Dublin Opinion

With all the depressing news in the media these days, you sometimes miss other, non-economy related depressing news. Or maybe it’s good news. I dunno, it all depends on your perspective.

On the 24th of June the Irish Independent reported that John O’Shea of Seoige & O’Shea’s afternoon show on RTE One will not be co-hosting a third series.

The presenter had been in talks with the ‘Seoige & O’Shea’ producers, Tyrone Productions, in recent weeks about the format for a third series due on screens in the autumn. It is believed that O’Shea’s role was going to be scaled down.

“They outlined what they saw me doing and I thought it wasn’t for me and that maybe it was time to walk away and look for a new challenge. The show has changed pretty dramatically from day one,” he explained.

Clearly he didn’t want to do features which consisted of shaving a giraffe and feeding it cold tea and moonlight. And who could blame him? He’s right to seek out new opportunities.

So where to now, Mr. O’Shea?

“I’d like to work in other areas of TV but for the moment I’m going to go back to writing.

Which may or may not be the broadcasting equivalent of saying that you want to spend more time with your wife and family.

I’m not familiar with O’Shea’s work, but the Seoige & O’Shea show has passed into legend.

Grown men would gather in the evenings, nudging closer to the fire, and the wise one would clear his throat to begin the tale that everyone had gathered to hear. And, carefully teasing out the words he would relate how, in the middle of the God-fearing afternoon O’Shea would attempt to arm wrestle a body-building Granny…and lose.

I’d like to dedicate this Immortal Technique track to O’Shea and urge him to remain philosophical.

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