The most popular person in Ireland.

Arghus

Paul McGrath is the most loved. Every single Irish person I've ever met loves Paul McGrath, aside from the soccer haters, but there's no talking to them.

whiskeyman

Arghus wrote: »

Paul McGrath is the most loved. Every single Irish person I've ever met loves Paul McGrath.

Good call.

Cant believe anyone didn't mention him until you did

Kilboor

Has anybody mentioned Paul McGrath yet? SERIOUSLY NO? Wow.

Arghus

whiskeyman wrote: »

Good call.

Cant believe anyone didn't mention him until you did

He's mentioned plenty in the thread, just not enough.

Deleted User

Deleted User wrote: »

This. Enormously respected. In terms of both popularity and influence he was truly incomparable. The 1973 Sunningdale, 1985 A-I Agreement, the 1998 GFA, fair employment legislation/McBride Principles/Sullivan Principles and of course the Peace Process - it is John Hume who pushed all these despite a sustained campaign against him by Independent Newspapers for years because he talked with Gerry Adams. Nobody else had the popular support among all sections of nationalist opinion. His word and judgement was trusted in Washington and Dublin about republican intentions.

He has not been well for years now and when his time comes is certain to have the largest funeral in our living memory.

Hume is certainly no nationalist. When the stoops pulled out of Stormont and to stave off support for a Dáil Uladh in the early 70's, they assembled the short lived Dungiven parliament and styled it the parliament of the northern Irish people as a rival 6 county parliament to Stormont. I can't remember the quote but Hume quoted Edward Carson during its opening session.

Curly Judge

Deleted User wrote: »

Hume is certainly no nationalist. When the stoops pulled out of Stormont and to stave off support for a Dáil Uladh in the early 70's, they assembled the short lived Dungiven parliament and styled it the parliament of the northern Irish people as a rival 6 county parliament to Stormont. I can't remember the quote but Hume quoted Edward Carson during its opening session.

Hasn't killed or kneecapped enough in your estimation then?

SlipperyPeople

Paul Mcgrath

Kilboor

hungoverbunny wrote: »

Paul Mcgrath

Has he been mentioned yet?

RobertKK

He is dead but St Patrick is still popular.

valoren

Mike Murphy.

MonkeyTennis

yer man who does the voiceover for the Brennans bread adds

Ficheall

This is like the "Who's your favourite boardsie?" and "Boardsie Love" threads all over again - not a single mention

batistuta9 wrote: »

if all these people an an event/performance/night/whatever on at the same time, I reckon conor mcgregor or brendan o'carroll would get the biggest attendance

I'm not a fan of either, but I'd watch them fight.

Lt Dan

valoren wrote: »

Mike Murphy.

the Great Dermot Morgan would have something to say about Mike

lawlolawl

How about The Man: Joe Duffy?

CrabRevolution

He's wildly popular alright, but I don't know how anyone suggesting Conor McGregor has managed to miss the fact that a huge number of people absolutely despise the man.

I'm indifferent to him myself, but there's a passionate dislike for him out there.That should preclude him from being Ireland's most popular person.

Dr Crayfish

ArnoldJRimmer wrote: »

I'd say Michael D is in with a shout there. Not many people have a bad word to say about him

Well I think he's an absolute waste of tax payers money

Dr Crayfish

padd b1975 wrote: »

Michael O' Muircheartaigh.

Can't stand his accent for one. Saw him on the late late once and came across as a sanctimonious prick while talking about alcohol etc., which apparently he's never tasted. His voice used to put chills in me on Sunday's as bad as the f*cking Glenroe music.

batistuta9

CrabRevolution wrote: »

He's wildly popular alright, but I don't know how anyone suggesting Conor McGregor has managed to miss the fact that a huge number of people absolutely despise the man.

I'm indifferent to him myself, but there's a passionate dislike for him out there.That should preclude him from being Ireland's most popular person.

But numourous popular things have huge numbers who hate them; man u, new York Yankees, Floyd mayweather, star wars, the big bang theory (TV show, though I'm not sold on the inflation theory myself :pac: ), iphones, brexit, etc.

In any field at all you'll have the dislikes with the popularity. They don't diminish the popularity.

CrabRevolution

CrabRevolution wrote: »

He's wildly popular alright, but I don't know how anyone suggesting Conor McGregor has managed to miss the fact that a huge number of people absolutely despise the man.

I'm indifferent to him myself, but there's a passionate dislike for him out there.That should preclude him from being Ireland's most popular person.

