THE 12 INTERVIEWS OF XMAS: Danny Healy-Rae on Church and State

Healy-Rae grabbed international headlines earlier this year when he asserted during a Dáil debate that God is, in fact, in charge of the weather. But he really pushed the boat out back in August when he explained to me his rationale behind his controversial views on climate change – by referencing Noah’s Ark as fact!

It was just one of the eye-catching statements made by the Kilgarvan-based politician in a remarkable, wide-ranging, thoughtful and often entertaining interview. Danny Healy-Rae also declared that he would have no hesitation in shooting an intruder on his property, which resulted in him getting a grilling on the Matt Cooper show about whether or not he owned a gun – but Danny refused to answer in a game of verbal tennis between the two of them.

In our interview, the colorful TD also came out – no pun intended – against same-sex marriage, and the 8th Amendment; declared that prostitution certainly wasn’t a problem in Kerry; explained why Facebook users are helping criminals; and repeated his contentious views that there was no harm in drink-driving.

It was a classic Hot Press interview. It created as much of a stir, if not more, than my earlier interviews in the year with Minister John Halligan and the Primate of All-Ireland, Archbishop Eamon Martin.

Ok, it may have occurred during the aptly entitled silly season, but people are still taking about those hilarious Ryanair adverts created on the back of it all. “We can’t change the weather either Danny. But for €19.99 you can change climate,” Ryanair declared in one of their adverts.

While in another skit, Ryaniar had an image of Danny photo shopped into ark with the rhyming caption: “Don’t get flooded by the Irish rain. Get roasted out of it in Spain.” They even replaced the word “low” with Noah on their slogan, “Noah Fares. Made Simple.” Priceless!

Danny’s probably still scratching his head about what all the fuss was about…

The Hot Press Interview with Danny Healy-Rae

I buzz Danny Healy-Rae to confirm that we’re still on for doing the interview on a Saturday morning. He explains, very apologetically, in his thick Kerry accent, that we’ll have to reschedule because he needs to pay his respects at a funeral. It’s funny that Danny should mention funerals.

Both he and his younger brother Michael recently hit the headlines when they were criticised by a Kerry county councillor who claimed that the Healy-Rae’s were attending requiem masses for people they didn’t even know.

Danny and Michael made history back in February, when they became the first two brothers to be simultaneously elected as TDs in the one constituency. But the election wasn’t even over when the duo left the count hall in Killarney to attend a funeral. They’ve been known on occasion to pay their respects at more than one funeral in a day. Thankfully, there’s no obsequies scheduled for Sunday morning: it’s agreed that we will have our chat bright and early, at 9.15am, before he pops out to mass.

The accusation that going to funerals is nothing more than parish pump politics is something that sticks in Danny’s craw. “I make no apologises for going to funerals,” the father of six explains. “I feel the anguish that people go through when they lose someone. I have an interest in people and I have respect for people that die.

“I’ve been going to funerals before I ever went into politics myself. I go to funerals far beyond the county bounds for friends of mine who have lost their loved ones.

“Look, that person who was so critical of us, he said that we were going to funerals of people that we didn’t know. So, the question I ask is, ‘How could he be inside of my head and know that I didn’t know them?’ I’m sorry for that person if he doesn’t know as many people as we do – that’s his problem!”

Danny was also accused of always bringing a red or green pen with him to ensure that his signature stands out when he signs the book of condolences.

He shakes his head and sighs in frustration. “That is not true,” he says, patting his pocket. “I have three pens in my pocket all the time. I have to tell you what I have the pens for, Jason. Every call I get on the phone I write down what it’s about. So, if I wrote on every page with the one colour I’d find it hard to go back in the book to search for a person’s problem.

“I write every second problem in either blue or grey, and if I need something that’s very urgent I’ll put some red mark beside it. So, that’s the reason for the three pens. It’s not for foolishness; it’s not for changing the colour in the condolence book.”

Danny adds that he believes the councillor in question wasn’t “alone in attacking us” and points the finger of blame at the latter’s party, Fianna Fáil. “I think that’s a very unfair way of trying to make us look bad or wrong. If they have nothing else to take us on with, I think we’re alright.”

