Latest news with #ChadwicksSallynoggin
Extra.ie
16-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Extra.ie
Dustin the Turkey to 'run for Irish presidency'
Dustin the Turkey plans to 'give back' to the people of Ireland by running to replace Michael D Higgins as the nation's next president. The iconic turkey has announced his intention to run for the position and is prepared to challenge Fine Gael candidate Mairead McGuinness and independent TD Catherine Connolly after their recent campaign confirmations. Dustin told RTE Entertainment: 'Look, I'll be honest with you – I am willing to move to a smaller property, I will go to the Phoenix Park and I will embrace it. Olympic boxer and brand ambassador Jack Marley with Dustin the Turkey at the relaunch of Chadwicks Sallynoggin. Pic: Conor McCabe Photography 'I can do stupid poems in Irish like your man, Mickey D Higgins, and funny enough, Michael D said to me, 'Dustin, you should go for it and I'll leave my wardrobe here at Áras an Uachtaráin because it is the exact same size, it will fit you', so I can just go straight up. 'Now, he has bit more of a Ned Kelly then me but I'd be straight into Áras an Uachtaráin and you know, my First Lady, or Vogue Williams as she is known, would be great, too.' This is not the first time Dustin has declared his intention to be Ireland's head of state. In 1997, the singer and tv host ran against Mary Robinson in an ultimately unsuccessful bid for office. He continued: 'The short answer is of course I will be running for the presidency, I am not ruling myself out because the people of Ireland have been good to me and I should be giving back to them. 'I ran against Mary Robinson and she was a good president but she put a light in the window and left the door open and that's a dangerous thing to do on the north side. 'Then we had Mary McAleese and then we nearly had a lad from Cavan, that's how bad this country was getting but Mickey D stepped in and I think he was a good president apart from the stupid poems as Gaeilge but he is a good, honest man.' Dustin the Turkey also ran for presidency in 1997. Pic: RTÉ Dustin announced his ambitions while opening the newly refurbished branch of hardware shop Chadwicks in his native Sallynoggin, Dublin. The veteran bird is supporting his local hardware shop as a way of repaying the neighbourhood that raised him before he gained fame as the host of RTE kids show 'The Den'. Dustin added: 'The people of Sallynoggin raised me. It is one of those communities where you can leave your back door open. Now, you'll get robbed, but you can leave your back door open. They'll even rob the back door. 'When Chadwicks told me they were refurbin', I put in a tender for it, right? But apparently, some Eastern European builders got it because they turn up in time and charge a fair price and come back if there's anything wrong with the job.' Despite his big ambitions, Dustin is not limiting his campaigning to just the Irish presidency. He believes he could fall back on the vacant Liveline position left open by the recent departure of Joe Duffy, should his Áras bid fall through. He said: 'Me and Joe get on well. Joe was the ringmaster of a circus full of clowns and I'd be able to continue that on Liveline. You get all the nuts and madsters coming on and you just say, 'dear god, dear god, dear god . . . I don't know what to do' and you get a quarter a million a year. It's that simple.'
Irish Daily Mirror
16-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Daily Mirror
Dustin the Turkey threatens shock Eurovision comeback after 17 years
Dustin The Turkey has threatened to enter the Eurovision Song Contest again. The fowl talking bird could be set to make a dramatic return to the Eurovision stage next year, 17 years after representing Ireland in Belgrade. In 2008, he sang 'Irlande Douze Points' (sic) in a shopping trolley. He told us: 'Eurovision used to be Terry Wogan., Johnny Logan and Larry Gogan. They're all dead now. It's all moved on now. 'Johnny Logan wanted to bring the orchestra back. Is he joking? I don't think he is. This is a man wearing a leather coat in hot weather last week with a guitar over his shoulder. He doesn't even know how to play the guitar,' he quipped jokingly. And he said RTE needs to stop blaming him for Eurovision failure, saying RTE don't have the money to host the song contest, and he has done the country a favour. Dustin's divisive performance kicked off a long run of Eurovision bad luck for Ireland. We failed to make it to the final in nine of the 15 contests that followed. Earlier this year, Eurovision hopeful Samantha Mumba blamed Dustin for our string of bad luck, saying: 'I think Dustin just put everybody off Ireland for a while.' Pictured at the relaunch of Chadwicks Sallynoggin is local builder and icon Dustin the Turkey. (Image: Conor McCabe Photography) But Dustin hit back, telling us: 'What I'm saying is, I think every time Ireland doesn't qualify for the Eurovision, which is every year, let's be honest, they put people like Johnny Logan on Liveline. 'It's comedy. Who cares if we win Eurovision. RTE don't even have the money to stage it, so technically I'm doing the country a favour. 'I possibly will re-enter again,' he added. Dustin was speaking at Chadwicks newly refurbished Sallynoggin branch where he was joined by Olympic boxer Jack Marley. Chadwicks Sallynoggin now boasts a wide range of specialist centres and showrooms, from smart home technology and sustainable solutions to enhanced trade services and a new coffee and hot food outlet. Dustin and Jack were joined by Patrick Atkinson, CEO of Chadwicks Group, and Eric Born, CEO of Grafton Group (Chadwicks' parent company) who was in Dublin for the occasion, to officially open the branch and welcome local customers. Pictured at the relaunch of Chadwicks Sallynoggin are Olympic boxer and brand ambassador Jack Marley; and local builder and icon Dustin the Turkey. (Image: Conor McCabe Photography) The refurbishment is part of Chadwicks' ongoing nationwide rebrand and upgrade programme, which began in 2018 and has seen 33 of its 50 branches renovated to date, to meet the evolving needs of local tradespeople, engineers, self-builders, and DIYers. Speaking about the refurbishment, Patrick Atkinson said: 'I'm delighted to unveil the newly refurbished Chadwicks Sallynoggin. 'This upgrade is about more than just the building; it's about creating a better experience for our customers. 'With more choice, smarter solutions, and a dedicated local team at the heart of it all, the branch is now even better equipped to meet the needs of future customers and continue serving the community for years to come.' Jack Marley said: 'I've grown up around Chadwicks Sallynoggin, it's always been a huge part of the community here. 'It's great to see the investment that's gone into the branch, not just in the building, but in making sure it continues to cater to local people in the trades, along with homeowners who have a flair for DIY.' Dustin the Turkey added: 'You know me, I don't get out of the coop for nothing, but this place is something else. 'Power tools, paint, pastries — what more could you want? As a 'well-feathered' builder myself, I'd be running fowl if I didn't let every other trade and DIY legend in the area know what they're missing.' Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest news from the Irish Mirror direct to your inbox: Sign up here.
