RTE: Drivetime with Sarah McInerney & Cormac O hEadhra

Brendan Bendar

A Tyrant Named Miltiades! wrote: »

The way she crept up on him, very quietly, like a cat. Expertly executed.

Can we hear Brendan's opinion, please?

Hmmmm…….I wouldn’t be quite as enthusiastic as most seem to be……

1. Biggest mistake Harris made was to do the interview in the first place.
It seemed to be a ‘special’ pre recorded, and McInerney ,obviously along with her researchers had plenty of time to set him up.

Shooting fish in a barrel comes to mind.

2. I didn’t like the dismissive “hmmms” and “uhmms” she threw in at times making her dislike of Harris rather obvious.

Also she personalized the interview at one stage.. not very professional, in my opinion.

3.So in a nutshell apart from that , it was a professional interview with flaws, on a person who was on the ropes from round one with self inflicted blows who made a major mistake doing the interview in the first place,and who told a few home truths in the midst of all the rubble.

Certainly ,for me, the euphoria would not be as high on the cheerleader scale as others seem to think.


Just an opinion though………uhmmm;)
….

Brian Scan

Coillte_Bhoy wrote: »

Sarah at her best V Harris at his arrogant best earlier

https://www.rte.ie/radio/radioplayer/html5/#/radio1/21950950

Good interview. She asked questions, he answered them.

And no "Well Done, well done" by the presenter.

Brendan Bendar

Brendan Bendar wrote: »

Also she personalized the interview at one stage.. not very professional, in my opinion.

Well she mentioned that she had been the target of personal abuse of the account he had helped to (??) run, and his reply was that the targets deserved it. She questioned him about his targeting of journalists as if she were disinterested. It would only be unprofessional if she asked inappropriate questions or made snide comments. I don't think she did, did she?

What puzzles me is how Harris ever won the reputation he once had. It would seem a stretch to describe him as intelligent.

mgn

Brian Scan wrote: »

Good interview. She asked questions, he answered them.

A rare thing to happing these days, when a question is asked, its actually answered.

Brendan Bendar

A Lamb Named Miltiades! wrote: »

Well she mentioned that she had been the target of personal abuse of the account he had helped to (??) run, and his reply was that the targets deserved it. She questioned him about his targeting of journalists as if she were disinterested. It would only be unprofessional if she asked inappropriate questions or made snide comments. I don't think she did, did she?

What puzzles me is how Harris ever won the reputation he once had. It would seem a stretch to describe him as intelligent.

In my opinion she should have ignored any reference to herself and the muting of her account and her status as a presenter as being ‘tough’ or otherwise.

It appears to me that some ‘journalists’ have very thin skins.

They seem to think it’s fine to target others but seem to become very fragile and upset when someone targets them.

Really the public should realise that these people( ‘journalists’ )have very
privileged positions, yes they are qualified ,but we shouldn’t swallow aimlessly everything they write or say.

A lot of egos and agendas residing in that cohort .

Let’s not get carried away here.


Slightly off topic I heard an interview between MaryLou McD and Martha Kearney (sp) on BBC R4 Today recently and have to say even though I don’t like her politics, ML ripped her apart with a far more impressive response.

That’s what I would call a evenly matched encounter, not the mismatch we heard yesterday.

Brendan Bendar

Brendan Bendar wrote: »

Slightly off topic I heard an interview between MaryLou McD and Martha Kearney (sp) on BBC R4 Today recently and have to say even though I don’t like her politics, ML ripped her apart with a far more impressive response.

That’s what I would call a evenly matched encounter, not the mismatch we heard yesterday.

Well, that Harris is a big boy, he engaged in the interview freely. Must check out that Radio 4 interview though, much obliged for the tip.

Furze99

A Lamb Named Miltiades! wrote: »

The way she crept up on him, very quietly, like a cat. Expertly executed.

It was a good interview and Harris responded as he was entitled to. It's good hear an interviewee giving it back as good and better as the interviewer. Man bites dog.

But Sarah should be on in the mid morning slot and get rid of that wishy washy Byrne one.

