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The 10 most popular comments on TheJournal.ie in 2014

From Irish Water to John Gilligan, here are the comments which got the most thumbs up from other readers this year.

INTERNET COMMENTERS CAN get a lot of flak sometimes.

However they play a big part here on TheJournal.ie, helping to make the site what it is. Every day several thousand comments are left on the site, shaping the discussion and kickstarting some lively debates (and despite what some commenters might believe, only a tiny number ever have to be deleted).

We’ve compiled a list of the 10 comments which received the most thumbs up from other readers this year. As you might expect, some of the most popular comments were among the first posts on a breaking news story, expressing what many people felt about an issue. Some were funny, some insightful and some were sympathetic.

So here are the 10 comments with the most thumbs up this year. And before you ask – no, we’re not going to do a list of the comments which received the most thumbs down. That would be too cruel.

1. The most popular comment this year was by Leslie Alan Rock on an article about – unsurprisingly – Irish Water, getting 7,089 thumbs up for this: 

Exempt from f.o.i. just proves how corrupt it all is

Water meter stock Niall Carson / PA Wire Niall Carson / PA Wire / PA Wire

2. In second place was Art Vandelay, who got 5,731 thumbs up for this suggested cure amid reports that the HSE had ruled out Ebola for a Dublin patient:

Flat 7up,be grand…

7UP SIGN 1957 woody1778a woody1778a

3. Fatray Kennedy got 5,358 thumbs up for this comment, which was also about Irish Water and which got a lot of support from readers :

Imagine instead if the outrage on social media and ringing joe Duffy everybody took to the streets in protest.
They would be the end of Irish water.

Anti Water Protests Campaigns Mark Stedman / Photocall Ireland Mark Stedman / Photocall Ireland / Photocall Ireland

4. This somewhat wry comment from Ben Dover on the article about Joan Burton being trapped in her car by protesters in Jobstown got 4,976 thumbs up:

People seem to be really annoyed with this government

B2e_iSiCYAE_qSr Paul Murphy Paul Murphy

5. Daryl Kevin summed up the feelings of a lot of people about the whole Garth Brooks thing, getting 4,737 thumbs up for this comment on the article confirming that all five concerts in Dublin had been cancelled:

Please God let that be the end of that

Croke Park Brooks Controversies Laura Hutton / Photocall Ireland Laura Hutton / Photocall Ireland / Photocall Ireland

6. A lot of readers were unimpressed by the antics of a group of Irish students who allegedly caused major damage to an apartment they stayed in during the summer in San Francisco. Michael Kirby got 4,710 thumbs up for this:

Wow name and shame! They shouldn’t get away with that. Disgrace!

pastedimage-7672-300x200

7. Ben Redline got 4,600 thumbs up from readers for his comment on the tragic story about twin 9-year-old brothers Thomas and Paddy O’Driscoll who were killed by their older brother Jonathan in Cork before taking his own life:

Children’ and ‘Stabbing’ these words should not be in the same sentence. What’s wrong with this world?

Murder-suicide brothers Niall Carson / PA Wire Niall Carson / PA Wire / PA Wire

8. Readers had a lot to say about John Gilligan being shot at a christening party in Dublin in March. Comfortably Numb got 4,495 thumbs up for this contribution:

The calibre of hitmen we have in this country is shocking,you’d think the government would step in and give them some much needed training.

John Gilligan freed Niall Carson / PA Wire Niall Carson / PA Wire / PA Wire

9. Readers also had a lot to say about the Garth Brooks debacle over the summer. N got 4,482 thumbs up for this succinct comment:

Garth Brook$

Music Garth Brooks Mark Humphrey / PA Wire Mark Humphrey / PA Wire / PA Wire

10. Last but not least, the 10th most popular comment this year came from Gerry Campbell who got 4,357 thumbs up on an article by a 17-year-old about the death of his cousin, who was given a clean bill of health, walked out of the Mater Hospital in Dublin, and took his own life:

Conor McNally , it’s you and like minded young fellas , that are the future of this country , never give up on your friends, and don’t be afraid to ask the hard questions . What a well written piece, best of luck in your exams, somehow I feel luck won’t need to be called on .

glenmcnally-300x200 Garda Press Office Garda Press Office

All figures correct at the time of being compiled

And just for comparison: The 10 most popular comments on TheJournal.ie in 2013 >

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37 Comments
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    Mute Ciaran Pollard
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    Dec 29th 2014, 5:11 PM

    Go on Christine, give us the comments that got the most thumbs down for 2014 now. Should be interesting…

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    Mute Ho Lee Fuk
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    Dec 29th 2014, 5:14 PM

    Bates would walk away with every single one of them

    83
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    Mute HULK SMASH!
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    Dec 29th 2014, 5:16 PM

    Ciaran the champs for 2014 are
    1st place: Ritchie Rodgers
    2nd place: Reg
    3rd place: Ritchie Rodgers

    106
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    Mute Luke's stalker
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    Dec 29th 2014, 5:17 PM

    Or top ten most frequent racist slurs.

    41
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    Mute Qwerty
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    Dec 29th 2014, 5:18 PM

    I miss the times when SeanieRyan was a red thumb magnet.

