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Here's what happened when I asked every TD in Ireland if they liked Love Actually
Giphy Giphy
EARLIER THIS YEAR, Leo Varadkar succeeded Enda Kenny to become both the leader of Fine Gael and Taoiseach. A mere five days into his tenure as Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar visited 10 Downing Street, ostensibly to discuss Brexit, but really to geek out about being in the vicinity of where Hugh Grant once danced to The Pointer Sisters.
“It’s my first time in this building so there’s a little thrill in it as well,” he remarked. “We spoke on the way in and I was reminded of that famous scene in Love Actually where Hugh Grant does his dance down the stairs. But apparently, it wasn’t actually filmed here so I didn’t get a chance to see the stairs.”
In one fell swoop, Varadkar revealed himself to be a Love Actually aficionado, a remark that likely either endeared him to you or made you squirm, depending what side of the Love Actually divide you fall on.
As we approach Christmas and it becomes socially acceptable to watch Love Actually again, I decided to take it upon myself to survey Varadkar’s colleagues in Dáil Éireann about their feelings on the film.
I e-mailed every single deputy and asked three questions:
All in all, I received responses from 34 TDs across the political spectrum. Here are their responses.
John Brassil
Fianna Fail Fianna Fail
The Fianna Fáil TD is not only a fan of Love Actually, but he’s fairly serious about his Christmas films.
Declan Breathnach
Fianna Fáil Fianna Fáil
The Fianna Fáil TD has seen the seasonal romcom and admires its go get ‘em attitude.
The film that makes him well up at Christmas?
Pat Buckley
Sinn Fein Sinn Fein
Sinn Féin’s Pat Buckley has not seen Love Actually and Leo Varadkar’s comments did little to persuade him he was missing out.
Meanwhile his favourite Christmas film could not be more on-brand.
Mary Butler
Fianna Fáil Fianna Fáil
Fianna Fail’s Mary Butler says Love Actually isn’t her favourite Richard Curtis/Hugh Grant collaboration.
As for her favourite Christmas movie? It could only be one…
Sean Canney
Sean Canney Sean Canney
Sean Canney has not seen Love Actually, but he has seen everyone’s Dad’s favourite film.
Marcella Corcoran Kennedy
Fine Gael Fine Gael
Marcella Corcoran Kennedy has seen Love Actually and cites the infamous “A cinnamon stick, sir” scene as her highlight.
Her favourite Christmas film otherwise?
John Curran
Fianna Fáil Fianna Fáil
Two things you need to know about John Curran: he has not seen Love Actually and he does not care for Home Alone 2: Lost in New York.
Jim Daly
Fine Gael Fine Gael
Jim Daly simply does not watch films, so watching Love Actually is out of the question.
Regina Doherty
Fine Gael Fine Gael
The Minister for Social Protection has seen the film, but has a strict one-and-done policy when it comes to watching films.
Paschal Donohoe
Fine Gael Fine Gael
The Minister for Finance and self-professed music aficionado naturally pointed to the Bob Dylan homage as his personal highlight.
Alan Farrell
Fine Gael Fine Gael
Fine Gael’s Alan Farrell is a Love Actually skeptic, but does have time for other Christmas films.
Michael Fitzmaurice
Michael Fitzmaurice Michael Fitzmaurice
Independent TD Michael Fitzmaurice has not seen Love Actually and has no intention of remedying that.
His favourite Christmas film is Home Alone.
Charlie Flanagan
Fine Gael Fine Gael
Keep your Die Hards and Home Alones. Minister for Justice Charlie Flanagan has a very left-field choice for his favourite Christmas film.
So now.
Sony Sony
Sean Fleming
Fianna Fail Fianna Fail
Following on from Charlie Flanagan’s revelation that Christmas with the Kranks is his favourite Christmas film, Fianna Fail’s Sean Fleming says his favourite Christmas film is The Holiday. Guess he’s a sucker for a Christmas rom-com, eh?
