Latest news with #NormalPeople
Irish Times
10 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Irish Times
The Irish Times view on radio in Ireland: Joe's Liveline made its mark
An era has come to an end with the retirement of Joe Duffy from Liveline. In a medium where presenters tend to come and go, his 27-year stint in the job was remarkable. 'Talk to Joe', that familiar voice intoned. And talk to Joe we did. About all manner of issues, from the most trivial to the most important social concerns. Liveline, initially presented by the late Marian Finucane, grew into a quintessentially Irish mix of light and shade – everything from uproar over the sex in Normal People to harrowing tales of the victims of institutional abuse and the moving stories of the children killed during the 1916 Rising. While Joe's show had its funny moments – its listeners showed an inexhaustible ability to find new and strange things to complain about – its real importance was in giving a voice to people who did not have one. And if something broke through thanks to the Liveline loudspeaker, people in power were forced to listen – and to act. Taoiseach Micheál Martin, in a contribution to Duffy's final show yesterday, spoke of how civil servants would often come running in to his office shouting: 'Liveline's gone mad, we've got to do this, that and the other'. It should not take a radio show to get 'the system' to respond to the needs of ordinary people. But all too often it does. In the early decades after independence, Irish radio played an important role in shaping modern Ireland's developing national identity. In more recent decades, shows such as those presented by Gay Byrne, Marian Finucane and Joe Duffy have themselves been conduits for, and participants in, the evolving national conversation in a country undergoing dramatic change and upheaval. READ MORE Just as the Late Late Show in its heyday was far more than light entertainment, these radio shows had a social and sometimes political importance that went far beyond their ostensible function as daytime talk radio. In an age when radio and television are challenged by technological change and profound shifts in how people stay informed, Liveline's enduring power is a real achievement.
Wales Online
13 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Wales Online
'Exquisite' series fans call 'best they've watched' finally lands streaming release
'Exquisite' series fans call 'best they've watched' finally lands streaming release The TV series has been a hit with fans since it was first released Normal People is based on Sally Rooney's bestselling novel (Image: Hulu ) A series that fans have branded the "best they've ever watched" is set to join the Disney Plus streaming line-up. Adapted from Sally Rooney's critically acclaimed novel, Normal People follows the intense bond between two Irish teenagers as they grow up. The series stars Paul Mescal and Daisy Edgar-Jones, portraying Marianne, who faces bullying at school, and Connell, who enjoys widespread popularity, and the complications that arise during their relationship. While already available on Hulu, UK audiences have been eagerly awaiting its release on Disney Plus, which is scheduled for July. The official description from Hulu states: "Normal People is an exquisite, modern love story about how one person can unexpectedly change another person's life and about how complicated intimacy can be. "It follows Marianne and Connell over several years-both from a small west of Ireland town, but from very different backgrounds-as they embark on an on-again/off-again romance that starts at school and continues through college, testing their relationship as they explore different versions of themselves." Get Disney+ for £1.99 a month This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more £1.99 Disney+ Buy Here Product Description Disney+ has brought back its popular deal that lets new and returning customers join its Standard with Ads plan for £1.99 per month for four months. Article continues below Since its 2020 debut, the show has garnered glowing reviews. A Google review from a viewer reads: "Wondrous, magical, messy, complicated and oh so relatable 'Normal People' is one show that revels in nuance and subtlety - capturing each moment in all its raw emotive glory." Another wrote: "This TV show is exquisite in all its aspects: from the shots to the actors and of course the story." A third added: "This is one of the best series I have ever watched. It is messy, cute, sometimes awkward, and uncomfortable and that's what makes it feel all 'normal'." Over on Reddit, one user described it as the "most devastating romance", adding: "I have rarely been invested in anything as much as I was invested in the relationship of the two main characters probably the best pair of star crossed lovers I have ever seen." Normal People will soon be streaming on Disney Plus (Image: Hulu ) Another shared: "That one stayed with me for a long time. It's incredibly real, in the production as well as the writing, which makes it exceptionally absorbing. I related a lot, too." Yet, not all viewers are convinced, with one commenting: "The acting is rest is so miserable it's hard to comprehend." And another stated: "Call me boring or whatsoever but I don't understand the whole point of this show." The series has garnered significant praise, including bagging a BAFTA, and rumours of a second series are circulating among the fanbase, though confirmation remains pending. Article continues below Normal People will be available to stream on Disney+ in July
