NEW YORK BOSTON |#Popular: Irish Celebrity Gossip Irish in US Politics Irish Festivals Irish Roots Irish Entertainment Offbeat Irish

Home Page > News > Irish leader Enda Kenny accused of being rude to Pope Benedict - VIDEO

Irish leader Enda Kenny accused of being rude to Pope Benedict - VIDEO

Italian newspaper video shows him reading texts while Pope speaks

JAMES O'SHEA,

IrishCentral Staff Writer

Published Tuesday, September 25, 2012, 7:17 AM

Updated Tuesday, September 25, 2012, 10:06 AM

Larger Text

E-mail

45 Comments

Enda Kenny checking his phone during Pope Benedict speech

Photo by BreakingNews.ie

Irish leader Enda Kenny has been accused of snubbing the pope after playing with his cell phone and texting while the Pope was speaking to a group of political leaders last weekend.

Michael Kelly of the Irish Catholic newspaper asked, "Was Enda Kenny trying to be rude or does he just not know how to behave correctly?

"It's about basic manners and unfortunately Mr Kenny was again found wanting."

Video footage taken by the Italian newspaper Corriere Della Sera from Castel Gandolfo, the Pope’s weekend retreat where the leaders met with him, shows Kenny reading his phone and texting while the Pope speaks.

At one stage, he is apparently taking a photo of Pope Benedict. When the Pope stops speaking, Kenny is slow to react and does not applaud as he has the cell phone in his hand.

The relationship between Kenny and the Vatican has been strained since he unleashed a widely covered attack on their handling of the child abuse issue in Ireland soon after he became Prime Minister.

Kenny was with a group of Christian Democrats leaders from different European countries who were invited to an audience with the Pope, though he did not actually meet him.

Here’s the video of Enda Kenny checking his phone during the speech:

Nster.com

E-mail

45 Comments

15 - 45 | See all comments

Los Leandros | Sep 27, 2012, 11:01 AM EDT

As an Irish Catholic, please accept my apologies for the behaviour of this boorish clown, Kenny. He is essentialy an " Uncle Tom " for the D.4 liberal establishment. He oversees a state ( banana Republic, more like ) which saw the deaths of 200 children in it's " care " over the last 10 years. He is in no position to lecture anyone on this subject. He recently read a speech, declaring that Michael Collins had met the mass murderer Lenin in Ireland. He is a joke. Thankfully, Pope Benedict simply ignored him. Class.

Report abuse

dunmanway8 | Sep 27, 2012, 07:21 AM EDT

Good for him!

Report abuse

KatieMurphy | Sep 26, 2012, 11:53 PM EDT

the pope is the rude one - trying to tell gay people they are inferior beings, not entitled to legal (I dont give a darn about relgiious) marriage..........But thats Nothing.........Rude? What does one call the head of the church that in 2009 UNexcommunicated aholocaust denier Bishop, Williamson.............Just google "pope UNexcommunicates bishop williamson. The man is either losing his marbles or still living in Germany of the 1930s

Report abuse

aloistmartin | Sep 26, 2012, 04:45 PM EDT

Bocktherobber@ I`m not sure what difference that would make, in a Protestant, Bourgeoisie, or Bourgeois Proletarian, Household; But it don`t mean Beans and Bacon to a Roman Catholic ! ( Hindu`s ? )

Report abuse

Smyrnian | Sep 26, 2012, 12:01 PM EDT

The anti-Catholic tripe is really old, tired and unimaginative. Time to get a life folks and leave your sorry agenda aside. Pitiful. Having said that I do hope that no disrespect was shown to the Pope or to anyone else. Way too much of that in the world already, causing 99% of our problems if one thinks about it. A little respect please.

Report abuse

Will Hamilton | Sep 26, 2012, 07:54 AM EDT

Enda Kenny at least for once got it right. The Papacy is a hangover from the Roman Empire that should have been consigned to the graveyard of history long ago. The world will be a better place when all world leaders ignore the ravings of sexually neurotic pensioners like Herr Ratzinger no matter how fancy a throne they sit on. Were it not for the money, power and insidious conniving of the Vatican he wouldn't even rate a phone call.

Report abuse

Brolaur | Sep 26, 2012, 07:44 AM EDT

Forget about religion, the Pope is a head of state. Kenny showed his ignorance. This was outlandish. The Blue Shirt is a disgrace to the office of Taoiseach. He should be confronted with this in the DÁil.

Report abuse

IrelandNorth | Sep 26, 2012, 06:15 AM EDT

Possible explanations: Was trying to download translation of Pope's Latin lingua franca. Was using phone as a stage prop to excuse having to applaud. Was deliberatelly trying to be rude and disrespectful. Was protocol illiterate. Was awaiting text from Minister Shatter for next cue. (Will the real Taoiseach please stand up?) Fact that he didn't do so with HM EIIR indicates which pope he owes allegience to. Was pandering to Ulster Prods. Was abusing public office to do civically questionable personal impersonation of Martin Luther. His 15 months of fame has gone to his head. It's not the real Taoiseach, but a genetically modified clone of him taken after his election, with original beamed back up to Planet zEnda. Was only trying to photograph Papa Razi. Kenny has since becomem a generic Catholic and is no longer a Roman one. It's not politically correct (PC) to assume that all Christian Democrats (CDs) are all Roman Catholics (RCs). Taoiseach on €200,000 per annum plus same again in expences (including mobile phone account). Others could submit lower tenders for insulting foreign dignatories.

Report abuse

CitizenWhy | Sep 26, 2012, 03:30 AM EDT

Perhaps the Pope is very boring. The Pope used this occasion to tell France not to allow gay marriage. He was the rude one.

Report abuse

Towngate | Sep 26, 2012, 02:20 AM EDT

Mobile Phones - how are you! We knew this would happen if we gave them shoes ...

Report abuse

runfar | Sep 26, 2012, 01:57 AM EDT

Rude douche bag.

Report abuse

leinsterlady | Sep 25, 2012, 10:22 PM EDT

If he wanted to play with his phone he should have sat in the back. Whatever about being a Pseudo Christian he is obviously a Pseudo leader.

Report abuse

Newrone | Sep 25, 2012, 10:08 PM EDT

Good man Enda. What could be less important than listening to this doddering anachronistic old figurehead of moronic gullibility!

Report abuse

misneac | Sep 25, 2012, 09:35 PM EDT

Irish Central obviously did not like my comment about Mary Bourke from Ballina and her peasant rudeness to the Pope ,and censored same !

Report abuse

Rebelforce | Sep 25, 2012, 09:02 PM EDT

Somehow I can't imagine Enda texting during an address by the queen of England. The video didn't show it but I hope he atleast crossed himself at the end for scoring a free trip to Rome.

Report abuse