I think it's a generational thing too. The whole beard and suit look, the tattoos, the brash talk, even what he does for a living, it will appeal to some and not to others. No denying he is popular, I think as one goes up the age chain his popularity would wane.

Autonomous Cowherd

Yeah, John Creedon was in my mind all along. I really like him and he does round off the day so well. Glad he was mentioned.

BailMeOut

do not think anyone has mentioned Johnny Giles yet.

evolving_doors

diomed wrote: »

Pat Hickey

I shall not bestow my valuable thanks upon this post.

evolving_doors

I think Cork and Dublin folk are overplaying their hand (as always )
So let's rule out The Bod, Roy Keane etc...

Autonomous Cowherd

Autonomous Cowherd wrote: »

Yeah, John Creedon was in my mind all along. I really like him and he does round off the day so well. Glad he was mentioned.

Met him in a pub one night.

He's a thoroughly pleasant person.

Lt Dan

Dr Crayfish wrote: »

Can't stand his accent for one. Saw him on the late late once and came across as a sanctimonious prick while talking about alcohol etc., which apparently he's never tasted. His voice used to put chills in me on Sunday's as bad as the f*cking Glenroe music.

Never understood the hype. Michael O'Heir wannabe

Anyone who had the misfortune of purchasing and playing the Gaelic Football Computer game for the Playstation 2 would hate him.

alwaysadub

cml387 wrote: »

That annoyingly smelly piece of dogsh!t that's stuck to your shoe that you just can't clean off...that's Colm McGregor.

That was the Captains name on our Ryanair flight yesterday. He was nice alright but dunno if he'd be the most popular person in Ireland tbh..

Dr Crayfish

Autonomous Cowherd wrote: »

Yeah, John Creedon was in my mind all along. I really like him and he does round off the day so well. Glad he was mentioned.

I went to college with his daughter, who was really lovely. I'm still not familiar with John Creedon though, everyone else in college seemed to know who he was. Jesus it's 18 years ago now

511

ArnoldJRimmer wrote: »

I'd say Michael D is in with a shout there. Not many people have a bad word to say about him

He's a fúcking eejit: http://www.rte.ie/news/2015/0904/725569-ireland-refugees/

Got that one well wrong, considering what happened in Paris, Cologne and Brussels.

MyStubbleItches

Dr Crayfish wrote: »

I went to college with his daughter, who was really lovely. I'm still not familiar with John Creedon though, everyone else in college seemed to know who he was. Jesus it's 18 years ago now

Even if you're not aware of his radio show, you might know him from RTE's Wild Atlantic Way and, more recently, Ireland's Ancient East series.

Water John

Yeah, Creedo is a good shout. Very popular, wide range of interests.
Cork City fan.

Motivator

[Deleted User] wrote: »

As far as most popular goes, i'd reckon Michael Lyster from the Sunday Game is right up there. Comes across as very likeable, good at his job, unpretentious, enthusiastic, usually in good form.. I'd find it hard to imagine someone disliking him for any reason.

Met Lyster at the All Stars a few years ago. He's a bollocks.

enricoh

Joey Dunlop or Luke Kelly?
Never heard anyone say a bad word about either - and they'd deserve a clatter if they did!

Wildlife Actor

2 questions being mixed up: who is the most popular person vs who should be. I've met a few of the people mentioned and some comments are way off the mark. Clearly some pr!cks have clearly fooled a lot of people with their pr and some great people could do with a pr agent (if they cared).

Nobody can know who should be the most popular.

In his day, Daniel O Connell was probably more popular than anybody before or since (and the population was higher then too!).

dd972

Apple's Finance Dept Manager

KingBrian2

Katie Taylor is certainly up there.

jpm4

Denis Irwin?

Autosport

Michael Collins

RayM

Michael D. Higgins. He had over a million votes by the final count in 2011. And he's done a great job as president.

The fact that the vast majority of those who dislike him are dreadful right-wing cranks and bores is just the icing on the cake.

pheasant tail

Dermot Morgan will forever be a legend in this country

shaunr68

pheasant tail wrote: »

Dermot Morgan will forever be a legend in this country

Him, and another genius taken too soon, Phil Lynott

Wildlife Actor

RayM wrote: »

Michael D. Higgins. He had over a million votes by the final count in 2011. And he's done a great job as president.

A quarter of that million were fourth preferences

Muahahaha

enricoh wrote: »

Joey Dunlop or Luke Kelly?
Never heard anyone say a bad word about either - and they'd deserve a clatter if they did!