They are, and then some! It all started back in 1997 when Jackie Healy-Rae quit Fianna Fáil and successfully stood as an independent candidate for the Dáil. After he retired, his son Michael took his seat and became a household name, when he appeared on RTÉ’s reality TV show, Celebrities Go Wild in 2007. Danny Healy-Rae ran the family pub and other family businesses, incuding a farm before he was elected. Danny was again in the media spotlight back in May when he said he believed God was in charge of the weather.

Apart from the two brothers in the Dáil, two of Danny’s children, Johnny and Maura are now councillors. Make no mistake: collectively, the Healy-Rae’s are a political force to be reckoned with in Kerry.

Jason O’Toole: Profiles about you in the national media say that you don’t like giving your age.

Danny Healy-Rae: I never shied away from my age. I have no problem with giving my age. But, I suppose, maybe I’ve a problem if someone – when it’s none of their business – is asking me my age, or asking me where I was last night, or why did I do this? Maybe they wouldn’t be people that I know, do you know what I mean? I’d be careful or selective about who I gave information to, that would be more to the point.

But will you tell me your age?

Yeah. I’m 61.

Your attitude is unusual nowadays: everybody reveals very personal information on Facebook.

People have lost the run of themselves. They’re nearly telling everyone when they’re going to the toilet! It’s ridiculous. People should be more careful when they say they’re going on holidays – leaving their house open to be ransacked. It’s ridiculous to put it up on Facebook or to make it public knowledge that you’re gone to town, or to Dublin or Killarney. It’s making life difficult for the Garda, who don’t have the numbers now. It’s silly.

Do you think people should be able to protect their properties by shooting intruders?

Your home is your castle. When I see what happens to elderly people, when someone comes in and beats them and robs them – yeah, I’d have no problem. So, if somebody broke into your house, you’d have no compunction about shooting an intruder to protect yourself? Yeah. I’d aim for their legs first. I’d immobilise them first, or something like that, if there was no other way of dealing with them. I’d have no problem with that. It’s ridiculous where the law actually favours the criminal in some of these incidents.

Do you think the Gardaí should be armed?

I do. We had a case in Waterville there the other day where the post office was robbed. They had to bring down the armed response unit from Limerick. They don’t have one in Kerry. There should be units available much closer than Limerick. It’s two hours drive from Limerick to Waterville. That’s not fair at all on the Garda force down here. I’m not saying that every Guard needs to be armed, but, then, the argument arises, ‘How do the villains know which ones are?’ I don’t know, but you have to be equal when they’re saying they’ve a lot of weapons. The Gardaí need to be armed as well. In other words, they have to have an equal chance – not a man with a gun against a man who doesn’t have a gun!

You hit the headlines back in 2010 when you were involved in an altercation over a dispute about a right of way, which was eventually settled in court. I heard you once hit someone with a shovel!

I never hit anyone with a shovel! I did hit people in different times, defending myself with my hands – but I never hit anyone with any kind of implement. I don’t go around hitting people at will. The only time I did was when I had to react to someone and to defend myself. I make no apologies for that (laughs). Because you must do your best to defend yourself and if it means you have to hit someone, so be it! But I didn’t hit anyone with a shovel! I can tell you something that’s funny, Jason.

Go on...

A number of years ago, I was at a match. Kilgarvan were playing. I had a gallon of water for the players. I was on the sideline and there wouldn’t be much room on the sideline. And the next thing: Jesus, out of the blue, some player ran into me at full speed and I was toppled down on the ground. It was just a reaction, but when I got up I threw the plastic gallon of water at him. The referee came out (laughs) and he had his book and he was going to write in my name and said, ‘He ran into me – and I off the field’. It happened many years ago when I was a lot younger (laughs). All the local lads here talk about it all the time.

So you can handle yourself in a fist-fight.

Well, I’m not saying I’m Jack Johnson – but I can defend myself, that’s the way I’d put it.

I presume your father was the biggest influence on shaping your politics?

That would be correct. I suppose going back to 1973, when he was co-opted to the council first and subsequent local elections – I was with him all those times. All his beliefs and all his ideas, I would’ve appreciated what he was at. Besides politics, we were together every day dealing with the farm or the pub. When you’re so close to a person and with them every hour of the day, some of it going to rub off.

What did you learn most from him about politics?

