Cuts wroteHad a great ability to laugh at himself. Had good muscial guests. This might sound crass but I had no idea he was still alive.
Tell us more Mol. I'm interested. The pioneering stuff.
He did it without doing it if that makes sense. He charmed a nation in very difficult times between the two countries without even trying. He was just himself. He showed the Irish could be more than Navvies or whatever and had wit, intelligence and intellect, but he never played on being Irish, ever. He was no Val Doonican.
He just did what he did, and was the best at it, he just happened to be Irish. Same as Dave Allen. They broke huge ground, though I doubt either of them ever thought about or recognised that, they did. People, right minded people, saw a different side to the Irish psyche and condition and embraced it. Saw there was nowt between us.
He, and others unconsciously shattered more stereotypes than they will ever know. They changed the way another nation viewed the Irish. Of course it was only here that needed that doing, but nonetheless they did, without trying. And he made everyone smile, all the time. Just a fucking nice and fiercely intelligent funny decent man. He made me proud to be Irish. Few do.