- Brendan O'Connor (journalist)
Infobox Person
name = Brendan O'Connor
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birth_place =County Cork , Ireland
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residence =Dublin cite news
last = O'Connor
first = Brendan
coauthors =
title = Yes, I'm going to take my business up, up and away
work =Sunday Independent
pages =
language =
publisher =
date =18 September 2005
url = http://www.independent.ie/opinion/analysis/yes-im-going-to-take-my-business-up-up-and-away-472270.html | accessdate = 2008-05-24]
nationality = Irish
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education =University College Cork
employer =Sunday Independent ,RTÉ
occupation = Journalist and television personality.
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height = 6' 4" (1.93 m)cite web |url= http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2147710/bio
title=Biography for Brendan O'Connor
work=The Internet Movie Database Website
accessdate=2008-05-19]
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spouse = Sarah Caden
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children = 1
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footnotes =Brendan O'Connor is a
journalist , television personality and formercomedian . He works as a columnist for theSunday Independent newspaper and is also the editor of the Sunday Independent's Life Magazine.cite news
last = Millar
first = Scott
coauthors = Maggie Kenneally and Chekov Feeney
title = Making a living from being a boor...His bark is as bad as his bite
work =Village (magazine)
pages =
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publisher =
date = Thursday,10 August 2006
url = http://www.village.ie/People/Profiles/Making_a_living_from_being_a_boor/| accessdate = 2008-05-19] cite news
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title = PAPER PROPHET Brendan O’Connor
work =Sunday Independent
pages =
language =
publisher =
date =25 February 2007
url = http://www.independent.ie/business/irish/paper-prophet-brendan-oconnor-122487.html | accessdate = 2008-05-22] He is currently a member of the judging panel onRadio Telefís Éireann 's (RTÉ) "You're A Star " TV talent contest. He has also appeared on "Don't Feed The Gondolas ", as well as on a number of other TV programs.Early and private life
O'Connor grew up in the
Bishopstown area ofCork City,County Cork , in theRepublic of Ireland .cite news
last = O’Connor
first = Brendan
coauthors =
title = ‘We end up in a gay bar, clearly a man's gay bar, because there were no lesbians, and I realise that now that women are allowed into the golf clubs, these places are e last bastiobastions of masculinity'
work = Sunday Independent
pages =
language =
publisher =
date =15 October 2006
url = http://www.independent.ie/lifestyle/we-end-up-in-a-gay-bar-clearly-a-mans-gay-bar-because-there-were-no-lesbians-and-i-realise-that-now-that-women-are-allowed-into-the-golf-clubs-these-places-are-e-last-bastiobastions-of-masculinity-135919.html | accessdate = 2008-05-21] cite news
last = O’Connor
first = Brendan
coauthors =
title = ‘I’m surprised that Dita Von Teese, who provided the entertainment, didn't come over to me, and say, "My Granny is here and she'd really love to meet you."'
work = Sunday Independent
pages =
language =
publisher =
date =9 October 2005
url = http://www.independent.ie/lifestyle/im-surprised-that-dita-von-teese-who-provided-the-entertainment-didnt-come-over-to-me-and-say-my-granny-is-here-and-shed-really-love-to-meet-you-473190.html| accessdate = 2008-05-21] He is a past pupil ofColaiste an Spiorad Naoimh , Co. Cork. During his time there as a student, he was runner up in theDenny Schools Debating Competition . He is also a graduate ofUniversity College Cork (UCC) — where he was Recording Secretary of theUCC Philosophical Society .He married Sarah Caden in 1999. She is also a journalist with the Sunday Independent and she is the daughter of John Caden, an independent television producer. The couple have one child, a daughter, born in early 2008. [
The Late Late Show (RTÉ One), Friday, 18 January 2008. Here it was stated during his appearance on the program that his wife was expecting a baby soon - [http://www.rte.ie/tv/latelate/20080118.html Click here to watch the video on RTÉ's Website] (Scroll down to 'YOU'RE A STAR HOPEFULS & JUDGES' and click on the link). Retrieved on2008 -05-21.] cite news
last = O’Connor
first = Brendan
coauthors =
title = ‘Funny, the things you call babies. I call mine a different one each time I see her: it could be the name of an African tyrant, a cake mix brand, whatever’
work = Sunday Independent
pages =
language =
