OK, OK. Let me declare my interest. I have always liked something about Malachi O’Doherty, and not just because he once audio-recorded a statement which helped me win a £1000 bet. He’s pugnacious, shrewd and knows what goes down well with interviewers. But it’s important to distinguish between the man/person and the ground on which they stand. Malachi has always stood and continues to stand four-square against republicans and, if only by default, four-square behind unionism.
I’ve just viewed an interview he’s given on the podcast ‘The News Agents’ (I’ll put the link below) and many of the things in it, both questions and answers, are laughable to the point of hysterics.
They’re discussing the notion of Gerry Adams getting compensation for his internment. One of the presenters – I think he’s called Lewis Goodall – prefaces his question to Malachi with the statement “Knowing his [Adams’s] mind as you do, Malachi”.
Now I’m sure Malachi knows the mind of any number of people – his wife, his twin, his next-door neighbour – but I would venture to say that Malachi knows as much about Gerry Adams’s mind as a eunuch knows about the tastes of brothel customers. How could he? Has he had even one sustained conversation in his life with Adams? And yet Malachi happily accepted the compliment without a word.
He certainly has opinions about Gerry Adams. The one that stuck out in the interview was his view that there is “an air of smugness about him [Adams]”. Of all the epithets to apply to Adams, smugness is surely the least convincing. When you’ve spent thirty and more years trying to avoid being shot and imprisoned, it’d be hard for anyone to be smug. An air of calmness would surely be a lot nearer the mark, as was shown on that famous Late Late Show’ where he coolly dismantled around five very hostile questioners.
I’ve kept the big one for the last. That’s because, each time I read it, I find myself speechless. It’s very hard to take seriously anyone who believes it, but Malachi apparently does, and so, presumably do Emily Maitlis and Lewis Goodall, his two interviewers. In fact at the end Emily tells Malachi what a wonderful interview he’s given them and Malachi chuckles modestly.
The statement? Said with a straight face, remember: “The British government has been very gentle with the IRA over the years”.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gmuvb-AaAqU&t=611s
You’re being trite, Jude; the interview wasn’t about the individual but rather whether Gerry Adams has an entitlement to compensation . On the face of it , it seems that he has and the Labour Government finds itself in a tight corner. The two interviewers showed a distinct lack of partiality.
What we did learn was the contents of Malachi’s nostrils; there should be a series on them!
Very good jude free Palestine
Thank you, James…Ditto
yea.. they only shoot peaceful Civil Rights Marchers
never mind trying not to be shot. he actually was shot, ambushed outside Belfast courthouse March 84, hit 3 times if my memory serves me well
Malachí calling Gerry Adams smug is akin to the pot calling the kettle black.
Few commentators are as brimming with smugness as Malachí is. Dear oh dear!!
Smugness definitely refers more to Malachi than anyone let alone Gerry. Have to disclose. I detest the man. When l hear him on usually with Nolan and Edwina Curry who is equally as hateful. I near break my neck to switch off.
Margaret Campbell
poor malachi he cannot get it through his thick anti republican head that Gerry Adams has got the better of Sir keir starmer on the question of internment without trial and so have hundreds of others probably all Republicans.