Pat Kenny and the Heckler

by Alan O'Brien Wed Nov 11, 2009 14:27

He has a name and his name is Alan O'Brien

That video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3FmVopEs9yI

Here is vid of him attacking David Begg on (Trade Union) Congress march
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DD2VpesAt2I

How RTE ignored story that cheered a nation
http://www.independent.ie/opinion/analysis/how-rte-igno....html

Alan O'Brien's harangue at Pat Kenny on 'Frontline' cheered the nation yesterday, but RTE ignored the most talked about story of the day.

"Did-you-see-it" messages began ricocheting around cyberspace at 11pm on Monday -- and they didn't stop all day yesterday....

As Mr O'Brien's withering outburst continued on Monday night, it became apparent that it would eclipse the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall as the story of the day.

And after studiously ignoring their public service remit to reflect significant events all day yesterday it is unlikely that RTE will mark November 9 as Alan O'Brien Day.

Yet while the rest of the world annually marks the events in Berlin on November 9, 1989, many people in Ireland will recall Mr O'Brien's outburst on RTE on that same day in 2009.

He has a name and his name is Alan O'Brien

Caption: Video Id: 3FmVopEs9yI Type: Youtube Video
Alan O

Caption: Video Id: DD2VpesAt2I Type: Youtube Video
Alan O

by Nevie Wed Nov 11, 2009 14:35

I have great respect for Alan O' Brien, a man who is not afraid to say the blatently obvious. It's a bit Irish (pardon the use of such a pun) that two people who's combined salaries were worth almost €1,000,000. were discussing how the whole country needs to pull together and get through this. This being said whilst we have NAMA, the seanad still in operation, which was clearly set up to give jobs to the boys, we have the bankers, the big business men, the civil servants who are probably the most selfish out of the lot. We have the M50 toll bridge, we have tv licences that pay for biased reporting, and radio shows. As one person mentioned Marian Finucane's job consists of her reading the newpapers with guests, and how much does she get paid.

I can't afford to go to the doctor, and most definitely cannot afford the scandalous health insurance, to cover same. I've had a health levy imposed on me and i will be guranteed a seat in the halls of the hosptial. Supposedly the tax paid on cigarettes is due to the high risk smokers pose, but if such tax was ringfenced, then would we not have a top class medical system that would provide for all, but alas, the Govt have done themselves on that point also by putting it up too high so that it's actually cheaper to fly to another country and buy in bulk! or just buy them off someone else who's done the illegal work, but then there's the supposed carbon tax on flights. Good job for tourism there. There was the hike in VAT just before Christman last year and look what it did. Brought the country to its knees. Instead of reducing it to promote spending they pissed everyone off and people just stopped buying.

Alan O' Brien fair play to you dude. We need a man that's not afraid of looking like a tool, becasue that's the way anyone who speaks up is going to me made look like by our democratic leaders. Hanafin elected to be a hypocrite, I love it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

by Reeve Wed Nov 11, 2009 15:30

Some of the tabloid media are claiming today that Alan O'Brien has been up in court for racist abuse.

by Ci Wed Nov 11, 2009 15:45

The same tabloid paper that portrays him as an 'orrible 'orrible racist has French Coach Raymond Domenech's head photoshopped onto that of a frog so I wouldn't get overly excited by their allegations.

by LarkinsGhost Wed Nov 11, 2009 15:59

Such public expressions of raw unfocussed anger don't do any good. Neither does "marching up and down the square" (as highlighted by mary harneys disdainful response to same recently). The traditional way that the workers have fought the elites in any way successfully was through the co-ordinated actions of the unions. We need to build up the strength and participation in our unions and weed out the overpaid collaborators who have infiltrated them over the years.
Co-ordinated large scale union actions are the only real way to bring pressure to bear on our lords and masters and hit them where it hurts...in their wallets. Why do you think those in power have put so much effort into emasculating the unions over the years and why do you think american corporations are so against them (it's the dirtiest word you can use in such workplaces!). Express your anger in the most practical way possible by joining and supporting a strong union and working within it to remove those that have been corrupted, Together we can all build stronger healthier unions that will stand up for the rights of the worker against the excesses of the elites.

by Fred Johnston Wed Nov 11, 2009 17:49

Mary Harney, a woman who represents no party yet inexplicably sits in the Dáil as a Minister, can say whatever she likes: she hasn't been worth listening to for years and she will go back to Fianna Fáil first chance she gets. As for marching - it is a right and we should sustain it. We should not give in to voices squeaking about how useless it all is. They would have us sit at home worrying about idiot-entertainment such as Jedwards. I thought the man who questioned Kenny and put him under the lights was brave and spoke for a great number of people. We need more such outbursts. The government will take silence for acquiescence.