It was about helping people. He used to always say, ‘If you can’t help them, certainly you don’t hurt them’. And that’s always been my motto. An interest in people would be our priority –ensuring their well-being, and doing as much as you could for them to ensure that they get their entitlements. The special thing that he always propagated was that you must keep your word.

That’s a rare thing these days.

I know life is not easy, but you must do that. If you keep your word, you can’t go wrong. All you have in this world is your word. You can have all the money, you can have all the possessions in life, but if you don’t keep your word people don’t respect you. I think that’s why we have gained an awful lot of respect – by keeping our word to the people.

Unlike your father and Michael, you don’t wear a flat cap.

I wear a cap out of necessity when it is raining or cold, or when I’m working, but not going out in public (laughs). You mightn’t agree with me, but I think I’ve actually got enough hair and I don’t mind going without a cap!

I’m sure your father would have been very proud to see you elected to the Dáil.

I regret every day that he’s not around to see this. I know he’d be fearfully proud of it. It was great the way it worked out. We’re thankful to the people who canvassed for us and worked with us, and the people who voted for us. It was the people who did it. It wasn’t just Healy-Raes.

Your father died in December 2014 and your mother soon afterwards. It must’ve been a terrible time.

Some people say that when a person has lived a long life that you don’t miss them that much. But, certainly, if you live all your life with someone it’s very hard to lose an elderly person. My father was 83 years of age and my mother was something around the same. Yes, you do miss them.

Do you remember your last conversation with your father?

It was on a Thursday about 11 or 12 o’clock. He died about one-thirty. These things up by his bedside were monitoring his heartbeat and pulse, and while all those figures were going wrong, his mind and senses were active to the very end. I remember Kathleen (Cahill), his partner said, ‘Jackie, you’ll be alright’. The last words he said were, ‘Not a hope!’

I’m sure you shed a tear.

Yes. ‘Not a hope’. They were the last words he said.

What do you miss most about him?

It was only yesterday I said, ‘I’ll ring’, and then I realised that I can’t. If we weren’t together, we’d be ringing each other several times every day and the last thing every night. It was nearly always the last call around half twelve or one o’clock. My father would ring me religiously wherever I’d be. When he was in Dáil Éireann, the people in the bar would say. ‘Oh, yes – the call from the Dáil’. His last call every night would be to me. I miss that now. And when I’d be leaving somewhere he’d know the nights I’d be in the different places and he’d nearly know the time I’d be leaving and we’d be on the phone together until I’d practically land home, or until I’d run out of coverage down at the forest, as you come into Kilgarvan. I miss that an awful lot, Jason.

Are you very religious?

I’m not a Holy Joe! We’re Catholics. We’ve been brought up that way. I go to mass every weekend and I’ll do no one no wrong. I suppose some people think it’s fashionable to attack religion.

I presume you believe in the Immaculate Conception...

Yeah, I suppose, Jason. Sure, that’s what we were taught. And being honest, I haven’t given it a lot of thought. It’s a kind of a question that I haven’t been thinking about. So, look, I have no answer to give about it.

Do you think God’s a man or a woman – or maybe a bit of both?

Well, I suppose, brought up as a young fella, all the way along I would’ve thought that he was a man – but I can’t argue with you. I never thought of it like that.

What’s heaven like for Danny Healy-Rae?

It’s a place where we hope that we’ll be with all the people we knew who came before us and passed on before us. And that we won’t be burnt in the fire, like they say you would, if you were in hell. So, that would be heaven for me – if I finish up with my father and mother and, indeed, my grandmother and my uncle who were died for me. That would be nice if we do meet them again. I suppose that’s what I look forward to, Jason.

Do you think that Muslims, Moonies, and Jews go to heaven too?

They do. We all die the same anyway. If they believe in someone else, that’s fine. I have no problem with them having their own beliefs. No one should have any problem with who we believe in.

So it doesn’t really matter what religion you subscribe to?

That’s right. It’s about common sense. Sadly, I suppose that a minority don’t see it that way. I respect people who have other religious beliefs, and we have to do that. Everyone is entitled to their religious beliefs. And if they don’t want to have any, they’re entitled to do that as well.

Do you think some people are going to burn in hell forever?