Pat The Cope Gallagher
Fianna Fail Fianna Fail
Pat The Cope Gallagher will not be watching Love Actually this Christmas, but he appears to have a soft spot for this 1963 drama.
Michael Healy-Rae
Michael Healy Rae / Twitter Michael Healy Rae / Twitter / Twitter
The Kerryman kept his response short and sweet.
Martin Heydon
Fine Gael Fine Gael
Brendan Howlin
Labour Labour
Here’s what Brendan Howlin said when I asked if he had seen Love Actually.
Okay then! As for his favourite Christmas film, that would be It’s A Wonderful Life.
James Lawless
Fianna Fail Fianna Fail
Fianna Fail’s James Lawless isn’t a Love Actually superfan…
But he is a National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation evangelist.
He also has a special place in his heart for Into The West.
Marc MacSharry
Fianna Fail Fianna Fail
Love Actually isn’t on Marc MacSharry’s agenda, thank you very much.
Tom Neville
Fine Gael Fine Gael
Fine Gael’s Tom Neville has not seen Love Actually, but seems to be a supporter of the Die Hard Is A Christmas Film movement.
Mary Mitchell O’Connor
Fine Gael Fine Gael
Very good use of the word “rearing” from Mary Mitchell O’Connor here.
Willie O’Dea
Fianna Fail Fianna Fail
Like Mary Mitchell O’Connor before him, Willie O’Dea is a fan of Liam Neeson’s storyline in Love Actually.
Sean Ó Fearghail
Fianna Fail Fianna Fail
The Ceann Comhairle has seen it but…
But he was able to make a dispensation for…
His real favourite Christmas film?
Kevin O’Keeffe
Fianna Fail Fianna Fail
As Kevin O’Keeffe’s answer demonstrates, he is nothing if not loyal to his party.
Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire
Sinn Fein Sinn Fein
Sinn Fein’s Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire has yet to sit down and watch Love Actually.
His favourite Christmas films are…
Update: Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire has now seen the film and declared it to be “not bad at all actually”.
Fiona O’Loughlin
Fianna Fail Fianna Fail
The Fianna Fáil deputy has seen the film, but remarked that it was a little flimsy despite the political undertones.
She added that her favourite character is Billy Mack and her favourite Christmas film is The Snowman. A classic, tbh.
Maureen O’Sullivan
The Dublin TD has seen Love Actually, but doesn’t have any standout favourites. She’s more of a Bing Crosby/Macauley Culkin gal.
John Paul Phelan
Fine Gael Fine Gael
John Paul Phelan’s assessment of Love Actually?
Thomas Pringle
Thomas Pringle Thomas Pringle
Thomas Pringle was having none of my guff.
Maurice Quinlivan
Sinn Fein Sinn Fein
Sinn Fein’s Maurice Quinlivan is actually a regular Love Actually viewer and counts himself among the fans of the Martine McCutcheon/Hugh Grant/Billy Bob Thornton love triangle.
His favourite Christmas film isn’t the most orthodox choice, but does indicate a fondness for Hugh Grant.
Anne Rabbitte
Fianna Fail Fianna Fail
Fianna Fáil’s Anne Rabbitte is both a Love Actually believer and a Mariah Carey fan.
As for her house’s favourite Christmas films?
Eamon Scanlon
Fianna Fail Fianna Fail
The Fianna Fail deputy kept it brief.
Sean Sherlock
Labour Labour
Labour’s Sean Sherlock is a fan…
Even if his favourite storyline is a little on-the-nose for a politician.
His personal favourite?
Peadar Tóibín
Sinn Fein Sinn Fein
Sinn Fein’s Peadar Tóibín has never managed to watch Love Actually in its entirety and, frankly, will be happy if he never watches it for the rest of his life.
Stray observations
More: Here’s what happened when I asked every TD in Ireland if they liked Beyoncé >
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