Daily Record
13 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
'Exquisite' series that fans dub 'best they've ever watched' to hit Disney Plus
The series has been a hit with fans since it was released, with some calling it the best show they have ever watched A critically acclaimed series hailed by fans as the "best they've ever watched" is set to arrive on Disney Plus. Based on Sally Rooney's bestselling novel, Normal People is a poignant portrayal of a complex relationship between two Irish teenagers navigating adulthood. The show, starring Paul Mescal and Daisy Edgar-Jones, tells the story of Marianne, a school outcast, and Connell, a popular student, as their relationship deepens and becomes increasingly complicated. Although currently available on Hulu, Normal People will soon be accessible to UK viewers on Disney Plus, starting in July. According to Hulu's synopsis, "Normal People is an exquisite, modern love story about how one person can unexpectedly change another person's life and about how complicated intimacy can be. "It follows Marianne and Connell over several years-both from a small west of Ireland town, but from very different backgrounds-as they embark on an on-again/off-again romance that starts at school and continues through college, testing their relationship as they explore different versions of themselves." Since its release in 2020, the show has continued to garner rave reviews. A fan on Google reviews praised the show, saying: "Wondrous, magical, messy, complicated and oh so relatable 'Normal People' is one show that revels in nuance and subtlety - capturing each moment in all its raw emotive glory." Another added: "This TV show is exquisite in all its aspects: from the shots to the actors and of course the story." A third commented: "This is one of the best series I have ever watched. It is messy, cute, sometimes awkward, and uncomfortable and that's what makes it feel all 'normal'." On Reddit, one fan said it was the "most devastating romance", adding: "I have rarely been invested in anything as much as I was invested in the relationship of the two main characters probably the best pair of star crossed lovers I have ever seen." One person responded: "That one stayed with me for a long time. It's incredibly real, in the production as well as the writing, which makes it exceptionally absorbing. I related a lot, too." But not everyone agrees as one person said: "The acting is rest is so miserable it's hard to comprehend." Another penned: "Call me boring or whatsoever but I don't understand the whole point of this show." Amidst significant praise since its debut, including a BAFTA, rumours of a sequel circulate amongst fans, which has not officially been confirmed.
The Journal
14 hours ago
- The Journal
How Joe Duffy shut down head shops (and why all drugs were legalised for one weird day in 2015)
AFTER OVER 25 years in the Liveline hotseat, Joe Duffy, one of Ireland's most recognisable and influential voices on radio, will hang up his mic for the last time this afternoon. From scandalising the nation after the release of Normal People , to '51551 Wash yer hands' , Joe has brought us countless iconic moments over the years. But younger readers may not recall Joe's instrumental role in Ireland accidentally legalising ecstasy and ketamine for a day. It was 10 March 2015, and thanks to a ruling from the Court of Appeal which deemed the Misuse of Drugs Act 1977 unconstitutional, Ireland made international headlines for accidentally making drugs such as ecstacy, ketamine and meth legal for 24 hours. Okay, okay, it wasn't fully Joe's doing, but the court decision arose from a series of events put in motion in large part thanks to Joe's relentless and passionate campaigning against Ireland's head shops. Head shops began popping up at scale across Ireland in late 2009, selling potent drugs such as mephedrone and synthetic cannabinoids. These drugs were not illegal under Irish legislation at the time. At the time, young people in Ireland had become the biggest users of head shop drugs in Europe. A protest against headshops outside Leinster House in March 2010. Reflecting on that period this morning, Joe told RTÉ Radio 1′s Morning Ireland that he first came across a head shop while walking down Dublin's Talbot Street around Christmas 2009. 