Furze99

Furze99 wrote: »

But Sarah should be on in the mid morning slot and get rid of that wishy washy Byrne one.

I wholeheartedly agree that McInerney should have the Today slot, but maybe you are being hard on Byrne. If I were King of RTE I'd have Claire Byrne on the News At One or Morning Ireland. She is unquestionably a talented political interviewer.

Her programme is another matter. The blame for that lies with the programme producer, who is trying to be inclusive towards women in the most condescending way possible — housework tips.

Brendan Bendar

Brendan Bendar wrote: »

In my opinion she should have ignored any reference to herself and the muting of her account and her status as a presenter as being ‘tough’ or otherwise.

It appears to me that some ‘journalists’ have very thin skins.

They seem to think it’s fine to target others but seem to become very fragile and upset when someone targets them.

Really the public should realise that these people( ‘journalists’ )have very
privileged positions, yes they are qualified ,but we shouldn’t swallow aimlessly everything they write or say.

A lot of egos and agendas residing in that cohort .

Let’s not get carried away here.


Slightly off topic I heard an interview between MaryLou McD and Martha Kearney (sp) on BBC R4 Today recently and have to say even though I don’t like her politics, ML ripped her apart with a far more impressive response.

That’s what I would call a evenly matched encounter, not the mismatch we heard yesterday.

Is the thin skin Sarah?

She has been on Twitter for 12 years. A fairly early adopter. She’s probably put up with a lot of abuse. And yet the Pym account was one of 15 she muted or blocked.

Brendan Bendar

fvp4 wrote: »

Is the thin skin Sarah?

She has been on Twitter for 12 years. A fairly early adopter. She’s probably put up with a lot of abuse. And yet the Pym account was one of 15 she muted or blocked.

As McInerney might say, “Just to be clear, what is your point”.

Brendan Bendar

Brendan Bendar wrote: »

As McInerney might say, “Just to be clear, what is your point”.

She hasn’t got a thin Skin.

Brendan Bendar

fvp4 wrote: »

She hasn’t got a thin Skin.

Thank you, I was referring to print journalists mainly.

Shelga

Did I hear Sarah say they are going to have Johnny Mercer on the programme this evening?

FrancieBrady

Shelga wrote: »

Did I hear Sarah say they are going to have Johnny Mercer on the programme this evening?

Yes, debating Claire Hanna of the SDLP

One thing I like about O hEadhra is that he asks questions that a child would ask. Sometimes you get the impression that broadcasters ask questions more to demonstrate knowledge than pursuit of information (yes, Pat Kenny), but O hEadhra's questions are as if he knows nothing about the subject, as if this was the first time he had heard about air pollution or vaccines, or whatever the subject is — and everything is always amazing, by God!

It's refreshing. Mcinerney is probably the better interviewer, but there isn't a whole lot between them.

Shelga

Johnny Mercer makes my blood boil.

Brendan Bendar

A Lamb Named Miltiades! wrote: »

One thing I like about O hEadhra is that he asks questions that a child would ask. Sometimes you get the impression that broadcasters ask questions more to demonstrate knowledge than pursuit of information (yes, Pat Kenny), but O hEadhra's questions are as if he knows nothing about the subject, as if this was the first time he had heard about air pollution or vaccines, or whatever the subject is — and everything is always amazing, by God!

It's refreshing. Mcinerney is probably the better interviewer, but there isn't a whole lot between them.

I’m sure you’ve noticed McInerney gets almost all the confrontational interviews and O’hEadhra gets the more ‘informative ‘ ones.

Brendan Bendar

Brendan Bendar wrote: »

I’m sure you’ve noticed McInerney gets almost all the confrontational interviews and O’hEadhra gets the more ‘informative ‘ ones.

Yes, that's probably true. I sense s grain of cynicism in this question Brendan! I'd put it down to McInerney being more forensic, surely, so she ends up with the tricky guests.

McInerney is a sniper, O hEadhra prefers to lob canon-balls. Different approaches.

