With a great number of people online bemoaning 2016 as one of the worst years ever (unraveling social fabric and upsetting celebrity deaths will do that), there was still a great deal to laugh about. The following are the five funniest stories IrishCentral ran in 2016. Was there another story that made you chuckle? Let us know in the comment section.
1. "Irishman dies from stubbornness, whiskey," Is this the greatest obituary ever?
Massachusetts man Chris Connors passed away in December at the age of 67, after a long battle with ALS and pancreatic cancer. His obituary, headlined “Irishman Dies from Stubbornness, Whiskey,” will live on and on, however, as one of the funniest and best encapsulating tributes ever. Just read the first paragraph:
“Chris Connors died, at age 67, after trying to box his bikini-clad hospice nurse just moments earlier. Ladies’ man, game slayer, and outlaw Connors told his last inappropriate joke on Friday, December 9, 2016, that which cannot be printed here. Anyone else fighting ALS and stage 4 pancreatic cancer would have gone quietly into the night, but Connors was stark naked drinking Veuve in a house full of friends and family as Al Green played from the speakers. The way he died is just like he lived: he wrote his own rules, he fought authority and he paved his own way. And if you said he couldn't do it, he would make sure he could.”
2. Irish people loving HONY interviewee whose in-law won't stop talking about the famine
“My sister moved in, her five cats moved in, and her ex-husband moved in. It’s driving me nuts. My sister watches those...
Posted by Humans of New York on Tuesday, November 15, 2016
Humans of New York, the astounding photography project run by Brandon Stanton, is well-known for capturing profound stories and human moments. But many of the posts are also laughter-inducing, just like this recent one from Stanton’s trip to the Trump-voter heartland of Macomb County, Michigan. His interaction with one woman went viral in Ireland because of her remarks about taking in a relative who wouldn’t stop talking about the Irish Famine. While Ireland’s Great Hunger is of course not a laughing matter, her hilariously exasperated complaints were a hit.
3. Irish judge gives drunk driver time to ‘find a nice woman’ before suspending license
This was the ultimate ‘only in Ireland’ story. John O’Shea, 60, of Derrinadin, Mastergeeha pleaded guilty to drunk driving and being involved in a single-vehicle incident on July 25, 2014. However, he was given until December 8, 2016, to put his affairs in order and hopefully meet a woman at the Lisdoonvarna matchmaking festival before being taken off the roads.
Living in an extremely isolated part of the country, O’Shea, his legal team argued, would be at a great disadvantage if taken off the road immediately, jeopardizing the maintenance of his farm and livelihood. Stating that religion, games or politics should not be discussed in pubs, Judge James O’Connor asked O’Shea if he had planned to stay single or get married and inquired if he had family in the neighborhood.
On learning that O’Shea’s family lived in Cork and that he planned to travel to the matchmaking festival, the judge granted the adjournment of the ban, claiming it was not the intention of the state to prevent people from making a livelihood. Not a bad reward for driving at four times the legal speed limit and crashing your car into a ditch.
4. Olympic rower brothers give wonderfully Irish interview (VIDEO)
Rowing brothers Gary and Paul O’Donovan of Skibbereen, Co, Cork, took home a silver medal at the Summer Olympics in Rio, but not before gaining worldwide attention for their hilarious and utterly Irish interview-style and remarks. Watching any interview with them is sure to make you laugh.
5. A pair of swans delay rush hour traffic in Dublin (PHOTOS)
Dubliners were highly amused (if also inconvenienced) early in December when a pair f Swans on the Luas tracks outside of Aviva Stadium delayed rush hour traffic for half an hour. What were they doing? Just swanning about on the tracks, without a care in the world for frazzled commuters. The Irish Rail Service even made a movie spoof about the dastardly duo.
Coming to a cinema near you - the next great Christmas action blockbuster #FlyHard #SwansOnTheLine pic.twitter.com/d8GBzhPREg
— Iarnród Éireann (@IrishRail) December 9, 2016
Here’s to more laughs in 2017!
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