'I saw this queue at the shop, at a window like you see at a petrol station, and it was a head shop. Advertisement 'I hadn't a clue what a head shop was. I hadn't a clue, and I asked 'What are these guys selling?' And they were basically drugs they were selling. Let's be blunt.' Joe went on to explain how he mentioned it on Liveline on his first day back after Christmas in January. 'We discovered within two days, there was over 100 head shops thriving in Ireland, thriving. And then people start ringing in about the effects of this. We didn't know what they were selling, unregulated. Unbelievable. Making massive, massive profits.' Five months later, on 10 May 201o, Fianna Fáil Taoiseach Brian Cowen clamped down on the shops by declaring a list of over 100 psychoactive drugs to be controlled substances under the 1977 Misuse of Drugs Act. Taoiseach Brian Cowen announcing the legislation. May, 2010. It had an immediate effect. Gardaí raided head shops across the country and, within weeks, the number of head shops in Ireland fell from 102 to 36. Joe put this down to the power of politics, but also to the power of people on Liveline, who brought the issue to the nation's attention. The veteran broadcaster stuck with the story. In 2015, a caller, Paul Hodkinson, talked to Joe about the death of his brother Colm after he took magic mushrooms in 2005. Joe said his campaign against head shops was the only thing he's done over the years with Liveline that brought real risk to him. 'I was physically threatened twice, once in an underground car park by a guy who obviously owned a head shop and was out a lot of money. And another [time] I was spat at on Gardiner Street by another head shop person. 'But that's my job, I was trying to be mediator. But on the head shop thing, I did get very passionate,' he admitted. In the lead up to the government's clampdown, protests against new head shops were common, with some also held outside Dáil Éireann. Related Reads Joe Duffy leaves window open on Áras run as he closes door on RTÉ career Joe Duffy interview: 'We've more people than ever calling. The biggest decision you make is who not to put on air. That can be heartbreaking.' 'Now I couldn't go on any of the protests. But what I can say, there was a plan to open a head shop in Clontarf. Obviously, I couldn't go on that protest, but I painted every single placard that was used in that protest that day,' Joe recalled. Despite the success of the Liveline campaign, not everyone recalls Joe's interventions on drugs policy fondly. In 2010, calls to ban head shops were labelled as 'Joe Duffy-created hysteria' by then Labour councillor Dermot Looney. Protest outside Leinster House. March, 2010. Others, like criminal justice lecturer at Maynooth University, Dr Cian Ó Concubhair, take the view that Joe contributed to a wave of 'moral panic' related to drug use in Ireland. Despite these criticisms, research carried out by Trinity College Dublin in 2020 suggests that the closure of Ireland's headshops led to a drop in drug-related emergency room admissions. At the height of head shop activity in the first eight months of 2010, the rate of drug-related admissions were 9% higher than the same period in 2008. Two years later, in 2012, admissions were over 30% lower, with the decline beginning in June 2010, the month after the government passed its legislation. In Joe's own view, his campaign against head shops was Liveline's 'best achievement'. Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
Rhyl Journal
16 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Rhyl Journal
Joe Duffy praises Liveline callers as he prepares for his final show
The Ballyfermot broadcaster, 69, is retiring after 37 years at the station, where he has presented Liveline for 27 years. 'It will go on. Liveline is on today, but it's on on Monday as well,' Duffy told RTE Radio ahead of his last programme at 1.45pm. He added: 'It's the voices on Liveline; the less I talk the better, I find. 'We (the media) are still trusted. In the main we are still trusted, unlike other countries. 'They're all part of our daily discourse, which is great and I hope that continues.' Duffy joined RTE as a radio producer in 1989 and came to prominence as a reporter on the Gay Byrne Show. He presented programmes such as Soundbyte before taking over Liveline from Marian Finucane in 1998, attracting some 400,000 listeners to the phone-in programme. He said hearing his Dublin working-class accent on the national broadcaster had prompted some 'green-ink letters' of complaint, some of which were internal. Among Liveline's most famous episodes were callers with thoughts on the television series Normal People, people sharing stories of corporal punishment in Ireland over the decades, and women talking about menopause. Duffy said the only time he has been physically threatened during his tenure was over discussions about the closure of 'headshops', which sold drugs paraphernalia, where he said a man confronted him in a car park. Asked about whether he would run for the presidency in the autumn, Duffy said: 'I will not lose the run of myself.' 'I can see the Aras from Claddagh Green, I'd say that's the closest I'll ever get to it.'
