Talk:Joseph Lenehan

Latest comment: 6 months ago by Jnestorius in topic 1972 gobbaloon debate

1972 gobbaloon debate edit

In a 1972-03-21 Dáil debate on joining the EEC, Lenehan kept interrupting Jim Tully and Mark A. Clinton and was warned repeatedly by the Ceann Comhairle and Leas-Cheann Comhairle.

Tully
It is too bad that a Deputy who has not been seen for three months in this House should come in now and attempt to interrupt the debate. I would ask [Lenehan] to go back to where he has been all evening. ... When the Government are short of votes we know the Deputy is always here. ... [Johnny Geoghegan] should not start defending the Deputy now. He did not defend him very much when he was thrown out of the party. ... Would you go away? You are giving me a headache as well as having one yourself. This should be stopped. It is entirely wrong and there is no reason why it should be continued. ... Something should be done about this person. This is not the first time this sort of thing has happened. I do not see why the House should be turned into a bear garden. ... I do not like a drunk coming in here and interrupting me. ... It is absolutely ridiculous that this ... that somebody should go down to the bar for three or four hours and then come up here and try to upset the business of the House.
Lenehan
For Christ's sake ... I have as much right [to speak] as a big, fatheaded "gobbaloon", wherever you come from. I am not sure. ... I was not born in the bog like you were. I was reared. ... Dún do bhéal.

Not of itself encyclopaedic, but it suggests personality traits and political style that would be so if noted by secondary sources. jnestorius(talk) 22:25, 8 November 2023 (UTC) jnestorius(talk) 22:25, 8 November 2023 (UTC)Reply