publisher =
date =6 April 2008
url = http://www.independent.ie/entertainment/news-gossip/funny-the-things-you-call-babies-i-call-mine-a--different-one-each-time-i-see-her-it-could-be-the-name-of-an-african-tyrant-a-cake-mix-brand-whatever-1339631.html | accessdate = 2008-05-21]Career
Comedy, TV debut and Hit Single
Initially, O'Connor attempted to become a comedian and was also a singer in a number of bands while still a student at UCC, but with limited success. He moved to
Dublin in the mid-1990s. Soon after this, he started freelance work with the Sunday Independent, one of Ireland's best-selling newspapers. At the same time he also performed a comedy routine at a well-known Dublin venue. Here he was noticed by TV producers from RTÉ and subsequently appeared on 'Don't Feed The Gondolas', a short-lived comedy program broadcast by RTÉ.O'Connor, as a member of the band "Fr. Brian & The Fun Loving Cardinals", produced a single, "Who's In The House?",cite web |url= http://www.rte.ie/tv/star/judges.html
title=You’re a Star – Judges: Brendan O'Connor
work=RTÉ Website
accessdate=2008-05-19] which spent 12 weeks in the Irish Single charts, peaking at Number 3. The song was a novelty number that played on the popularity of the TV seriesFather Ted . O'Connor sang it while dressed as aRoman Catholic priest (Fr. Brian) and it featured such lines as:
*"What's the time? It's time for God",
*"At the age of 33 he was nailed to a cross - some call him Jesus, I call him boss",
*"Who’s in the house? The Lord is in the house", and
*"We're putting the dick back in Benediction." [ cite web |url= http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRcyZeh_smw|title= Video of Brendan O'Connor singing 'Who's In The House?'|work=YouTube Website (youtube.com)|accessdate=2008-05-21] The name "Fun Lovin' Cardinals" is itself a pun on the bandFun Loving Criminals . The character Fr. Brian had appeared on "Don't Feed The Gondolas ",cite news
last =
first =
coauthors =
title = How I became a manic street preacher
work = Sunday Independent
pages =
language =
publisher =
date =30 April 2000
url = http://www.independent.ie/unsorted/features/how-i-became-a-manic-street-preacher-514110.html| accessdate = 2008-05-21] and the popularity of the song led to its release, and subsequent chart position.You're A Star TV talent contest
In 2005 O'Connor appeared for the first time as a judge on 'Charity You're A Star ', a version of the 'You're A Star' TV program organized for charity. Subesquently, he appeared as a judge on 'You're A Star'. This is a televised talent show which selects what is deemed to be the best Irish act from among many. The winner is awarded a cash prize and groomed for a career in the entertainment industry. It has a niche following - primarily teenagers. Much of the show's popularity is attributed to the robust manner with which O'Connor treats many of the contestants - many of whom are gullible young hopefuls. He frequently evokes controversy by his comments on the show. However, on 'You're A Star' O'Connor claims that he "is only saying what the people at home are thinking".
Journalist with Sunday Independent
Overview
O'Connor is known for his conservative
right-wing political views, and puts these across in his articles in the Sunday Independent. Regular targets of O'Connor's ire areSinn Féin , anti-war protesters (whom he labels disparagingly as "anti-American"), travellers and students. In many of his newspaper articles on Irish politics, O'Connor strongly supportsFianna Fáil — the largest political party in the Republic of Ireland and a party who have been in power for many years. He also regularly uses his newspaper articles to heap praise upon powerful figures in Irish life. He was also a slavish supporter ofBertie Ahern and remains so. O'Connor has described Bertie Ahern as "a great Taoiseach".cite news
last = O'Connor
first = Brendan
coauthors =
title = Tearing down a leader is an event to dwell on
work = Sunday Independent
pages =
language =
publisher =
date =13 April 2008
url = http://www.independent.ie/national-news/the-ahern-years/tearing-down-a-leader--is-an-event-to-dwell-on-1346131.html| accessdate = 2008-05-24]O'Connor frequently writes an article that appears on the bottom corner of the front page of the Sunday Independent. He also edits the paper's 'Life' magazine, a glossy supplement to the paper. Articles by O'Connor also appear throughout many other sections of the paper. He writes on an extremely broad range of topics — which can include any subject. However, he regularly writes on subjects such as politics, travel, entertainment and gossip (primarily relating to well-known figures in Irish life).
