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who is Brendan Smyth?

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  • 18-07-2011 4:52pm
    #1
    Fuinseog
    Registered Users Posts: 5,371 ✭✭✭


    no, not the priest, but a community activist? from Sandyvale.
    He has letters in the Advertiser every now and then and appears to be quite erudite. He seems to have a lot to say and I am surprised he has never stood for election. What are his politics?


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    #2
    snubbleste
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 31,117 ✭✭✭✭snubbleste


    Write a letter to him and ask!


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    #3
    soundbyte
    Registered Users Posts: 445 ✭✭soundbyte


    Speedie Smith:

    http://brenspeedie.blogspot.com/


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    #4
    snubbleste
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 31,117 ✭✭✭✭snubbleste


    btw did anyone go on any of those day cycle tours? Thought about it during bike week but found something else to do.


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    #5
    Fuinseog
    Registered Users Posts: 5,371 ✭✭✭Fuinseog


    soundbyte wrote: »
    Speedie Smith:

    http://brenspeedie.blogspot.com/

    he seems to be a complex character with something to say on a variety of topics. Just browsing through his blog gives the impression that he is of no particular politics.


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    #6
    lasgaviotas
    Closed Accounts Posts: 15 ✭lasgaviotas


    He was President of the the Students Union in UCG years ago and a very good President he was indeed..he is still very enthusiastic about anything he puts his mind to..he appears to be a very modest individual with no airs or graces..


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    #7
    galwaycyclist
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 2,912 ✭✭✭galwaycyclist


    Speedie is good people. That said - he is sometimes seen consorting with class enemies, lackeys or other running dogs of the counter revolutionary elements and the occasional cyclist.

    But then they could say the same thing about me ;)


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    #8
    doubleglaze
    Registered Users Posts: 405 ✭✭doubleglaze


    There's great stuff in Speedie.


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    #9
    Sponge Bob
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 25,234 ✭✭✭✭Sponge Bob


    A legend in Galway, he drove the Terryland Forestry project and had the whole of Tirellan and Sandyvale out planting trees along the river from the Dyke Road to Riverside one weekend, looks quite nice now 10 years later.

    They will name something after him while he is alive, of that I am sure :)


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    #10
    Fuinseog
    Registered Users Posts: 5,371 ✭✭✭Fuinseog


    galwaycyclist wrote: »
    Speedie is good people. That said - he is sometimes seen consorting with class enemies, lackeys or other running dogs of the counter revolutionary elements and the occasional cyclist.

    But then they could say the same thing about me ;)

    what are you on about?


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    #11
    Fuinseog
    Registered Users Posts: 5,371 ✭✭✭Fuinseog


    Sponge Bob wrote: »
    A legend in Galway, he drove the Terryland Forestry project and had the whole of Tirellan and Sandyvale out planting trees along the river from the Dyke Road to Riverside one weekend, looks quite nice now 10 years later.

    They will name something after him while he is alive, of that I am sure :)



    a project the city supported., then they wanted to build a road through it. is the planned road still going to go ahead?


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    #12
    Sponge Bob
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 25,234 ✭✭✭✭Sponge Bob


    Fuinseog wrote: »
    a project the city supported., then they wanted to build a road through it. is the planned road still going to go ahead?
    Thats right, it was kyboshed last year.

    Is that Ming himself campaigning against the road ???


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    #13
    Fuinseog
    Registered Users Posts: 5,371 ✭✭✭Fuinseog


    Sponge Bob wrote: »
    Thats right, it was kyboshed last year.

    Is that Ming himself campaigning against the road ???

    I see the Crowe was all for the road. he wanted the trees removed from the sqaure as well. What does the dude have against trees?


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    #14
    galwaycyclist
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 2,912 ✭✭✭galwaycyclist


    Fuinseog wrote: »
    what are you on about?