I’m not sure about that. Jesus! There’s people doing terrible things around world now and I honestly feel that hell would be too good for them. I mean, what they’re doing to ordinary individuals going around and about their daily work – and what they did to that priest over in France. Hell would be too good for them. I’ll tell you the truth.

If hell is too good for ISIS, do you think it’s also too good for members of the IRA?

I’d rather not throw them into the same category. I actually wouldn’t, because I don’t think there’s anything as bad that I know that happened in the past compared with what’s going on today. It’s really worrying as to how it’s going to be stopped.

You must have felt hard done by, the amount of abuse and criticism you got over what you said about God being in charge of the weather...

No. I’m not bothered at all. Everyone is entitled to their view. I’m basing my views on facts. The facts are there and history proves it. We had the Ice Age. We had Noah’s Ark. We had all those stories. We’ve proof of the Famine in 1740, which was caused by two years of incessant rain. We lost almost a third of our people because they couldn’t feed the cattle and the cattle starved, and they couldn’t save turf to keep themselves warm. Those are facts. There were some centuries when the country was very hot and warm and then there were different centuries with so much rain and cold. So, those are facts.

You mentioned Noah’s Ark there. That’s not a proven fact – or do you believe everything that’s in the Bible?

The first thing I have to say to you, I never read all the Bible. But I found the Bible to be correct in many instances. I do believe that there is a God there and I believe that there is some place after. I was brought up that way, Jason.

You don’t think there’s even a possibility you might be wrong and these scientific experts could be right?

No, I don’t, because the facts are there, that all those patterns of climate change were there before the 1900s, when the advent of machinery and cars made lives and travel much more easier. There was problems with the weather long before that. I’m basing my arguments on facts.

So the scientific view is all codswallop?

The idea that man is responsible or in charge of the weather – that’s nonsense. It’s not right and they are wrong in their views. I feel that maybe the people who are for that view are getting a lot of finance towards what they’re probing, and that’s why they’re more vehement about it. There are many scientists who are disagreeing with those people who propagate climate change and that man is causing damage or creating changes. There’s as many against their view as are for it. I believe that the facts, as outlined, are weighing in my favour.

Paul Galvin criticised your views too...

He criticised my stance on climate change? All I’ll say to Paul Galvin is: he certainly played a lot of good games, but there were days he could’ve played better too! I’m not saying that out of malice. He’s entitled to his opinion. And I wish Paul well, whatever he does, because he always did his best for Kerry.

But you accept that we need to look after our environment?

I recognise we must appreciate our environment. Our environment is our treasure: our rivers, our lakes, our mountains and our valleys – that we must mind that and bring it along and hand it back in a good or a better state than we got it to our offspring.

Is it true that your mother-in-law put out a statue of the Child of Prague in the garden the night before your wedding to pray to God for good weather?

That is true. That was a tradition and my mother-in-law was a very religious woman and a very good-living woman. She did that for all of her daughters, hoping they’d have a fine day for the wedding.

So you’d agree that you can pray to God to change the weather?

I suppose, yeah. You can pray for a fine day. What’s wrong with that? We’ve had times here in Kilgarvan Church where there was a special mass to pray for fine weather for crops. So, there are superior influences in charge of the weather and we pray to God for it. I make no apologies for that. That’s what we do and that’s what many people do. It’s not what everyone does, but that’s what the people that I know do.

Do you believe in an interventionist God, who sees what’s happening on earth and responds?

No. The God that I believe in wouldn’t react like that.

So if Katie Taylor wins a gold medal and thanks God, you believe – like her – that it is because God has helped her to win?

Yeah. She believes that and I admire her for that. I pray before an election, like I did for my father going back. We pray for different things and we’ll continue to do that. And certainly we have to thank him when something materialises. It’s what a lot of people do and I’m one of those people. So, I admire Katie Taylor for that.

But if Katie Taylor says God can assist her with her boxing, why do you think he doesn’t intervene in bigger issues like with starving children and ISIS?

I suppose you’ll have to ask him.

Do you think the Catholic Church is out of touch when you look at issues like sex before marriage? It’s unrealistic in today’s society to be telling young people it’s a sin, isn’t it?

