BUNDORAN, IRELAND – An Irish man from County Donegal has today spoken out against the popular Irish sitcom Father Ted, claiming it ruined his entire life. Clinton McAnulty (29) hopes by addressing the issue publicly, he can “open people’s minds” and eventually reclaim his life.
“At least 20 times-a-day, I hear it. Once I open my mouth and people hear the accent, that’s it.” he said, shaking his head. First uttered by actor Kevin Sharkey (pictured), Clinton insists that the words ‘sure I wouldn’t know, I’m from Donegal’ have “long lost all meaning” to him.
With even ex-girlfriends “demanding” he say the phrase in bed, Clinton admits the situation has gotten completely out of hand, so he sat down with the BSJ to tell his story.
“You know people think it’s just a harmless tv show,” he revealed, “but it has directly resulted in widespread systemic ridicule of all black people from Donegal, especially black priests. Not only that, but because of Father Ted, Irish people now have a deep mistrust for milkmen with large moustaches. These stereotypes have to stop.”
Born and raised in the sea-side town dubbed the “Irish Vegas”, Clinton has lived in Bundoran for most of his life. Having briefly attended university in Galway, he returned to Donegal after only a year, due to the extreme public attention he received.
He does not recall his time there well:
“People in Galway were obsessed with Father Ted, even more so than regular Irish people,” he said rubbing his eyes. “They would follow me around everywhere, videoing me on their phones, trying to get me to say the line. By the end, I couldn’t even go out at all, aside from Donegal Tuesday of course.”
Things are “slightly less intense” back home in Donegal for Clinton, who even had to overcome ridicule there from an early age. “In national school, whenever I would raise my hand to answer a question, the teachers would say, ‘ah sure how would you know, you’re from here’. I found it so embarrassing, and at the same time incredibly confusing.”
RELATED: Father Ted Episode Still Blamed For Irish Public’s Deep Mistrust Of Hairy Milkmen
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