    Hmmm probably before your time. It was an evocation of the language of cold war politics and perhaps even cold war era student politics - which Speedie was in the thick of. Nowadays treated humorously by those of us who had the good luck to live in a little European backwater at the time. Others might find the attempt at humour crass. Some background reading for you

    Class enemy: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enemy_of_the_people
    Counter revolutionary elements: See here under Early mass rallieshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cultural_Revolution
    Running dogs: See here under Struggle sessions and purges http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cultural_Revolution


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    #15
    beagle001
    Closed Accounts Posts: 764 ✭✭✭beagle001


    Fuinseog wrote: »
    Sponge Bob wrote: »
    Thats right, it was kyboshed last year.

    Is that Ming himself campaigning against the road ???

    I see the Crowe was all for the road. he wanted the trees removed from the sqaure as well. What does the dude have against trees?

    Money and a thirst for recognition and power,ohh Crowe probably the worst politician to come out of Galway since Frank 40 gaffes Fahy.
    Both have no interest in a public service but a self-service.


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    #16
    snubbleste
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 31,117 ✭✭✭✭snubbleste


    108197pre_8fb06161ab4d773.jpg?v=2010-04-05+17%3A33%3A47


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    #17
    mikom
    Closed Accounts Posts: 16,391 ✭✭✭✭mikom


    snubbleste wrote: »
    108197pre_8fb06161ab4d773.jpg?v=2010-04-05+17%3A33%3A47

    Crowe got a root up the hole in the General election, so everything worked out well in the end.


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    #18
    biko
    Registered Users Posts: 81,220 ✭✭✭✭biko


    This thread is about Brendan, not Crowe.
    If you want to discuss Crowe's politics, use Politics forum.


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    #19
    Fuinseog
    Registered Users Posts: 5,371 ✭✭✭Fuinseog


    galwaycyclist wrote: »
    Hmmm probably before your time. It was an evocation of the language of cold war politics and perhaps even cold war era student politics - which Speedie was in the thick of. Nowadays treated humorously by those of us who had the good luck to live in a little European backwater at the time. Others might find the attempt at humour crass. Some background reading for you

    Class enemy: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enemy_of_the_people
    Counter revolutionary elements: See here under Early mass rallieshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cultural_Revolution
    Running dogs: See here under Struggle sessions and purges http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cultural_Revolution


    speedie is presumably Brendan Smith?


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    #20
    Galwayps
    Registered Users Posts: 126 ✭✭Galwayps


    I think he was the first person in Galway to put in condom vending machines.
    Searched in his blog and found this


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    #21
    Fuinseog
    Registered Users Posts: 5,371 ✭✭✭Fuinseog


    Galwayps wrote: »
    I think he was the first person in Galway to put in condom vending machines.
    Searched in his blog and found this

    indeed he was. I read part of his extensive blog yesterday. You would need days to get through it all. as others have pointed out he appears to be quite humble.
    i heard him speak briefly and he seemed to be well informed and a good speaker. I guess if he were to go into politics he would have to compromise his principles.


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    #22
    celty
    Registered Users Posts: 370 ✭✭celty


    He also used to run an excellent live music venue, back in the mid-1990s. Called Setanta. Located where the Oslo is now. Used to feature a host of late night gigs by the likes of Frank and Walters, Sultans of Ping, etc, basically every good Irish band at that time, apart from the obvious big ones. An excellent venue, but it didn't work out.


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    #23
    Fuinseog
    Registered Users Posts: 5,371 ✭✭✭Fuinseog


    celty wrote: »
    He also used to run an excellent live music venue, back in the mid-1990s. Called Setanta. Located where the Oslo is now. Used to feature a host of late night gigs by the likes of Frank and Walters, Sultans of Ping, etc, basically every good Irish band at that time, apart from the obvious big ones. An excellent venue, but it didn't work out.

    Setanta is a blast from the past. I wonder why it did not work out.


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    #24
    TheCosmicFrog
    Registered Users Posts: 1,380 ✭✭✭TheCosmicFrog


    He's the Community Outreach Officer for DERI in NUI Galway. Does a lot of excellent work for Galway, especially with local schools. Was meant to work with him in teaching school kids how to program, but it never transpired. Must take a walk down that road again some day in the future.

    He also curates the Computer and Communications Museum up in DERI. Well worth a look. Not sure if it's open these days, but they move it around from place to place. It was at the Science Museum in NUIG this year.


