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Mick McCaffrey Security Editor JUST 27 people rang RTE to complain about Friday's controversial Late Late Show appearance of the daughter of notorious criminal Martin Cahill. RTE had expected a barrage of complaints after agreeing to allow Frances Cahill to promote her new book on her father, nicknamed The General. However, the state broadcaster described the number of callers as "very moderate" and far lower than the 200 complaints it had received after comedian Tommy Tiernan's appearance.
Pat Kenny yesterday defended the interview with the mother of four, saying it was "fair and balanced".
Frances Cahill's book, Martin Cahill, My Father, has been criticised for glorifying the criminal career of The General. However, Kenny said the appearance made "sound editorial sense". "I think it was fair that she was given a chance to give the view of her family, " he told the Sunday Tribune. "She was not her father's keeper. I put some hard questions to her and you could she was flinching at times."
He said the Late Late production team was "very happy" with the interview and said he felt Cahill was "dignified" in not getting into a slanging match with former garda Gerry O'Carroll, who was in the audience.
Cahill said she was very surprised with "the hatred thrown in my face" by some people in the media. She claimed her father was the victim of garda harassment and there was no evidence to support claims that The General was a criminal godfather. "He was a good man to me and a good man to my family. I am proud of him."
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YOU ARE HERE: 11 November 2007 / tribune.ie / 2007 / 10 / 14
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