Now usually we wouldn't take any notice of Twitter spats (okay, that's a lie) but when it's a spat of this quality, how could we pass it up?
The idea of Irishness has moved on from what it once was. For the most part, the twee Paddywhackery is gone and it has been replaced by a mixture of the new and the old with various cultures having added, and perhaps taken away, from our national identity.
However, one undeniable constant is that Irishness involves some kind of undying love for Father Ted. Our greatest ever export began twenty years ago tomorrow but it maintains a key place in the country's collective heart. So, when an Irish person decides to step out of line, there can be hell to play.
Step forward well known Irish football journalist Miguel Delaney. Delaney will be well known to anyone who follows he ebb and flow of football writing and he can often be found debating the merits of world football on Twitter with fans and fellow journalists.
Last night, however, he turned his attention to comedy and we're glad he did because something highly entertaining transpired.
Would also say Father Ted series three. It suddenly becomes stretched, because the writers are doing it for money, rather than because...
— Miguel Delaney (@MiguelDelaney) April 20, 2015
... they actually have something to write about. It always becomes forced.
— Miguel Delaney (@MiguelDelaney) April 20, 2015
A bit of a debate followed, as tends to happen when you have an opinion online, and when Father Ted creators Graham Linehan and Arthur Matthews were included in the thread, Linehan decided to take action. It's fair to say he wasn't best pleased.
@MiguelDelaney cheers! I'd tell you what I think of your work but I'm not a fucking cunt.
— Graham Linehan (@Glinner) April 20, 2015
@Glinner Graham, you wrote comedy shows that absolutely skewer every aspect of society. Some would describe that as cuntishness... — Miguel Delaney (@MiguelDelaney) April 20, 2015
@Glinner ... I wouldn't. I'd describe it as absolutely brilliant work. And, FWIW, you seem to have deliberately ignored the fact that I...
— Miguel Delaney (@MiguelDelaney) April 20, 2015
@Glinner .. described your first two series - which I would describe as truer representation of your ability - as "majesty". — Miguel Delaney (@MiguelDelaney) April 20, 2015
@MiguelDelaney you're a shithead, pal. Fuck off out of my replies.
— Graham Linehan (@Glinner) April 20, 2015
@Glinner and I was making a general point about comedy in general always running its course, regardless of the talent of the writers. As I.. — Miguel Delaney (@MiguelDelaney) April 20, 2015
@Glinner ... said, I also consider your work in Partridge one of the greatest contributions to comedy.
— Miguel Delaney (@MiguelDelaney) April 20, 2015
@Glinner incredible. Betraying the exact attitude your comedy promoted. The outsider gone inside. Well done. — Miguel Delaney (@MiguelDelaney) April 20, 2015
@Glinner but, to be clear, I still think your initial work was some of the finest in comedy.
— Miguel Delaney (@MiguelDelaney) April 20, 2015
Unfortunately for us, Linehan had nothing left to say but Delaney knew it may not be the last he'd hear of it.
Looking forward* to all the endless RTs of GL's tweet and all that follows in morning, anyway
*not looking forward— Miguel Delaney (@MiguelDelaney) April 20, 2015
Sorry Miguel.
We'll leave the big question up to you.
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