by Paddy Hackett - Organisationless Wed Nov 11, 2009 20:44

The figure who launched a verbal assault on Pat Kenny and also on trade union bosses is, in a sense, instinctively hitting right at the core of the problem in this country. His interventions have been electrifying and contrast with the deadened character of the current working class leadership. Whether it is madnes or fearlessness he (Alan) is dramatically exposing the docile nature of the Irish working class and its abject failure to get rid of the Beggs (and Kennys) replacing them by figures that represent their interests.
The entire character of the individual that attacked Begg and Kenny gives off an uncanny feeling that I have not experienced in the my many years experience of working class "politics". The nearest Irish thing to it, in my lifetime, has been Ian Paisely and Bernadette Devlin.

It makes me realise how easily the political situation may change dramatically. It is the sharpening economic conditions that has thrown up an individual like "Allen". More figures may emerge overnight changing the political situation for the worse or the better. Ireland may yet give us our Rasputins and Hitlers. Then a really fascist like movement may burst out of the present situation. All the ingredients are present for such a development. This is not to say that the opposite may not happen --the emergence of a charismatic radical left heroic figure resulting in greater worker class vibrance. To protect themselves from populism of the left or right the working class must transform itself into a communist working class.

by reality check Wed Nov 11, 2009 21:35

It's not just 'allegations' about O'Brien being a racist; he has proven form.

If this is true

"Mr O'Brien has a conviction for incitement to hatred, relating to an incident on Grafton Street, Dublin, in December, 2006, when he shouted racist abuse on passers by.

The charge sheet in that case shows he shouted: "Black Bastards...Muslim...Islamic scum" at people on the street.

He was later convicted under incitement to hatred laws and given a three-month suspended jail term."

and if it's not I expect he'll be suing The Evening Herald, as it would be an easy win. [edited to remove off topic trolling comment]

by LarkinsGhost Wed Nov 11, 2009 23:55

The right are setting this lunatic up as a "hero" because it makes great newspaper fodder and they know he is an idiot and easy to topple. Don't go along with it. Instead Join a union and mobilise in an organised way on a scale that can really trouble the powers that be.

Falling in behind random nutjobs like this guy who cannot string two words together properly can only end in failure and dissipation of useful energies. The right know this. The more nutjobs and splits they can foster, the less coherent and more confused and dissipated the response to their policies will be.

Don't be fooled. A United response on a large organised scale is the only way that can work. Everything else is just fucking about.

by sam Thu Nov 12, 2009 14:49

Alan O' Brien spoke the pure beautiful truth, and fair play to him, But there is little doubt he is an ideal straw man for the Establishment, easy to burn at the right moment.
We will see more like him set up in the coming time, as the media go on an all-out propaganda footing not seen since the war was still on in the 6 counties.
P.S - Christy Moore is a man in his 60's who has had health problems. He still played a quiet gig up in Mayo a while back for Willie Corduff after he was beaten up by the mercenaries of the State.
Save your bile for the thieves who run our country...

by Paddy Hackett Thu Nov 12, 2009 14:57

Marching alongside the likes of David Begg who is on an enormous salary and paid for marching while those on strike loose money while failing to confront him is hardly the politics of revolution. It is a form of petty bourgeois politeness whereby individual workers dont verbally challenge Begg to his face --just smile. If a guy like Alan can cause deleterious splits within within the working class then the working class movement must be in a really bad way.

Incidentally lots of workers dont speak the Queens English that does not mean they are not to express their views. Who are you decide who can speak proper language or not? Do you really beleive that David Begg and Jack O Connor are not right wing?

by yeah but Thu Nov 12, 2009 17:02

" He still played a quiet gig up in Mayo a while back for Willie Corduff after he was beaten up by the mercenaries of the State." So quiet that nobody heard of it? Anyway, why would W.Corduff need a benefit gig? Was there not cash awarded to him with the Goldman Prize?

by Fred Johnston Thu Nov 12, 2009 17:23

I think it is sad and just what the Right wants us to do, this bickering and in-fighting. Anyone who does a benefit gig for Rossport has my support. We need musicians and writers and other artists in behind us and the more high-profile the better. I thought the chap who confronted spoke for a great number of people and I doubt he would consider himself a hero. As for union bosses and the Right - the Partnership process, which favoured the Right and Big Business almost all the way, has drawn the teeth of trades' unions here and is a farce as far as the ordinary worker is concerned.