50,000 people showed up for Joey Dunlops funeral which really showed what he meant to so many people. I doubt we will ever see a funeral in Ireland so large, I certainly couldnt imagine 50,000 showing up for any of the names mentioned so far on this thread.

Muahahaha

Muahahaha wrote: »

50,000 people showed up for Joey Dunlops funeral which really showed what he meant to so many people. I doubt we will ever see a funeral in Ireland so large, I certainly couldnt imagine 50,000 showing up for any of the names mentioned so far on this thread.

Half a million turned up to Michael Collins but that was to be expected given the times i suppose.

In modern times it is tbf hard to envisage who would command such a huge funeral other than Dunlop.

RayM

RayM wrote: »

Michael D. Higgins. He had over a million votes by the final count in 2011. And he's done a great job as president.

The fact that the vast majority of those who dislike him are dreadful right-wing cranks and bores is just the icing on the cake.

He seems like a nice harmless twit, before the presidential election his political cv was remarkably thin for all his years in politics. I think he recited a few poems on the Late Late and went to Galway United games.

Where did you get the stat about most who dislike him being cranks and bores? It sounds like silly nonsense.

Lt Dan

RayM wrote: »

Michael D. Higgins. He had over a million votes by the final count in 2011. And he's done a great job as president.

The fact that the vast majority of those who dislike him are dreadful right-wing cranks and bores is just the icing on the cake.

What has he done? Stayed out of trouble, opened a few nursing homes, did not embarrass himself during the Centenary..........

The man is a glorified champagne socialist , a not in my back garden type.

Lt Dan

Muahahaha wrote: »

50,000 people showed up for Joey Dunlops funeral which really showed what he meant to so many people. I doubt we will ever see a funeral in Ireland so large, I certainly couldnt imagine 50,000 showing up for any of the names mentioned so far on this thread.

Eh John Hume will get a massive turn out. Hell, even "Jarry" might be able to sell tickets in Anderstown for his,

George Best's funeral took place at Stormont. 100,000 came out along the route, some of it was on BBC tv, LIVE!!!. 25,000 stood outside Stormont during the ceremony.

Lt Dan

Deleted User wrote: »

He seems like a nice harmless twit, before the presidential election his political cv was remarkably thin for all his years in politics. I think he recited a few poems on the Late Late and went to Galway United games.

Where did you get the stat about most who dislike him being cranks and bores? It sounds like silly nonsense.

So was Brian Cowen's and it never stopped him from being Taoiseach, alas, by default and never appointed by the public

Says a lot when Michael Twee was not given a post under the FG Labour Government and was overlooked by a blown in for the 1990 and 1997 Presidential Election

Twee will get credit for his work as the Minister for the Arts - getting the likes of Braveheart etc to Ireland. He will rightly be credited with removing Conor Cruise O'Brien's censorship rules on Sinn Féin, and playing a role in the rise of T na G

beach_walker

Lt Dan wrote: »

Says a lot when Michael Twee was not given a post under the FG Labour Government and was overlooked by a blown in for the 1990 and 1997 Presidential Election

Well as a former FFer, I'm sure he was delighted to serve under a FF Taoiseach :pac:

I don't think it's fair re him being overlooked. In 1990 Mary R was (and still is) streets ahead of him in pretty much every way, it would have been madness to select him. And for 1997 I don't think Labour even put forward any candidate. 2011 was more of a return to what the Presidency has traditionally been, a retirement home for establishment politicians. He fit the bill perfectly and although I spoiled my ballot, he probably was marginally the best of a bad lot. Even so he made heavy weather of it.

Motivator

Motivator wrote: »

Met Lyster at the All Stars a few years ago. He's a bollocks.

Haha, the plot thickens Possible he had an off day or maybe he is actually not as nice a guy as he seems on tv!

Someone mentioned Denis Irwin, great shout. While he might not be in the public eye much or even well known by people under the age of 23/24, I would guess that among those who know of him, few would have any negative opinions of him. Comes across as a mans man, mild-mannered guy, no fuss or pretension - great footballer too and while people recognise this he seems to get forgotten about a bit - probably what he'd prefer though in fairness.

topper75

Muahahaha wrote: »

50,000 people showed up for Joey Dunlops funeral which really showed what he meant to so many people. I doubt we will ever see a funeral in Ireland so large, I certainly couldnt imagine 50,000 showing up for any of the names mentioned so far on this thread.

That docu 'Road' is one of the most amazing I've seen. Not to ruin it for anyone, but the nephew down in the shed straight after the ould lad (Joey's brother) was killed... just couldn't process that. They were so different to the average person.