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The Irish Sun
15-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
‘You get funny or starve', fumes controversial ex-RTE star over plea to fund struggling acts as ‘it could kill comedy'
COMIC Dave McSavage has blasted calls for the State to fund comedians and declared: 'You get funny or you starve.' The 59-year-old Advertisement 4 Comic Dave McSavage has blasted calls for the State to fund comedians Credit: Crispin Rodwell - The Sun Dublin 4 He said the thought of comics getting State payments is 'not a good idea' Credit: RTE 4 It comes after Brian Brennan criticised the Arts Council for not helping performers Credit: PR Handout It comes after The TD for Advertisement He has called for a widening of Arts Council guidelines on who can receive funding — to include stand-up performers like Dave. However, the award-winning entertainer disagrees. Dave told 'You need f***-all money to be a stand-up, 'If you create a great piece of comedy, people will pay for a ticket and come and see you. Advertisement 'Put simply, you get funny or you starve. Hunger and poverty can be a great motivator.' Dave added: 'For me, getting free money is not a good idea. In my drinking days, I would have drunk the money and not done anything. 'Unless a comedian had a bad car accident and needed to pay for physio, or needed money to David McSavage reads out mean tweets Dave, who starred in 2014 film Calvary with He said: 'I'd imagine you'd have to tick boxes in the application form and include one-legged people in all your jokes. Advertisement 'Government funding could kill comedy. Too often you have artists walking around thinking just because they have received State funding that validates their work, which is all wrong. 'These people are also adept at getting funding because they know the right things to say and how to present themselves. Wealthy patrons have commissioned artists to paint, sculpt or write for them in the past but I don't believe in Government funding for comedians full stop.' USED TO POLITICS Dave is well used to politics — his dad is former Speaking at a Dail Committee yesterday, Deputy Brennan asked why the current Arts Council exclusion policy exists towards some artists. 'Put simply, you get funny or you starve. Hunger and poverty can be a great motivator.' Dave McSavage He said: 'There is good work currently being done providing funding for some sectors and I encourage continued support for artists at a grassroots level. Advertisement 'The Arts Council funding aims to generate high quality experiences for the public to engage, develop talent and a programme to provide services that support the work of artists. 'DIFFICULT PROFESSION' 'With this in mind, we need to know how organisations such as the Fleadh Cheoil and talented people such as comedians are not included? 'To me, a comedian getting up on a stage is a really difficult profession and a wonderful art form. 'They should have the same opportunity to access funding.' He added: 'The Arts Council of Ireland's current strategy, Making Great Art Work, is all about strengthening the position of the arts in Irish life through supporting artists, promoting public engagement and fostering a diverse and vibrant arts sector. Advertisement 'RESPECT THEY DESERVE' 'Why are only certain artists included? Why should a Comhaltas artist differ from an opera singer? 'The Arts Council must ensure that all artists are treated with the respect they deserve by broadening its interpretation of art and ensuring more artists receive funding opportunities and resources.' 'Government funding could kill comedy. Too often you have artists walking around thinking just because they have received State funding that validates their work, which is all wrong." Dave McSavage Responding to Dave's comments, Brennan said: 'Comedians and other artists deserve the opportunity to apply for funding to support them in their performances. 'Not all comedians on the circuit have enjoyed the same success as Dave, who is a household name.' He added: 'Funding could be the vital difference in keeping them going rather than some of them having to give up performing.' Advertisement 'FUNDING EVALUATION' A spokeswoman said: 'The Arts Council has for some time funded the platforming of comedy through our support of arts centres and festivals, thereby providing important regional performance opportunities for a wide range of comedy. "The Arts Council is currently undertaking a large-scale research project into current and emerging artforms and art practice in Ireland. "The results of this research will assist in evaluating how we can be more inclusive of evolving artforms and arts practices in our funding. 'At present, multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary artists who include or combine comedy with other artforms within their practice can apply for Arts Council funding via the multidisciplinary arts team.' 4 Dave starred in the 2014 film Calvary with Brendan Gleeson Advertisement
The Irish Sun
29-05-2025
- The Irish Sun
‘Spared' by gang then shot in head – Secret exchanges of ex-Provo & innocent Dublin postie condemned to ‘living death'
