Is Paul Gogarty actually mad?

[Ho Humbug]

wombat's post is sensible and humane, and perhaps this thread has gone far enough. It was "given legs" by the Miram Lord item, which I suspect was inspired by an FG source. I was at the public meeting in Rathcoole. Two people spoke very briefly, from the floor, before Senator Fitzgerald, viz. Joanna Tuffy T.D. and Cllr Robert Dowds, who expressed their opposition to the proposed incinerator, and made no party political points. Ms Fitzgearld went to the front of the meeting, spoke at length and made several critical comments on the Green Party and Minister Gormley. When she finished, a member of the RAID group on the platform reprimanded her mildly for bringing in party politics. Towards the end of her speech, Paul Gogarty got off his chair, got on his knees with a bit of a thud, held back his arms in a gesture which I took to mean "give us a break". When he did so his chair made a bit of a noise. Paul then went to the microphone, briefly expressed his and his Party's opposition to the incinerator, made no party political cooments and returned to his chair. That was it, nothing more. At the previous public meeting in Rathcoole, Cllr Ridge also criticized the Green Party, for which she was also mildly reprimanded by the person chairing the meeting. The reprimand met with applause from those in attendance. For some months now there has been ongoing and increasing antipathy between FG and Green Party politicians in Dublin Mid-West. It's getting tiresome.

This is so obviously a non-story. But when combined with some of the posts above it represents a particularly nasty and personal political strategy.

Like Birding I heard from reliable sources (two Councillors who were at the meeting) that Gogarty did indeed make a gesture of exasperation directed at Fitzgerald and the person chairing the meeting. The way I heard it he was sitting near the front row with his back to the meeting and it was not directed at the audience and would not have been seen by most people.

But it clearly gave Fitzgerald and Fine Gael an opportunity to follow up on earlier attacks on the Green TD by contacting Miriam Lord and throwing muck. In fact they must have been wetting themselves in anticipation.

Judging by Gogarty's quoted response (versus what I am told actually happened) it seems that he himself also embellished the gesture somewhat in an effort to make light of the situation and out-manoeuvre Fitzgerald by appearing funnier and more clever than she. If that was his intention, it backfired.

My advice to him would have been not to comment at all and let the story fall flat on its face. However he gave Fine Gael more ammunition to build on their grossly exaggerated tale and allowed the author of this thread (shamefully) to build on Brian Hayes' earlier gutter press statement.

So while Gogarty made a boo boo which damaged him, he did not start this shameful vendetta. And anyone who seeks to make political capital out of casting aspersions on one's mental health, true or not (and I would argue absolutely not in this case) is wholly dishonourable, potentially libellous and suffering somewhere within from a deep-rooted sense of inadequacy.

[athenrycastle]

Just read the piece now, I can agree completely, Lord is a fablous writes brilliant articles on Dail and is a huge asset to the IT.

Gogarty seems to have lost his mind a long time ago, and this type of behaviour goes to show that the people of DMW have elected a mad man who comes across as a little know it all. He has to be in line to lose his seat next time out. The sooner Frances gets into the Dail, the better for the people of her constituencey.

This weeks interview with Hot Press supposedly confirms that he is a little unstable.

[GreenScene]

This is a disgusting thread. There is no need to attack Paul in such a low down manner. Some of you have no shame it seems.

[geraghd]

This is a disgusting thread. There is no need to attack Paul in such a low down manner. Some of you have no shame it seems.

Some people at the end of Gogarty's vitriolic attacks Im sure would say the same of his verbiage..

[GreenScene]

Some people at the end of Gogarty's vitriolic attacks Im sure would say the same of his verbiage..

Paul is a passionate guy with social conscience. If the people who Paul "attacked" looked in the mirror they might see that he was right.

[meriwether2]

Paul is a passionate guy with social conscience. If the people who Paul "attacked" looked in the mirror they might see that he was right.

Paul Gogarty is a political charlatan.
His 'marching up the hill only to march back down again' with the education cuts showed him as exactly what he is.

[pfkf]

Paul Gogarty is a political charlatan.
His 'marching up the hill only to march back down again' with the education cuts showed him as exactly what he is.

He's worse for that than Michael McDowell.

[GreenScene]

Paul Gogarty is a political charlatan.
His 'marching up the hill only to march back down again' with the education cuts showed him as exactly what he is.

I disagree wit this statement. You are trying to score political points here. AFAIAC your opinion is biased.

[Liberal333]

I disagree wit this statement. You are trying to score political points here. AFAIAC your opinion is biased.

And someone with a green avatar would not be biased?

[True Green]

Look up Green Scene's other posts. Its another Gogarty Mouthpiece.