Yeah. I think there are more (important) things to be dealt with than just that. What consenting adults do can’t be wrong if it’s consensual and that they’re above a certain age. It can’t be wrong. And maybe they should relax a bit on that.

What was your reaction to the news that there’s a gay subculture in the seminary in Maynooth?

It’s upsetting, isn’t it? It’s upsetting, especially for those young fellas that are hoping to go into the priesthood. Look, I haven’t read it and maybe I’m not up to speed with it, but I feel it would be more natural if they were allowed to get married. The Protestants allow their ministers to marry. I think it would be helpful in the recruitment of priests. We see problems in all the parishes where one priest has to operate in four or five parishes. They’re under pressure.

Growing up, as a teenager and a young man, was chasing woman and sex very important for you?

It was part of life. We liked to go to dances and we liked to meet girls – and that continues for the young people today. They must enjoy themselves as well. People only live once. And once everything is consensual, once they agree to it, sure, that’s their business what they do. Who am I to judge them? I wish them well and hope they enjoy themselves. That’s what life’s about.

Many people would have an image of rural Ireland as a place where young people hid from the priest who would be at the dance, making sure couples weren’t slow dancing too close together or kissing, and that you had to wait until your wedding night until you lost your virginity. Is that the type of experience you would’ve had?

(Laughs) Well, sure, that’s what we were told to do – but we didn’t always do what we were told! Anyway, rural Ireland – and indeed most people – they live their lives the way they want to. You’re only going to live once and when you were young you were young – and you do what you want to do.

In the last edition of Hot Press, John Halligan told me he was 15 years old when he lost his virginity. I’m guessing you would’ve been a bit older, were you?

Well, I don’t know, Jason! I didn’t write it down (laughs)! I can’t remember. I’ll have to think for a bit – and I’m not going to say!

Have you ever tried marijuana?

(Laughs) No, no, no. I don’t even know what it looks like! I suppose maybe that’s not anything to boast about because we should be aware of what these substances look like, and maybe know someone who’s going wrong or whatever. But I’m sorry to say, I don’t know what any of those substances look like and I certainly haven’t tried any of them.

Would you agree with legalising marijuana for medicinal purposes – such as for cancer patients, to ease their pain?

Oh God now! We hear so much about cancer every day. I only wish there was some way to stop it, or to help people survive and go through it. I suppose in a controlled environment, if it would help people, it couldn’t be wrong.

John Halligan told me that’s he’s in favour of legalising prostitution. Would you agree with him?

I don’t know what’s happening down in Waterford or, indeed, in other parts of the country! But I don’t hear anyone here asking me to legalise it! It has never been mentioned at a doorstep and I’ve certainly gone to a lot of them. So, if it’s a problem John Halligan feels that needs to be addressed, I certainly don’t. There are a lot of other issues that need to be addressed first. It’s not a problem in Kerry! And if it is, I’m not aware of it!

But he makes the point that there’s lots of lonely men out there who are not in loving or normal relationships – and that they should be able to visit a sex worker.

Well, now, I get a lot of requests at clinics and my phone never stops ringing – indeed, I don’t ever turn it off – but I’ve never been asked by any of those people to see if we could get a woman for them in that way! No, I don’t think it’s a problem around here anyway. And, again, I’ll say it’s something down in Waterford – but not here anyway.

I’m guessing you voted against same sex marriage.

I did. What was I very worried about – and still am – is that two men, or two women, could adopt a little baby girl or a little baby boy and these babies would have no say in it. And that wouldn’t be a natural family for me. I felt that was wrong.

Why do you feel it’s not natural?

Going back, it was always a man and a woman who produced a baby and brought them up, and that’s the way I felt it should continue.

Such a view could be perceived as a typical knee-jerk stance from the anti-gay brigade.

No, I’m not anti-gay. What these people do is their business and I’m fine with that. If they want to have that type of relationship, again, I’ll say: that’s their business. They do what they want to do and I wish them will with that. And let them have the friends that they have. But what I thought was wrong with that was the little baby had no choice.

But it’s possible that some men and women couples could physically abuse a child, while a same sex couple could raise that child in a more loving environment.