upport for Bertie Ahern and Fianna Fáil
O'Connor frequently refers to Bertie Ahern in his articles simply and affectionately as 'Bertie'. His 'relationship' with Ahern has had some minor ups and downs at times. In August 2003 he had a row with Ahern on a flight returning from Ahern's daughter’s wedding in
France , when Ahern refused to grant him an interview. O'Connor has also criticised Ahern at times, like in his article in the Sunday Independent, 9 May 2004, where he wrote:cquote|Bertie is a party leader who has knowingly promoted crooked colleagues in the past. He is a party leader who has been notoriously slow to take sanctions against colleagues who've been up to their necks in all kinds of serious, deliberate, premeditated corruption.cite news
last = O'Connor
first = Brendan
coauthors =
title = It’s a sad day for politics when Bev is hunted out
work = Sunday Independent
pages =
language =
publisher =
date =9 May 2004
url = http://www.independent.ie/opinion/analysis/its-a-sad-day-for-politics-when-bev-is-hunted-out-479958.html | accessdate = 2008-05-24] In this same article O'Connor lamented the expulsion ofBeverley Flynn , a TD, from the Fianna Fáil Party for the second time arising out of corruption charges, stating that she was "indeed a class act and is someone we need more of in Irish politics." He also referred to her as a "principled woman".However, criticism of Ahern by O'Connor has been minimal and, overall, O'Connor has overwhelmingly backed Ahern, especially when such support was most needed. O'Connor, along with
Eoghan Harris , strongly supported Bertie Ahern during the 2007 general election and during his appearances before theMahon Tribunal . Ahern subsequently appointed Harris as a Senator.As pressure grew on Bertie Ahern due to revelations from the Mahon Tribunal (regarding unexplained payments Ahern had received in the 1990s), O’Connor appeared to panic and actually called for the Tribunal to be shut down — he began his article in the Sunday Independent, 9 March 2008, as follows:
cquote|It should be shut down. It should be shut down now. There is no appetite for it, no real interest in it. We cannot afford it in financial terms and we can no longer afford the virtual paralysis of affairs of state it has visited on us.cite news
last = O’Connor
first = Brendan
coauthors =
title = Time’s up Mahon, it is getting tedious
work = Sunday Independent
pages =
language =
publisher =
date =9 March 2008
url = http://www.independent.ie/opinion/analysis/times-up-mahon-it-is-getting-tedious-1311528.html| accessdate = 2008-05-24]However, on Wednesday, 2 April 2008, Bertie Ahern announced he would be resigning as
Taoiseach and did so on 6 May 2008.cite news
last =
first =
coauthors =
title = Kenny calls for fresh election after Taoiseach resigns
work = Irish Independent
pages =
language =
publisher =
date = Wednesday,2 April 2008
url = http://www.independent.ie/breaking-news/national-news/politics/kenny-calls-for-fresh-election-after-taoiseach-resigns-1335124.html | accessdate = 2008-05-24] Investigations into payments Ahern received are ongoing.Other
O'Connor supported the
2003 invasion of Iraq .O'Connor wrote frequent articles about the model
Katy French , who died on 6 December 2007. French, however, publicly announced her disdain for O' Connor deeming him a 'gutter journalist'.O'Connor describes himself as "a rocker, a raver and a lover."
Controversy
In early 2004 O'Connor enraged some of his work colleagues by strongly supporting management during an industrial relations crisis over forced redundancy.
O'Connor has also been accused of racism - especially against travellers and immigrants. However, he has not limited his comments to these groups alone. A sample of his views can be seen from a story he wrote that appeared in the Sunday Independent of 11 April 2004:
cquote|I have to say I'm rethinking this whole Iraq business. Now that white people are dying, it's become a much more serious issue. It was grand to be honest when they were all just doing away with each other out there. It was grand when Saddam effectively committed genocide on the Marsh Arabs. Sure, we barely knew the Marsh Arabs.
But now that Americans, who look a bit like us and speak a bit like us, are dying, I'm thinking we should maybe get out. We should just let them at their civil war or whatever it is they're at. And sure, they seem to gravitate towards vicious tyrants anyway so let them slide back to that inevitability themselves. It's really not our problem.cite news
last = O'Connor
first = Brendan
coauthors =
title = We should do 'a Rwanda' on Iraq
work = Sunday Independent
pages =
language =
publisher =
date =11 April 2004
url =http://www.independent.ie/unsorted/features/we-should-do-a-rwanda-on-iraq-479231.html| accessdate = 2008-05-22]References
External links
* [http://www.uccphilosoph.com/wiki/index.php/Brendan_O%27Connor Profile on UCC Philosoph's wiki project]
* [http://members.fortunecity.com/dubgirl/irish/brendan.html O'Connor's "Sunday Independent" article about "Who's In The House?"]
* cite web |url= http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRcyZeh_smw|title= Video of Brendan O'Connor singing 'Who's In The House?'
work=YouTube Website (youtube.com)|accessdate=2008-05-21
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