Nigel Farage heavily clashes with Irish TV host in resurfaced row
Reform UK's Nigel Farage clashed with Irish journalist Claire Byrne when he appeared on her news show in 2021.
Nigel Farage attacks news reporter calling him 'boring'
Nigel Farage was ridiculed by an Irish journalist during a 2021 appearance whent they reminded him of his apparent support for the IRA. The newly announced Reform UK General Election candidate appeared on Claire Byrne Live on Irish broadcaster RTÉ back in October 2021.
During the discussion, Mr Farage discussed Irish nationalists’ "500-year fight for independence" as he criticised Ireland's ongoing relationship with the EU. Smiling as he unleashed his tirade, Byrne then reminded him of an infamous birthday greeting he filmed for someone on the paid-for celebrity messaging service Cameo.
"People will be entertained to hear you, Nigel, talking about this," she said before showing viewers the clip in which he sent a birthday message to a man named Brian Ó Céileachair. In the short clip the former I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! contestant loudly proclaimed "up the RA" while holding a coffee cup.
"Look, I know you apologised for the birthday greeting which you delivered in the last couple of days," Byrne said. "I want people to see just how much you know about the history and culture of this island."
The apology she was referring to appeared in MailOnline after Mr Farage refuted he would ever knowingly endorse the IRA. "If I saw “up the RA” I would have looked at that as something very innocent, and wouldn’t have even known there was an implication to it," he said.
"Up the RA" is a popular chant associated with the Troubles-era IRA and was popularised as a cultural slogan in 1989 after its inclusion in viral hit Celtic Symphony by the Wolfe Tones.
It continues to cause controversy. In 2022 the manager of the Irish women’s soccer team Vera Pauw publicly apologised after a clip of the team playing and singing along to the well-known anthem in their dressing room went viral.
The resurfaced clip comes on the back of a more recent clash Mr Farage had with a reporter on Monday (June 3).
He had a confrontation with BBC News presenter Ben Thompson when questioned about his decision to run in the forthcoming General Election, having previously ruled himself out as a candidate.
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Thompson pointed out that Farage had previously failed to be elected. "Call it a pressure group, call it a party, you were a candidate to be an MP on a ballot paper," he pointed out as Mr Farage clapped back: "How many times have you stood? What do you know about it?"
Thompson reiterated his remark saying: "I'm asking you the question....People will say you tried it before." This led Mr Farage to retort: "Ask something intelligent and we'll carry on with the conversation shall we."
However, Thompson refused to let the issue go. "I'm interested in why people should trust you when seven times previously you didn't manage to become an MP," he said.
Mr Farage then made a personal retort to the presenter. "Pass... Pass. No no no no no.. I think you're very very boring.. And I think your viewers will find you very boring. And you ought to do rather better as the state broadcaster," he said.