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    Mute HULK SMASH!
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    Dec 29th 2014, 5:23 PM

    Seanie had a conversion on the road to Damascus

    86
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    Mute Karen Cullen
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    Dec 29th 2014, 5:33 PM

    You might get the most likes of 2014 for this cheeky comment !!

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    Mute Business Cat
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    Dec 29th 2014, 5:36 PM

    Seanie is in Syria?

    69
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    Mute Con Manne
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    Dec 29th 2014, 5:37 PM

    A pity it wasn’t a conversion at a home fuxture in the six nations!

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    Mute Kieran Stafford
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    Dec 29th 2014, 6:16 PM

    He knows everything about a lot of subjects!

    15
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    Mute Mark Byrne
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    Dec 29th 2014, 7:16 PM

    You don’t see Gizmo these days.

    24
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    Mute Michael cunnane
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    Dec 29th 2014, 6:04 PM

    Comment of the year was when Rory broke up with Caroline and someone said, “Tennis players don’t care about love, New balls please.Brilliant

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    Mute Gerry O'Connell
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    Dec 29th 2014, 11:42 PM

    Love means nothing in tennis
    New balls please

    11
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    Mute Derek Smalls
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    Dec 29th 2014, 11:52 PM

    I think you put the two comments on the Score together into one:

    “to tennis players, love means “nothing.” … I take it that Caroline has issued a statement calling for ” new balls, please”.

    1
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    Mute Sinead Hanley
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    Dec 29th 2014, 5:52 PM

    Wonder who the winner is for MOST comments?

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    Mute John Dole
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    Dec 29th 2014, 6:03 PM

    Glen

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    Mute Susan O Connell
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    Dec 29th 2014, 6:29 PM

    Frank?

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    Mute Ryan McGuckian
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    Dec 29th 2014, 7:10 PM

    No! Glen by a country mile. Frank was captured by the Illuminati for 3 months in New York, so made no comments during that time. Incidentally, he managed to free himself by solving a series of incredibely complex equations. The answer wasn’t always 666, as was reported.

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    Mute Mark Byrne
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    Dec 29th 2014, 7:16 PM

    Glen without a doubt.

    38
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    Mute Amy gaffney
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    Dec 29th 2014, 8:11 PM

    I’m shocked glen hasn’t commented on this yet. Come on dude, we know you’re lurking.

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    Mute Art Vandelay
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    Dec 29th 2014, 6:40 PM

    My kids always say – first is the worst, second is the best and I have to agree with them…

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    Mute Sinead Hanley
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    Dec 29th 2014, 7:49 PM

    Congrats Art.. Second place, not bad!

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    Mute Catherine Sims
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    Dec 29th 2014, 10:01 PM

    Excellent stuff Mr Vandelay. I’ll expect to see you number 1 next year though :)

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    Mute Art Vandelay
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    Dec 29th 2014, 11:23 PM

    Ty Catherine…:)

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    Mute Craig Hickey
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    Dec 29th 2014, 5:15 PM

    But the year isn’t over yet? Hehe

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    Mute Karen Cullen
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    Dec 29th 2014, 5:32 PM

    Let’s get liking a comment on this and try and beat these results ! You can all use this one lol !

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    Mute john c
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    Dec 29th 2014, 5:51 PM

    Lets not.

    125
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    Mute Art Vandelay
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    Dec 29th 2014, 7:55 PM

    Thanks Sinéad..you doing any dusting later?

    21
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    Mute Sinead Hanley
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    Dec 29th 2014, 8:59 PM

    Art.. You’d never know.. If i can find an old sock lying around.. Or if i can think of another use i might scrap the dusting altogether!

    17
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    Mute Art Vandelay
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    Dec 29th 2014, 9:22 PM

    Sock puppets!!

    10
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    Mute Jack Bowden
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    Dec 29th 2014, 9:13 PM

    I think a good comment will have an equal amount of red thumbs and green. It shows it’s controversial and thought provoking.
    All the top ten comments of the year seemingly come from men. However I bet the bottom ten comments are from men too.

    19
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    Mute talkingsense
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    Dec 29th 2014, 11:27 PM

    The fact that the most popular comment of the year is incorrect says a lot about journal commenters

    18
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    Mute Lisa O Toole
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    Dec 29th 2014, 8:12 PM

    Ben Dover !!!:

    9
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    Mute John Hayes
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    Dec 29th 2014, 8:21 PM

    Me or you or both of us?

    30
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    Mute Ben Dover
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    Dec 30th 2014, 9:39 AM

    Lisa O Toole !!!

    3
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    Mute Roland Kelly
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    Dec 30th 2014, 7:54 AM

    Does anyone know what the final outcome was re No. 6 ? I live 30 miles south of San Francisco and was disgusted by what happened here .. The Irish Consul in SF was to investigate .. Never heard the final word on this.It sure would be nice if the low life’s who wrecked this home actually made it right .. I somehow doubt it .. They are an embarrassment to Ireland and should be banned from the US permanently. (The guy who’s Arrest Warrant was clearly visible is ineligible for US citizenship via Naturalization .. One arrest will do that..)

    Menlo Park, CA

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    Mute Michael Sands
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    Dec 30th 2014, 2:36 AM

    My top one would be how did Joan spend 2 and a half hours in a car without wanting to have an urine break?

    4
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