FrancieBrady

A Lamb Named Miltiades! wrote: »

Yes, that's probably true. I sense s grain of cynicism in this question Brendan! I'd put it down to McInerney being more forensic, surely, so she ends up with the tricky guests.

McInerney is a sniper, O hEadhra prefers to lob cannon-balls. Different approaches.

Settling into an effective team. Once you know what you are getting they do it well.

Brendan Bendar

A Lamb Named Miltiades! wrote: »

Yes, that's probably true. I sense s grain of cynicism in this question Brendan! I'd put it down to McInerney being more forensic, surely, so she ends up with the tricky guests.

McInerney is a sniper, O hEadhra prefers to lob canon-balls. Different approaches.

No, unusually not.With all due respect I can’t really recall O’hEadhra “lobbing too many cannon balls”.

I reckon he got the ‘good cop’ role in a good cop- bad cop duo.

Won’t really advance his career greatly, in my opinion.

Brendan Bendar

Brendan Bendar wrote: »

No, unusually not.With all due respect I can’t really recall O’hEadhra “lobbing too many cannon balls”.

I reckon he got the ‘good cop’ role in a good cop- bad cop duo.

Won’t really advance his career greatly, in my opinion.

Hmm, good cop/ bad cop wouldn't really work in this format where one person, alone, conducts an interview.

What I meant earlier is that he can be an intimidating examiner — maybe not in policy detail, but quick to spot a 'tone' or a throwaway remark, and goes after it like next door's dog. He doesn't have a temper, but is somehow often losing it. Hang on, hang on, hang on, I'll try to think of an example.

Brendan Bendar

A Lamb Named Miltiades! wrote: »

Hmm, good cop/ bad cop wouldn't really work in this format where one person, alone, conducts an interview.

What I meant earlier is that he can be an intimidating examiner — maybe not in policy detail, but quick to spot a 'tone' or a throwaway remark, and goes after it like next door's dog. He doesn't have a temper, but is somehow often losing it. Hang on, hang on, hang on, I'll try to think of an example.

I meant in context of the programme re good cop bad cop.

I’ll have to say I never heard him ‘gutting’ or trying to ‘gut ‘ anyone myself.

Not an adverse critique but he doesn’t seem to have the confidence in his brief to go bald headed for someone, hence the constant need for affirmation in his questions whereas McInerney fires the bullet and if it’s only a flesh wound, there’s another already in the chamber.


My opinion is that he has been given the lighter roll in the prog. and taking a bit of time to bed in.

Brendan Bendar

O’hEadhra cut a new one by Josepha.

Savaged by a dead sheep comes to mind.

Like a goalkeeper flapping around his own six yard box.

Take control dude, you ain’t doing it.

Relying on ‘texts from listeners’ to back you up is, in my opinion, a beaten docket.

Duddnt cut the mustard in this posters opinion.

SEPT 23 1989

Birthing person ffs:rolleyes:

Brendan Bendar

SEPT 23 1989 wrote: »

Birthing person ffs:rolleyes:

Eh?

SEPT 23 1989

Brendan Bendar wrote: »

Eh?

it was used instead of using the term woman or mother

Brendan Bendar

SEPT 23 1989 wrote: »

it was used instead of using the term woman or mother

Ah yes, thanks, get the context now.

boardise

Brendan Bendar wrote: »

O’hEadhra cut a new one by Josepha.

Savaged by a dead sheep comes to mind.

Like a goalkeeper flapping around his own six yard box.

Take control dude, you ain’t doing it.

Relying on ‘texts from listeners’ to back you up is, in my opinion, a beaten docket.

Duddnt cut the mustard in this posters opinion.

Painful bout of badgering by O hEadhra -Madigan could hardly finish a sentence
here we had a laudable scheme that's been greatly enhanced this year and yet RTE contrive to declare it a dud on the day it's announced. Public service broadcasting ? Don't think so. They should be neutral-but if taking any stance it should surely be encouraging uptake and emphasising the plus points.
This shambles made for painful listening -yet again.

Fann Linn

Brendan Bendar wrote: »

Ah yes, thanks, get the context now.