Those on the dole are facing a winter without bonus, slashes in their allowances and the childrens' allowances taxed - yet Seanie Fitzpatrick and his ilk, who used the banks purely to sustain their own greed, are walking the streets untouched by the law and no one sees fit to say a word about it. No one opens their mouth when we learn that Ray Burke, a convicted criminal, is still receiving top-ups to his Oireachtas pension. Yet no one that I have read here seems to think any of this is pertinent, when in fact it underlines the corrupt and arrogant nature of our entire political system. No - what do we do? We squabble and criticise Christy Moore! Nice one!

by LarkinsGhost Thu Nov 12, 2009 23:12

nobody here reads the previous posts before commenting

"We need to build up the strength and participation in our unions and weed out the overpaid collaborators who have infiltrated them over the years."

Does this sound like I am for people with huge salaries running the unions?

Look, All I'm saying is this guy is being set up as a media straw man as another poster said.
Ignore this media crap and join a union and fight the elites as one.. Otherwise we'll get nowhere and they'll do whatever they want to us.

by FB'er Fri Nov 13, 2009 10:27

If he's not heckling Pat Kenny or David Begg, he can be found preaching the apocalypse on Henry St most weekends. Join this group to show your appreciation for the best public speaker in Ireland.

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?v=wall&ref=nf&gid=189...84776

by Dunk Fri Nov 13, 2009 10:55

Following all thats been said, written, correctly stated, incorrectly stated about this man Alan O'Brien, who has now entered a certain legendry status in a league of his own in Irish culture, even now with his own FACEBOOK appreciation group: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?v=wall&ref=nf&gid=189...84776

After a quick root around, below are a few assumptions, quotes and facts, and sided views from the herald...

All in all though, you remember the way there was a rake load of bin laden masks a while back.... might we see a few Alan O'Brien masks next halloween???

By the way, why dont the IMC-IRELAND team get in contact with him and interview him, let him put things straight, point out the facts, respond to the racist claims, point out how things might be done better...

Regards from BCN, organising for COP15: http://twitter.com/fuspey/status/5667356995

Dunk
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Heckler defends Frontline outburst (Irish Times)

The man who disrupted RTÉ's The Frontlineprogramme last night has said he has no regrets.

Alan O’Brien (38) from Inchicore berated host Pat Kenny live on television for more than three minutes...

Speaking on Today FM’s Ray D’Arcy Showthis morning, Mr O’Brien denied his interjection on The Frontlinewas a stunt.

From a family of 13 children, Mr O’Brien said he has been disability benefit for many years because of psychiatric illness but has been out of hospital for four years, had been off medication for three and a half years, and was doing well. He had also been involved as a deacon and a junior pastor of a born-again church.

He said he had been homeless in 1995 and long periods in an out of psychiatric hospitals which he discussed on Joe Duffy’s Livelineprogramme in 2002.

While some people who contacted the Today FM programme criticised Mr O’Brien for being on benefits, others praised him for highlighting the issue of the pay at the national broadcaster.

“Fair play to that guy, he’s dead right. People have gone far too quiet when faced with this disgusting political and social elitism,” one listener said.

“Well done to that man," another listener said. "He’s completely right about the waste of public money spent on guys like Kenny with their trophy houses.”...

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2009/1110/...2.htm
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Sure, he's barmy but he said what we'd all like to say (herald.ie)

The Frontline ranter Alan O'Brien may not be a very nice character.

He has a conviction for racist abuse and other offences. In effect, he is what came across on the show - a bit of a nutter.

I can't in honesty say that Alan O'Brien is a man I would want to meet.

Only Alan O'Brien, unshackled by the normal politesse of society, felt able to say it.

There was an element about him of the kid in the street, shouting above the adoring crowd that the emperor is wearing no clothes.

At first everyone shushes him -- 'Hey, who owns this lad?' -- but eventually the mob starts laughing and pointing too.

Maybe it takes the person who has lost the filter between his mind and his mouth to say what the rest of us have been thinking. ...

http://www.herald.ie/entertainment/tv-radio/sure-hes-ba....html
________________________________________________________________________________

Pat Kenny takes a bollockin'

A MAN who launched a verbal attack on Pat Kenny on live television has defended his outburst and denied he is a racist.
Alan O'Brien, from Bluebell in Dublin, who has a previous conviction for racially abusing people on Grafton Street...

Mr O'Brien has a conviction for incitement to hatred, relating to an incident on Grafton Street, Dublin, in December, 2006, when he shouted racist abuse on passers by.
The charge sheet in that case shows he shouted: "Black Bastards...Muslim...Islamic scum" at people on the street.
He was later convicted under incitement to hatred laws and given a three-month suspended jail term. He was also bound over to keep the peace for 12 months.
However, Mr O'Brien insisted yesterday: "I do not have a racist bone in my body.
"I have Islamic friends, I am not racist."
He said: "I was using very obvious insensitive things to see their reaction. And the reactions from some people were over the top. I was trying to get a reaction.
"Black bastards, Jews, Muslims, Greeks, it's all just words... and I am a white bastard."

