Have you hear the one about...

When we were young (a long long time ago...) we used to tell 'Kerrymen' jokes.  I don't know how 'PC' this would be considered today, but we all have some group of people that we pick on and make the brunt of our jokes.

So in Ireland it was always the Kerrymen.  I''m not sure why the Kerrymen are always at the receiving end of the joke, but here are a few Kerryman jokes which might make you smile...

Have you heard about the Kerryman who saw a notice reading:  "Man wanted for Robbery and Murder"?
He went in and applied for the job...

Have you heard about the Kerryman whose library was burned down?
Both books were destroyed, and worse still, one hadn't even been coloured in...

Have you heard about the Kerryman who drove his new car over the cliff?
He wanted to test the air-brakes...

How would you get a Kerryman to climb on the roof of a pub?
Tell him the drinks are on the house!

How do you make a Kerryman laugh on a Monday morning?
Tell him a joke on Friday evening.

Well!!

Have you heard the one about the Kerryman who wants to give permits to rural drivers who want to have a drink and then drive home on their tractors?

Unfortunately it's not a joke.  

"A motion tabled by Danny Healy-Rae (Ind) at yesterday’s meeting of Kerry County Council called for special derogation from the alcohol limit for rural drivers, including those of small tractors."

Mr Danny Healy-Rae is a Kerryman. 

I couldn't believe it when I read it in the paper yesterday.  And I was even more astonished when the trainer interrupted the training session to read an article from a Belgian newspaper stating that the Irish had passed this as a law!  The joke was on me!!  Luckily I had read the article from the Irish Times, and I was able to point out to him that it was just a proposal and had not been passed as a law.  He conceded that his Belgian newspaper needed to get its facts straight in future.

Then this morning I was even more amazed to see Mr Healy-Rae himself in all his bearded glory, being interviewed this morning on BBC television, stating, in his Kerry accent, that the current drink-driving laws were causing members of his community to be isolated, and these people should be allowed to drink two or three pints and then drive their tractors home on quiet roads.  I don't know how the reporter interviewing him kept a straight face...

Needless to say the reaction from the general public has been one of ridicule and condemnation.  Lets hope this proposal goes in the bin where it belongs.

Oh I forgot to mention that while Mr Danny Healy-Rae is a sitting member of the Kerry County Council, he also owns a pub!  

Now that really is a joke....