Heard another one last week and nearly fell over. Someone described a woman as a 'chest feeder'. I worry for the future of the race if this is what is coming up behind.

SpitfireIV

Fann Linn wrote: »

Heard another one last week and nearly fell over. Someone described a woman as a 'chest feeder'. I worry for the future of the race if this is what is coming up behind.

I heard a woman on with Pat Kenny earlier use the term 'we were pregnant' and 'we got pregnant', no, YOU got pregnant, the two of you can't be pregnant and certainly not your husband. You two, collectively, are expecting a child. Jeez.

SpitfireIV

SpitfireIV wrote: »

I heard a woman on with Pat Kenny earlier use the term 'we were pregnant' and 'we got pregnant', no, YOU got pregnant, the two of you can't be pregnant and certainly not your husband. You two, collectively, are expecting a child. Jeez.

Must disagree here. Pregnancy is more than a biological process, it's a fairly tumultuous, scary, exciting time in both parents' lives. It's good that both mothers and fathers, nowadays, participate in it.

It's an outdated view that treats the Dad like some sort of uninterested onlooker, such as the Materinity Hospitals which still do not allow them to come along to scanning appointments — for no clear reason, says the Chief Medical Officer. There was a good segment about it on Radio 1 yesterday, I think Drivetime.

I'm pretty sure I've never said "we are pregnant" but it's just an evolution of the language,. And if it makes new mothers feel less alone, or makes pregnancy sound less like a medical condition, then, good!
.

archfi

SEPT 23 1989 wrote: »

Birthing person ffs:rolleyes:

Was that one of the presenters saying that nonsense?

padd b1975

That Nordie woman was all over the place.

Way too emotional.

Brendan Bendar

Going for gold……

Brendan Bendar

Predate on midgets………:eek:

Spend years on ‘lava”


What the fhuuurke?

riewomann

Embarassing there from Sarah. The Bishop thankfully swatted her aside.

Well at least we know what she spent the last few days at, counting images and finding something to be offended at.

You would have to wonder what bubble these people live in.

(By these people I of course mean Sarah)

I wonder would she have been so interested in the teachings out Clonskeagh direction?

Brendan Bendar

That idiot McNamara talking his usual rubbish.

The airline is a private company , if stuff is not paying its way , they cut it.

Decisions are made on a health basis by the govt, McNamara won’t shell out if the place is contaminated by a virus.

Pure populist politics.

Michael won’t be putting the paw in the pocket when the pandemic is rampant .

Brendan Bendar

We are off…. The cringeworthy attempt at ‘levity ‘ between 1650 and 1700.

Usual load of crud, Battered to death by O’HEadhra.

Brendan Bendar

Pity McInerney can’t pronounce “sliothar” correctly.

o’ HEadhra made a mess of it too, amazing for a guy who professes to be a native speaker.

Only the GAA guy got it right consistently.

Ray D’Arcy kind of performance here.

Jerry Attrick

Brendan Bendar wrote: »

Pity McInerney can’t pronounce “sliothar” correctly.

o’ HEadhra made a mess of it too, amazing for a guy who professes to be a native speaker.

Only the GAA guy got it right consistently.

Ray D’Arcy kind of performance here.

Two comfort zoners (and D'Arcy makes three!) - they all know that, barring an untimely death, a scandal or a bad dose of lockjaw they're there until pension day.

Brendan Bendar

Jerry Attrick wrote: »

Two comfort zoners (and D'Arcy makes three!) - they all know that, barring an untimely death, a scandal or a bad dose of lockjaw they're there until pension day.

Very surprised they blew the pronounciation, especially O’HEadhra.

McInerney has jacked up the speed of speech to warp level.

Must have prey in her sights.;)

Isn't there some rule against mixing your languages? If it doesn't have a name already, maybe it should be called the Padraig Pearse rule. Padraig Pearse never called himself that name because you shouldn't mix languages unless for a specific reason.