INNOCENT postman Robert Delany was told his life would be spared by an ex-IRA man — before he was blasted in the head. The secret exchanges between 4 Robert's parents Terry and Noeleen Delany with his two daughters Megan and Katie Credit: Gary Ashe-Commissioned by The Sun Dublin 4 Robert pictured with his daughter Megan Credit: Gary Ashe-Commissioned by The Sun Dublin 4 Robert's two daughters Kati, 17, and Megan 23 Credit: Gary Ashe-Commissioned by The Sun Dublin Robert, now 43, was And it was all because he'd tried to break up a fight involving a son of the veteran republican just a few months earlier. He survived the attempt on his life but continues to suffer what doctors have termed a 'living death'. Now, almost 17 years on from the barbaric attack, Robert's family have revealed their ongoing trauma in the three-part podcast. Read more in News Listen to This Is Robert from Thursday May 29 on As the shooting victim continues to receive 24-hour care, his parents Terry and Noeleen outlined details of their son's deadly betrayal. Terry said: 'Robert was keeping a low profile after the fight because he knew they were after him — they wanted to find out who he was. 'But then he took the initiative and went to see the young lad's father — a well known criminal. 'Robert met him in a local Most read in The Irish Sun 'He apologised for what happened, explained the circumstances and was told 'it's OK, don't worry about it'. 'Robert immediately relaxed his guard and we were also told they wanted €20,000 off him — but we could never prove that.' Robert Delany's family recall first Christmas without him just months after shooting Reflecting on the assurance Robert received, Terry added: 'The guards said to me that Robert was very naive — the criminal was never going to let this go. 'The criminal's ego had been blunted and Robert had sadly set himself up by meeting him. 'I think that goes to demonstrate how innocent he was — he actually sought out the criminal to apologise. 'UNDER THREAT' 'Robert was under threat — he realised shortly after the incident who he was dealing with. 'He realised he was in trouble and that it wasn't going to go away. 'He took the initiative to go and meet this guy, in the hope that he could sort it out himself without bringing any pressure on us — but sadly that didn't work.' Terry added: 'We were told by his friends that Robert was keeping a low profile, that he was changing his shifts in work and working later. 'We only found this out after the event. We knew that something had happened but didn't quite know what it was. He never told us.' CAMPAIGN FOR JUSTICE Reflecting on his campaign for justice, dad Terry revealed: 'We just said from day one we're not going to be intimidated by anybody. 'We spoke to the guards about security measures we should take. 'We took a conscious decision that we were going to highlight Robert's case at every opportunity.' Robert's mum Noeleen also reveals how she believes the meeting was arranged as they 'wanted to find out who he was' and 'follow him'. Although Real IRA hitman Daniel Gaynor was responsible for the shooting, At the time, Gaynor was a contract killer for the Real NO CHARGE FOR SHOOTING By then, the veteran republican had been abandoned by the mainstream republican movement over the shooting. He had started associating with dissident republicans led by former Real IRA boss Alan Ryan. The ex-Provo was probed about the shooting but was never charged. Gaynor was also questioned but would never stand trial. He was shot dead by Keith Wilson in August 2010. 'The guards said to me that Robert was very naive — the criminal was never going to let this go." Terry Delany Robert's family still believe that it's not too late for anyone to be charged with orchestrating the attempt on their son's life. The new podcast will also hear from the former senior Garda who led the investigation into the shooting. Pat Lordan, who retired in 2023 after 37 years' service, still hopes that the criminal who ordered the attack can be brought to justice. 'HORRIFIC CRIME' Mr Lordan told us: 'This was a horrific crime against a young man who was doing his level best for his family. 'He was just trying to look after his family. 'There was a viewpoint that this was a case of mistaken identity among the investigators. 'But that, as we know, was not the case. We also got information early on that people had been told not to speak up. 'I think the words used would have been 'dead people can't talk'. 'This would be common enough but people do talk — no matter who they are. 'The best of criminals talk and trust in people.' 'UNUSUAL CASE' The former officer added: 'This was the most unusual case and a difficult one for us Gardai to work on because the culprits didn't have to and never did set foot in Robert Delany's apartment. 'Robert was attacked in his own home. A shotgun fired at him, badly injuring him, leaving him with life-threatening injuries which he has not succumbed to. 'He's really had a horrific time for all these years — struggling through as a result of the injuries he sustained that day.' GANG CULTURE RIFE THEN ROBERT Delany was shot at a time when gangland crime in Dublin was rampant. In 2008, Eamon 'The Don' Dunne was running one of the capital's most dangerous drugs gangs, two years after orchestrating the murder of his mentor Marlo Hyland. But the Dublin brigade of the Real IRA was also a powerful force and had access to an arsenal of weapons. They used the threat of republican violence to tax drug dealers via various forms of extortion. They warned dealers they'd be shot if they didn't pay protection money to support their 'cause'. Daniel Gaynor was among those used to intimidate. And at this time, the Wilsons were at the heart of murder in Dublin. The gun-for-hire family, led by Eric 'Lucky' Wilson, killed at least 12 people. It all began when Eric murdered his former best friend in a row over drugs in 2005. He then became the go-to guy for gangsters Eamon Dunne, Marlo Hyland and the Kinahans. But Eric went on to murder a man in a Spanish bar in 2010 and was later caged for 23 years. Robert's sister Sinead and his two daughters will also reveal their trauma on the three-part podcast. We will also meet Robert. THIS Is Robert is brought to you by the producers of the Kinahans and the Stardust Tragedy podcasts. Listen to This Is Robert from Thursday May 29 on 4 Robert with his daughter Megan aged 6 Credit: Gary Ashe-Commissioned by The Sun Dublin
