The Week on TwitterTopical

The Week on Twitter: Cilla Black, Denis O’Brien & a Big Minion

By Jade Hayden

This week, Denis O’Brien threatened to sue someone (again), Twitter remembered the tragic nuclear bombing of Hiroshima, and showbiz entertainer Cilla Black passed away. Oh, and a giant inflatable Minion got loose in Santry. Yeah, really…

#DenisOBrien threatens legal action against Waterford Whispers News #JeSuisWWN

A few days ago, satirical (meaning ‘a bit of a joke,’ or ‘not real at all’) website Waterford Whispers News published an article exposing Denis O’Brien’s bribery of Fine Gael’s Michael Lowry, in order to obtain a mobile phone license in 1995 in a parallel universe.  The article – which has since been removed – detailed O’Brien’s means of procuring the license 20 years ago, which involved a few payments and lots of punts. It was the 90s, remember – we didn’t have the euro yet. It was also a parallel universe, lest you forget.

The article was funny and we all had a bit of a laugh at it. That was, until, WWN founder, Colm Williamson received a letter from O’Brien’s solicitors, demanding that the article be removed or else “all necessary steps to vindicate our client’s good name and reputation” would be taken.

https://twitter.com/ColmWhispers/status/629345366585016321

Although the article was removed, O’Brien has found himself to be (yet again) a victim of the Streisand effect – as the thing he was trying to censor actually gained a lot more traction after he tried to censor it. Isn’t the internet fun? Since its deletion, Twitter hasn’t stop talking about Williamson’s article. #JeSuisWWN even trended for a bit. Make of that what you will.

https://twitter.com/hiredknave/status/629585314101743616

Regardless, O’Brien’s actions seemed to have opened up a nationwide debate on ‘Free Speech.’ As far as I’m concerned, it’s probably alright to say whatever you want as long as you’re not infringing on anybody’s rights, or causing anyone harm. And while I may not be an expert in all things Denis O’Brien, I’d imagine that a satirical article, and a photoshopped picture, are the least of his worries.

#CillaBlack dies in Spain, aged 72

Over the weekend, it was reported that TV presenter, actress, and singer Cilla Black had passed away in her apartment in Spain. Cilla, who was best known for her recording career, and shows like Surprise Surprise and Blind Date, apparently fell and hit her head on her balcony, leading to a stroke.

Tragedies of this magnitude don’t come around too often – and when they do, it’s up to the good people of Twitter to accurately and eloquently express how we all feel.

Twitter commemorates the bombing of #Hiroshima

Thursday August 6th, marked 70 years since the bombing of Hiroshima by the US in 1945. Alongside the subsequent bombing of Nagasaki on August 9th, the event is not only associated with the end of World World Two, but has acted as a reminder of the devastation that can be caused by nuclear weapons.

On Thursday, Japanese Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe, attended a ceremony in Hiroshima’s peace park, where he and thousands of others remembered the 140,000 lives that were lost. Speaking to the crowd, Abe said – “Seventy years on I want to reemphasise the necessity of world peace.”

The internet seemed to agree with him, as thousands took to Twitter to share their images of the city, the disaster, and the commemoration.

Giant inflatable #Minion makes everybody late for work

As if there weren’t enough Minions in the world, now there’s a massive one in the middle of road. During the week, a huge blowup Minion ‘got loose’ and wreaked havoc in Santry. It was ridiculous and stupid, but apparently it was newsworthy enough to allow Ireland to make global headlines. Cool.

Featured image via itv.com

Jade Hayden 144 posts 0 comments

Jade Hayden has an MA in journalism, a degree in English, and a house rabbit who sleeps in her bed sometimes. You'll often find her wearing glasses, fixing her fringe, and complaining about the amount of time she spends on public transport. Jade is also the editor of HeadStuff's topical section, and she'd love if you sent your submissions over to [email protected].

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