Mary Kielty's Late Late Show eulogy

Every Irish man and women around the world knows that the Late Late Show is a broadcasting institution. Not only is it the world's longest running live talk show, it consistently has TV audiences of 650,000. That's 28% of the Irish TV audience. It's never been afraid to court controversy as it's Wikipedia page outlines. The show is Ireland, and the controversy's perfectly frame the religious versus the increasingly secular Ireland of the last 50 years.

It's presenters are household names among the Irish diaspora. Gay Byrne, Pat Kenny, Ryan Tubridy, and since 2023 Patrick Kielty. Patrick is the first presenter to come from north of the border, something that cements the notion of Irishness and the 32 counties. The fact that Kielty's home of Co. Down is technically not part of Ireland is lost on the show's audience. To them he is as Irish as Guinness, Shamrock, and the Blarney stone. I was going to say Saint Patrick, but his lineage is a discussion for another day!

Patrick is better known as a comedian who found fame making fun out of what became known as "the troubles" in Northern Ireland. That's a difficult gig, but made especially difficult when you realise his Father was killed by the Ulster Freedom Fighters (UFF) in 1988. His father's assassination deeply affected Patrick, yet didn't stop him poking fun at the status quo. Ireland has a healthy disrespect for the establishment, which helps deliver lots of satirical material if you've brave enough to do so.

Last week it was announced that Patrick's mother Mary had died. Yet Patrick went ahead and hosted the show after his Mother's funeral. Anyone who's lost a parent knows, getting back to normal life after a bereavement is difficult yet Patrick carried off with aplomb. Clearly emotional, he opened the Late Late Show with the following eulogy to his Mother.+

"I want to say a huge thank you to everyone who took care of her and our family this week. My mum watched this show religiously, and she loved it so much she still kept watching even after I got the gig. In over 50 years, Mary never missed a show, and there was no way she'd want me to miss this one. So, I couldn't be prouder to stand here and say, 'This one's for you, Mary'. Welcome to The Late Late Show."

Mary, wherever you're watching from, congratulations on producing such a fine, upstanding son. He's a credit to you, your husband John, and the Irish nation.