government didnt send him as a representative. The Taoiseach is not associated with the Aide-de-Camp. The Aide-de-Camp is a member of the Defence Forces and therefore under the sole authority of the Supreme Commander, i.e. Mrs. MacAleese. He is not a representative of any TD, minister or senator.

You're completely wrong.

The role of Aide-De-Camp is as representative of high ranking officials and not just the head of the State or Army - in fact the Aide-De-Camp doesn't even need to be a member of the military but traditionally is.

Captain Michael Tracey is Bertie Ahern's Aide-De-Camp. Bertie Ahern sent his Aide-De-Camp to Katy French's funeral (and if he didn't someone should explain it to his spokesperson who is defending the decision in today's Sunday Tribune). Mary McAleese did not send her Aide-De-Camp.

Mary McAleese has her own (the name of whom I can't find at the moment).

In fact both the President's and Taoiseach's respective Aide-De-Camps were present at the funeral of Alan Cunniffe.

juuge

Interesting to listen to Dick (aptly named) Roche on the radio today defending Bertie's decision to send the Aide-de-Comp to Ms French's funeral. As far a Dick is concerned Bertie can do no wrong, then again he shafted Dick in the recent reshuffle.
There is a GOD !

aidan24326

For a start we don't know yet if drugs were even a factor in Katy French's death, that's all just tabloid speculation. So all this nonsense of calling her a 'junkie' is out of order. She's a young girl who died long before her time and left a heartbroken family behind. Even if drugs were a factor that fact doesn't change.

As for Bertie sending his aide-de-camp, it does seem unnecessary. However it is possible that Bertie knew her, at least to some extent. And Bertie being the sort he is will jump on any bandwagon going, we all know that. I would consider it inappropriate only if he didn't know the girl at all.

Remember also that it's the tabloid media who sensationalized her death, nobody else. Not herself or her friends and family. I agree with wicknight that the majority of people are morons, the fact that so many people buy the rag that calls itself the sun is proof enough of that.

Roanmore

aidan24326 wrote: »

For a start we don't know yet if drugs were even a factor in Katy French's death, that's all just tabloid speculation. So all this nonsense of calling her a 'junkie' is out of order. She's a young girl who died long before her time and left a heartbroken family behind. Even if drugs were a factor that fact doesn't change.

As for Bertie sending his aide-de-camp, it does seem unnecessary. However it is possible that Bertie knew her, at least to some extent. And Bertie being the sort he is will jump on any bandwagon going, we all know that. I would consider it inappropriate only if he didn't know the girl at all.

Remember also that it's the tabloid media who sensationalized her death, nobody else. Not herself or her friends and family. I agree with wicknight that the majority of people are morons, the fact that so many people buy the rag that calls itself the sun is proof enough of that.

If Bertie knew her then fair enough but he could have sent somebody from his family, his Aide de Camp is a state employee and is not to be used in a personal capacity

Laslo

aidan24326 wrote: »

I agree with wicknight that the majority of people are morons, the fact that so many people buy the rag that calls itself the sun is proof enough of that.

Really? Do the majority of people read The Sun?

This whole "everyone's a moron except me" nonsense is, ironically, only ever spouted by utter morons. Even intellectual snobs don't stoop so low :rolleyes:

mike65

Anyone know if the Joe Dolan funeral got an offical from the Taoiseachs office?

Mike.

ressem

President Mary McAleese and Taoiseach Bertie Ahern were represented by their respective aides-de-damp, Col Declan Carberry and Capt Michael Treacy.

http://www.independent.ie/todayspaper/national-news/tears-galore-as-fans-get-last-taste-of-dolan-magic-1254942.html

Crash

Jesus, Damp aides? thats awful.