'Blue' material in Trim debating competition causes controversy

Controversy over 'blue' material used by a contestant in Trim's Standup Row competition has livened up the pubs' fun debating league in advance of the Trim Swift Festival in early July. Peter Clancy, representing Lenihan's of High Street, gave a crowd-pleasing spiel on the subject 'I Love Sundays' in the second leg of their first-round match against the Judge & Jury, Market Street. But judge Paul Egan from Tullaghanogue, marked him down severely and, in the process, drew robustly adverse comments from the audience. Lenihan's went on to win the match by nine points, thus qualifying for the semi-finals this week with an overall score of 504 to the Judge and Jury's 488 over the two legs in the home-and-away contest. Lenihan's meet Kielys, Emmet Street, tonight (Wednesday) in Kiely's for the first leg of their semi-final contest, at 9.30pm. The incident happened after Peter Clancy drew loud cheers and applause for his entertaining but Brendan O'Carroll-type two-minute contribution. Paul Egan gave him only 36 points out of a possible 50 and there were boos and jeers from the audience when Paul explained that he felt Peter had taken the easy option by being smutty. "I thought he was a bit close to the bone," said Egan afterwards. "Peter was probably the most talented contestant on the night but I felt he did not have to go in that direction." Egan admitted he was aware of some grumblings. "One man at the bar went a bit further and challenged me rather strongly, and called me an unrepeatable name, but I don't think I've made any enemies for life as a result." Peter Clancy said he did his job as an entertainer on the night. "I felt I was being original by taking a different route. I stepped off the beaten track by adding the blue element, and it cost me marks, but I'm certainly not going to change my approach," he said. Host publican Thomas Lenihan said that when he heard Mr Clancy's opening remarks, he was nervous about what he was going to say. "It was very, very blue material and I wanted a hole to open up in the ground beside me so I could jump into it," he said. "But the crowd's reaction was great and it was all game for a laugh." Paddy Smith, a member of the Trim Swift Festival Committee, who devised the game for the pubs in Trim, said he was quite shocked by Mr Clancy's contribution. "But this is a robust contest that wouldn't be out of place in the working men's clubs of northern England, so I think we're all adult enough to leave our sensitivities outside the door of a pub at 10 o'clock at night," he said. Last week's other results: The Steps 244, Fay's 238 (Steps win 498-471); Marcie's 268, Malt House 263 (Marcie's win 508-481); Kiely's 257, Lynch's 253 (Kiely's win 501-477). This week's fixtures (all matches at 9.30pm): Tonight (Wednesday): Kiely's play at home to Lenihan's. Tomorrow night (Thursday): Marcie's at home to The Steps. Next week's fixtures: Wednesday 23rd June - The Steps at home to Marcie's. Thursday, 24th June - Lenihan's at home to Kiely's. The final will take place on Thursday 1st July, the opening night of the Trim Swift Festival.