You’re right. I don’t disagree with that, but that was the way I felt about it and kind of still do – that the baby doesn’t have a choice. But I’m sure that it’s happening and they are seeing after the children. I suppose if they weren’t we’d be hearing about it. It must be working and it must be fine. But, again, that was my view at that time. Sure, look, time will tell and we hope that it does work, as the children grow up and go on, that they’ll be fine. It wasn’t a big issue on the doorstep and that’s the way I felt about it. I’m not making any big waves.

So, I’ll ask you again.

I don’t believe the natural balance is right to have two men or two women caring for a baby. It’s a more natural balance to have a man and a woman.

What’s your stance going to be on repealing the Eighth Amendment?

I’m not for abortion and that’s it – full stop.

But wouldn’t fatal foetal abnormality be an exception?

It is my belief – until I’m proved wrong – that the laws are there by medical issues to deal with those issues as they arise.

God forbid, but what if you had a family member who was raped – would you want them to go through with the pregnancy?

Look, again I’ll say, there are ways of dealing with that without making any changes to the law.

What do you mean exactly? Are you talking about adoption?

No, no, no. I believe there are ways of dealing with that, even as we are.

But would you not feel sorry for a woman who’s raped and forced to carry the child?

Well, again, without saying the names, I believe that can be dealt with very quickly.

I don’t think it can be dealt with. It isn’t being dealt with in Ireland.

Yeah, well, I feel it is.

Sorry. It doesn’t sound clear to me. Are you saying you don’t believe in abortion in any circumstances?

Well, certainly the life of the mother must be protected at all times and have equal rights to the life of the child. But, I believe the laws and the way we are in this country are supportive of that. I don’t think there’s any need in changing the laws or going any further – that’s how I feel about it. There was a case up in Galway there with a lady and, I believe, there was law in our country to ensure that that woman shouldn’t have died. That’s my views and that’s it.

With regard to fatal foetal abnormality do you not think that it’s horrible that we’re putting the mothers through the terrible burden of forcing them go over to England for an abortion?

I’m not so sure that those problems can’t be dealt with in Ireland, because I believe the medical people can deal with those things if there’s something very serious. That’s my understanding – that they can already deal with these situations here. (Pauses) Maybe I can’t make an informed decision – but, as it is, I’m against any change to the Eighth Amendment.

You seem to be hinting at the morning after pill – but not saying it. If a woman is raped, then clearly she can be prescribed it – and the 99% likelihood is that she won’t conceive. Is that what you’re saying?

I’m not saying it, Jason. I’m just saying that there are ways of dealing with it and at this point of time, I’m not saying anymore.

I’m just trying to make it clear for readers.

Well, I’m not saying it out, like, you know? And I hope you don’t think any less of me for that, but I feel there are ways at the minute of dealing with it, and I’m not saying anymore.

I’m just trying to make it clear for readers. I hope you understand that.

I do. You’re doing your job, but I have to kind of mind my corner too.

The only two things I can think of that you mean are, firstly, the morning after pill and, secondly, that also you might have been driving at the idea that medical practitioners could say they believe the woman’s life is at risk – even by suicide – and then give her an abortion.

I did say in relation to the woman that died up in Galway – and there was a lot of talk about that – I still think the doctors had the law on their said to save that woman’s life.

Am I right in thinking that you’d agree with quite a bit of what Donald Trump has been saying recently?

I haven’t been listening to awful lot of what he says. Maybe the controversial things I do! Because apart from looking at the headlines in The Kerryman and maybe the odd copies of the Examiner and the Sunday Independent, I don’t read much. I don’t know if he’d be good for America. Maybe not for Irish people in America. I’d be more in favour of the Clinton lady becoming president. She’s a very capable, able lady. If we’re to believe what we read, she is the most qualified person that ever put their name forward to become president of the United States.

You were criticised back in 2013 for your proposal for a special permit to be able to have a few pints and then drive home.

At the time, three people that everyone knew quite well were very isolated in their homes. Instead of always coming to the pub, as they used to for two or three pints, they were afraid when the law changed in 2010 and they started drinking unregulated amounts of alcohol at home. They fell into depression – these were humorous enough fellas in their fifties – and because of that they actually ended their lives themselves, which was very hurtful to their neighbours and to their friends and indeed to myself. Rural isolation is a big thing.

What’s the harm in having three or four pints and driving home?