He was convicted of assault on a man in St James Hospital in Dublin in September, 2006. He was also convicted of criminal damage in relation to the same incident in the Jonathan Swift Clinic of the hospital, a mental health day unit.
He was given a three-month jail term, again suspended.

http://thumped.com/bbs/showthread.php?p=1288814
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Ian O'Doherty: Our mean-spirited braying about Pat Kenny's salary is totally wrong

Alan O'Brien's spittle-fuelled rant at Pat Kenny on Monday was an interesting snapshot into the collective psyche of the people at the moment.

Not for what this nut said, you understand, he's just another belligerent nut with a chip on both shoulders and a conviction for Incitement to Racial Hatred to boot.

http://www.independent.ie/opinion/columnists/ian-odoher....html

by pat c Fri Nov 13, 2009 12:03

I honestly think that a lot of people are too busy to interview someone who raves on street corners about the apocalypse. I do feel sorry for the guy, it looks like he has been through a lot and was failed by the health system. Its quite likely that his "racist" outburst was due to his ongoing health problems rather than any deep rooted racism on his part.

But Dunk, why don't you interview him if you think it would be worthwhile?

by sarah - home Wed Nov 18, 2009 00:27

This man is definetly crazy his 2 sisters are living with men from nigeria he needs to remember that when he starts his racist rants, shame on you alan,

by Mickie Tue Jun 28, 2011 13:57

....... Of many things inclusive of audience abuse. Personally, I think that the Frontline and its ilk are either boring in the extreme or else argumentative. And this incident of 2 years back is a prime example of the latter.

There are many questions that need to be answered. Do we really need ALL this politics on our screens? Are political programmes with controversial topics such as The Frontline only serving airtime to racist or religious extremists who are only looking for opportunities to hijack the popular thoughts of the people? And is The Frontline deliberately courting controversy to make it more interesting (afterall, its subject matter in itself is quite dull)?

The answer to the first of the three questions is no. There is way too much politics on RTE and not enough music, comedy, drama, helpful advice, etc. programmes. The answer to the second question is yes. And more besides. The Frontline has given airtime to some weirdos like Alan O'Brien but has more recently become a platform for conventional politicians for their local, national and presidential election campaigns. The answer to the last question is I'm unsure. We haven't really seen any excitement on The Frontline. It is one of the dullest shows on TV at present. It is also hard to take to Pat Kenny in his new role (it is a more John Bowman thing) after being used to him on Late Late Show and Kenny Live. As for Pat himself, I'm sure he wants to avoid this kind of harrassment from audiences. Still, O'Brien had a point about the salaries of people at the top but he could have handled it more discretely and gained more respect and impact.

by opus diablos - the regressive hypocrite party Wed Jun 29, 2011 12:11

..the new electric pulpit, with Bishop Pat filling Pope Gaybo's goody-two-shoes. Then there's father Joe for the liveline confessions, and aunties Marion and Miriam for the platitudinous diversion. Tubs?Just the new alter boy. We wont mention saint gerry of the silver nose since he's ascended into consensual heaven.

by Irishman. Wed Jun 29, 2011 12:34

All of Pat Kenny's wages are paid for by the Irish taxpayer.
(The IMF.)

He talked his big talk after the fact happened.

BBC Radio 4 and German and French and American radio predicted the collapse of Ireland 10 years ago.

Pat Kenny did not.

The IMF pays Pat Kenny's wages wages via the Irish TV licence which we are obliged to pay.

by opus diablos - the regressive hypocrite party Wed Jun 29, 2011 12:53

Sure even I can beat that.

Didn't I set up the Regressive Hypocrite Party back in 1988 to warn that the PDs were a bunch of Thatcher/Reagan Trojan horses sent in to sabotage and take us back into the Anglo/US axis of monetarist virtue. RTE interviewed me, but didn't like the cut of me jib(bad attitude). Anyone with a smatter of history knows the scam, its running for centuries, ask the Latin Americans.

Sycophancy is de rigeur in those echelons. Nor will they change program now, even though the chickens are well home to roost(roast?), its STILL the same panel of pundits dishing the recipes.

Hows it done? Pay them enough so they become SHAREHOLDERS and they'll be sure to pull the ladder the ladder up after them. They call it salary, I call it bribery.

by Very Wise Man. Wed Jun 29, 2011 15:16

"Didn't I set up the Regressive Hypocrite Party back in 1988?"
I get it Opus
A nice inverse to "The Progressive Democrat Party."

Nobody knows either party nowadays.

by opus diablos - the regressive hypocrite party Wed Jun 29, 2011 15:20

Some of us know who sabotaged the country into sub-prime bondage.

As for the RHs, you can lead paddy to porter, but ya cant make him think.