Ireland AM’s Muireann O’Connell was left visibly embarrassed on air after using the word ‘knackered’ in front of a member of the Travelling Community.
Muireann was talking to comedian and photographer Martin Warde on the programme about his current exhibition in Photo Museum Ireland. The presenter was stunned by his busy schedule and said she would be ‘knackered’ spending as much time working as he did.
While Martin and co-host Alan Hughes laughed at the term, which is considered offensive when used to describe a member of the Travelling Community, Muireann was left red-faced and immediately apologised to Martin.
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Muireann’s original comment was: “Sometimes when I kind of...hear you on the radio or see you on the telly, I see you doing all these things and I get knackered.”
The segment continued on, with both presenters chatting with Martin about his life and career. However, Muireann apologised again at the end of the segment for any offence her comment caused, saying she had officially "retired" the term from her vocabulary.
Pavee Point states that the use of the term is deeply offensive due to the negative connotations it holds towards the Travelling community, although the NGO acknowledges that the word’s origins may have been different. The word ‘knackered’ itself is sometimes used as a slang word to describe feeling tired in Ireland and the UK.
Ireland AM airs on Virgin Media 1 on weekdays at 7am.
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