I would be saying, ‘Two or three pints and have a limit that would allow that and no more’. I wasn’t reckless. The Gardaí are responsible for giving permits for gun licenses – and they would be well capable of dealing with this. But I’m sorry it was lost on government and they only scoffed at it.

I’m sure you’ve done it yourself and been perfectly capable of driving home after a few pints...

I don’t drink, Jason! I never drank. Maybe I look like a person who does (laughs)! But I never drank in my life.

How would your drink-driving proposal work?

I didn’t think up the proposal on my own. A group of us were talking one night. It was a number of people, especially one who said, ‘It should be possible on the very quiet roads’. People could get a permit from the local Garda station to drive on a specified road – not a regional road, not a national secondary or primary road or indeed a motorway, but on a very local road where there would be very little traffic, which would be monitored by the Garda. Because there would be no one travelling at night on many of these roads – they’re very lonely places.

But couldn’t they injure someone?

I value life and treasure life. The only ones they could hurt possibly would be themselves – but that wouldn’t happen because the most speed they could do, they’d be in second or third gear. Indeed, they were always very careful and there have never been fatalities or serious injuries on the type of roads I’m talking about. And if they went beyond that road, or beyond that (speed) limit, they would face the full rigours of the law.

Maybe you’ll try pushing your proposal again?

Yeah. I certainly still support that stance. I see that I’m getting more support now from journalists and presenters. There was a number of people on a programme there recently that seemed to agree that there should be another law for the type of people that I’m talking about. So, maybe I’ll do just that. It’s an idea that could be made work. But many people tried to make little of it and make me look ridiculous.

You must be sick of being depicted as a bit of an eejit from Kerry in the national media.

Well, that is hurtful at time. But it never gets to us. The one thing those people miss when they’re criticising us: they’re also criticising and making little of the people who voted for us and who support us – and it’s sad that they don’t realise that.

Do you think that the Dublin crowd don’t care about people in Kerry – and elsewhere in rural Ireland?

I won’t pinpoint it that it’s a Dublin problem, but certainly the west of Ireland is being let down. It’s galling, every morning when you wake up, there’s another hundred jobs announced for Dublin, 200 jobs announced for Dublin, 300 jobs announced for Dublin. I don’t begrudge the people of Dublin anything. But it’s the way the country is going at the present time – it’s all about getting jobs in Dublin and not the west of Ireland. All we want is to create the infrastructure so that we could attract investment – like the Macroom bypass, like broadband. I feel the country will tip into the Irish Sea because all the weight of the people going into the eastern side of the country at the present time to the detriment of Kerry and the west of Ireland.

If you don’t drink, how do you like to spend your downtime?

I’m an avid GAA follower. I have a real interest in hurling. I suppose it began because my father won two senior championships medals. He used to take me to all the games as a young fella. I used to go to as many matches as I could – and to the Munster Hurling finals especially. They were great days before the backdoor system came in, because it was a fight to the death. When there was no backdoor, you’d have Cork and Tipperary and Limerick and Clare. There was an awful lot of good games, as good as an All-Ireland. I go to every hurling All-Ireland I can – you mightn’t think that, me being from Kerry. And I’d go to the football All-Irelands, of course, if Kerry are in them. But if there’s two other counties in them, I wouldn’t have the same interest as in the hurling.

Do you think Kerry can beat Dublin?

Following the game with Dublin and Donegal, I believe we have a good chance of beating the Dubs this year. I’m not going to say we’ll beat them, but we have a good chance. We’ll be going up there with hope.

Do you have any other hobbies?

All types of machinery and especially older tractors and older cars. I have a few of them. And if I get a chance – but I don’t anymore – I’d tinker around with them. I like to be in the farm. We don’t go away much on holidays. We like to go to the Fleadh Cheoil, maybe three or four days. And sometimes we visit my uncles and aunts in New Jersey. But I wouldn’t be anxious to go on holidays. The other thing I like is one-day local events. I love those days. Again, it’s about meeting people. It’s about parishes retaining their identity. It’s very important for rural Ireland.

And what type of music do you like?

All kinds of music. Irish music. Country and Western music. Country and Irish music. Jazz. Most kinds of music, even modern pop singers. I’d listen to all that stuff. I live for music. Music is what keeps us alive.