There is an english word for 'sliothar', whose IPA is apparently equivalent to sliotar (no soft T)

It's like the way you'd never say that you've just been to Paris, pronouncing that word like a Frenchman. Someone would give you a belt of a sliotar.

Brendan Bendar

A Lamb Named Miltiades! wrote: »

Isn't there some rule against mixing your languages? If it doesn't have a name already, maybe it should be called the Padraig Pearse rule. Padraig Pearse never called himself that name because you shouldn't mix languages unless for a specific reason.

There is an english word for 'sliothar', whose IPA is apparently equivalent to sliotar (no soft T)

It's like the way you'd never say that you've just been to Paris, pronouncing that word like a Frenchman. Someone would give you a belt of a sliotar.

Hopefully they would call it a “sliotar” soft s “shliotar” not ‘slitter’ and McIinerney and oHeadhra (sometimes) called it.

Slender vowel after the ‘s’ an all dat

Brendan Bendar

Brendan Bendar wrote: »

Hopefully they would call it a “sliotar” soft s “shliotar” not ‘slitter’ and McIinerney and oHeadhra (sometimes) called it.

Slender vowel after the ‘s’ an all dat

Oh I see what you're referring to now, apologies.

How would you pronounce the -s- in aistriú or eaglais? With an 'sh'? Me too. In Connacht Irish that's often not the case. Maybe it's the same with sliotar, I wouldn't like to correct O hEadhra's Irish. No idea why they sometimes change the rule, it's just how that dialect operates.

Anyway, this is an english-language broadcast and the standard english pronunciation should be used so in that case I agree with you.

Robert McGrath

Brendan Bendar wrote: »

Hopefully they would call it a “sliotar” soft s “shliotar” not ‘slitter’ and McIinerney and oHeadhra (sometimes) called it.

Slender vowel after the ‘s’ an all dat

Cormac’s pronunciation of Irish words is very distinct and noticeable - does he speak an unusual regional dialect of Gaeilge? “Oireachtas”, “Met Éireann” and “Dail Éireann” are three that jump to mind. He pronounces them in a way I haven’t heard before

Brendan Bendar

A Lamb Named Miltiades! wrote: »

Oh I see what you're referring to now, apologies.

How would you pronounce the -s- in aistriú or eaglais? With an 'sh'? Me too. In Connacht Irish that's often not the case. Maybe it's the same with sliotar, I wouldn't like to correct O hEadhra's Irish. No idea why they sometimes change the rule, it's just how that dialect operates.

Anyway, this is an english-language broadcast and the standard english pronunciation should be used so in that case I agree with you.

I’m not an expert or near it but I believe the rule of thumb is when the ‘s’ comes before the slender verbs i and e (- aou are the broad ones) you use the ‘Shss’ as in ‘Siobhán…Sean… Note the i and e being the first vowel.

Whereas ‘Saoirse’…..Samraidh…. note the broad vowel do not have it.

By and large that’s how it works but no doubt in the true tradition of Boards someone will tell me I’m talking thru my howell

Which to get back on topic is why O’Headhra calling it ‘slitter’ puzzled me.

Robert McGrath

Robert McGrath wrote: »

Cormac’s pronunciation of Irish words is very distinct and noticeable - does he speak an unusual regional dialect of Gaeilge? “Oireachtas”, “Met Éireann” and “Dail Éireann” are three that jump to mind. He pronounces them in a way I haven’t heard before

Yeah, the cois fharraige dialect. It's more Connacht than Connacht itself. Sometimes it sounds more like Scots Gaidhlig. Their pronunciation is markedly different to the eastern half of the province, let alone Munster and Leinster.

Brendan is absolutely right about the -s- rule and I don't know why, but Connacht people don't consistently apply it.

Another example - how would you say "ansin"? Anshin, right? Well they pronounce the -sin- like the english equivalent. Like a sin. Anyway this is all beside the point.

It's an english broadcast and the adopted english pronunciation should apply: shliotar

FrancieBrady

Have to say the TV ads for this slot are excellent as is the Clare Byrne one.

SEPT 23 1989

"The Indian Variant, that could have come from anywhere "