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Gombeen #14: The Regime’s Regina.

In #rabble14, Blog, Gombeen, Illustration, Politics, Print Editionby rabbleLeave a Comment

Who is the regime’s Regina? A blueshirt politician, a landlord, and a failed en-tra-pra-nure – she couldn’t be more the elite’s own if she tweeted where she was when Princess Diana died in a week when three homeless people died on the streets. Her failed consultancy firm Enhance Solutions didn’t keep its books in proper order – a criminal offence in itself. When it went into liquidation it owed over … Read More

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Paradise Lost.

In #rabble13, Blog, Illustration, Sportby Gearóid Ó'RíadaLeave a Comment

After the GAA’s recent €55 million deal with Sky Sports, All Ireland medal winner Gearóid Ó’Ríada takes a look at how an increasingly greedy guts GAA hierarchy is threatening the ethos of volunteerism at the grassroots of the national institution.

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Gombeen #12

In #rabble12, Blog, Culture, Gombeen, Humour, Illustration, Politics, Print Editionby Scratch dat itch1 Comment

People don’t get corrupted but they do get deceived. The gombeen has been transformed from the days of collecting the landlord’s rent to now sowing regime illusions. The monster propaganda machine (RRR T EEEE!!) has no more important role within it than to anchor the Late Late. The host, the self-confessed nerd, the Blackrock boy, the Peter Pan of Donnybrook, known to us as Ryan Tubridy, is there to tell … Read More

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Gombeen # 11: The Ringmaster Of Reaction.

In #rabble11, Blog, Gombeen, Print Editionby Scratch Dat Itch1 Comment

There is a jolly man who acts as the ring master for reaction, he whips up callers into a frenzy, rails at them, exudes sympathy, tells people to ‘go on’ with their tales of misery and he pretends to care. Then he mounts campaigns for what HE believes is right His training was being an outsider who got into college, it was being left wing, it was engaging in protest, … Read More

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#Gombeen9: Cardinal Brady.

In #rabble9, Blog, Gombeen, History, Humour, Politicsby rabbleLeave a Comment

It wasn’t with much regret that we waved goodbye to Sean Brady. Throughout his long reign of church cover ups he withstood one resignation call too many before finally handing in his notice to papa bear in Rome. Brady was a proud chink in the rusty chain that the church has wrapped around the uteri of Irish women. In 1975, it was with zeal that, rather than inform the authorities, … Read More

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Gombeen #8: Paul Williams & Paul Reynolds

In #rabble8, Gombeen, Humour, Illustration, Politics, Print Editionby rabble13 Comments

  For their consistent and dogged determination in spinning crime to fit the warped narrative of Garda HQ we’re splitting the award between the two Pauls. Both of course are well known to the Gardaí. The Tosser and The Hyper. Williams’ stock in trade is the late 70’s shtick, coppers sliding across car bonnets, kicking down doors and shouting “‘E’s got a shooter!’ and “‘Ave it, you caant!”. Reynolds gets … Read More

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Gombeen #7: Jay Bourke

In #rabble7, Culture, Gombeen, Humour, Illustration, Politicsby rabbleLeave a Comment

Regular rabble readers may remember immaculately coiffured Dublin ballbag Jay Bourke during the well documented troubles regarding the windup of his Shebeen Chic venture some years ago. Mr Bourke landed in hot water after irregularities emerged surrounding the timely payment of rent for the South Great George’s Street premises. The restaurant/bar was shut down eventually, after a long protracted battle in the High Court over €92.000 of unpaid VAT, and … Read More

Gombeen #6: The Highway Rat

In #rabble6, Gombeen, Humour, Illustration, Politics, Print Editionby rabbleLeave a Comment

In the Highway Rat, the rat’s kleptomania means “he even stole his own horse’s hay”. Similarly, ISME’s Rat has given full-blooded support to austerity, stridently opposing minimum wage increases and calling for the abolition of all Employment Regulation Orders and Registered Employment Agreements. These measures hammer the living standards of the 777,000 SME sector employees, destroy their purchasing power, and send more small businesses to the wall (businesses are closing … Read More

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A Gombeen-Nation once again

In #rabble5, Culture, History, Politicsby Conor McCabe11 Comments

  Above: Gombeen (gƊm ‘bi:n). Anglo-Irish. Usury. Chiefly attrib., as Gombeen-Man, a money-lender, usurer; so also gombeen-woman. Hence gom’beenism, the practice of borrowing or lending at usury. Mice provided the deadly ilo.       The 19th-century term Gom’beenism, the practice of borrowing or lending at usury, is increasingly referenced in relation to Ireland’s domestic economic practices. Conor McCabe takes a look at the history of the Irish middleman and … Read More