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    #25
    celty
    Registered Users Posts: 370 ✭✭celty


    Fuinseog,

    Setanta didn't work out because the focus was completely on live music and it just wasn't making enough money. This is pre the Roisin Dubh days. Speedie was also involved in Monroe's when that pub actually sprang up the whole revival around 'The West', before the Roisin, Massimo, Blue Note, etc. came on the scene. It totally transformed night life around Dominick Street.


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    #26
    dilallio
    Registered Users Posts: 2,728 ✭✭✭dilallio


    celty wrote: »
    Fuinseog,

    Setanta didn't work out because the focus was completely on live music and it just wasn't making enough money. This is pre the Roisin Dubh days. Speedie was also involved in Monroe's when that pub actually sprang up the whole revival around 'The West', before the Roisin, Massimo, Blue Note, etc. came on the scene. It totally transformed night life around Dominick Street.
    Yes. I think they called it 'Club Rapparee' or something like that.
    They did a legendary breakfast and on sunday mornings there were often large queues outside at 12pm waiting for it to open at 12:30.

    I remember back in the early to mid 80's, Brendan was also involved in a computer shop somewhere on Eglington Street. They used to sell Commodore Vic 20's and Commodore 64's. Can anyone remember the name of the place? Dr. Bob Loughnane was also involved.
    I remember saving up for 18 months with my brothers to buy an 8K memory cartridge for our Vic20 which cost over 130 pounds at the time! How times have changed.


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    #27
    thesandeman
    Registered Users Posts: 10,491 ✭✭✭✭thesandeman


    He also ran 'Calico Jacks' where Massimo is now.
    One of the soundest publicans I ever met (and Ive met a lot).
    I might not always agree with with his politics (mostly do) but he would always be prepared to discuss any differences of opinion. Used to bump into him now and then in strange places like Tesco etc after and he would always stop for a chat.


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    #28
    serfboard
    Registered Users Posts: 4,708 ✭✭✭serfboard


    Fuinseog wrote: »
    He seems to have a lot to say and I am surprised he has never stood for election.
    He did once, many moons ago. Stood as an independent for the City Council. Despite a good vote, he didn't get elected.
    celty wrote: »
    Speedie was also involved in Monroe's when that pub actually sprang up the whole revival around 'The West', before the Roisin, Massimo, Blue Note, etc. came on the scene. It totally transformed night life around Dominick Street.
    Indeed. You could say that he created the whole Dominick St./West thing (apart from The Crane, which was there before). Without Monroes, there would have been no Roisins. Before he took it over, Monroes was doing very little business.
    dilallio wrote: »
    I think they called it 'Club Rapparee' or something like that.
    Spot on. Used to have set dancing on Monday or Tuesday nights.


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    #29
    Fuinseog
    Registered Users Posts: 5,371 ✭✭✭Fuinseog


    thesandeman wrote: »
    He also ran 'Calico Jacks' where Massimo is now.
    One of the soundest publicans I ever met (and Ive met a lot).
    I might not always agree with with his politics (mostly do) but he would always be prepared to discuss any differences of opinion. Used to bump into him now and then in strange places like Tesco etc after and he would always stop for a chat.

    what are his politics in your view? maybe he is a tad left but unlikely to froth at the mouth if you disagree with him.


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    #30
    Fuinseog
    Registered Users Posts: 5,371 ✭✭✭Fuinseog


    serfboard wrote: »
    He did once, many moons ago. Stood as an independent for the City Council. Despite a good vote, he didn't get elected.

    .

    that did not stop Ming who also stood in Galway and did not get elected. Do you know what his policies were all those moons ago?
    I could be wrong but he seems to be limited to Galway and never tries to go on the national airwaves.
    I wonder why he does not campaign for a better hospital.


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    #31
    Sponge Bob
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 25,234 ✭✭✭✭Sponge Bob


    Fuinseog wrote: »
    I wonder why he does not campaign for a better hospital.
    He can campaign for whatever he wants, what did you ever campaign for anyway ??

    I don't campaign for a better hospital because I know too many of the managers in there ....which means it is impossible to have a better hospital.


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