Waterford Whispers

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'''''Waterford Whispers''''' is an [[Republic of Ireland|Irish]] [[Satire|satirical]] news website founded and edited by comedy writer Colm Williamson, who sometimes writes under the pen name "Bill Badbody". It is considered the Hibernian equivalent of the American site ''[[The Onion]]'', the Australian {{wpl|The Betoota Advocate|''The Betoota Advocate''|,}} or the British site, ''[[The Daily Mash]]''. It was started by Williamson when he was laid off as a pub manager in Dublin at the beginning of the [[Great Recession]] in 2008. He later relocated himself to the small town of Tramore, near the south-eastern county town of Waterford. Since then, the site has grown to be notable in Irish "news" and entertainment and has spawned several books,<ref>https://www.google.ie/books/edition/Waterford_Whispers_News/4r3srQEACAAJ?hl=en</ref> a theatre tour and work for the entertainment division of [[RTÉ]].

Headlines for its tongue-in-cheek articles include:
* [https://waterfordwhispersnews.com/2014/01/21/church-hires-jk-rowling-to-rewrite-the-bible/ ''Church Hires JK Rowling To Rewrite The Bible'']
* [https://waterfordwhispersnews.com/2015/05/21/will-gay-people-eat-my-children-other-referendum-questions-answered/ ''‘Will Gay People Eat My Children?’ & Other Referendum Questions Answered''] (In reference to the 36th amendment referendum on [[same-sex marriage]])
* [https://waterfordwhispersnews.com/2015/06/16/woman-next-to-you-on-plane-doing-that-annoying-quiet-crying-thing/ ''Woman Next To You On Plane Doing That Annoying Quiet Crying Thing''] (In reference to Irish women [[abortion|going on short holidays to England]])
* [https://waterfordwhispersnews.com/2015/07/23/journalism-graduate-lands-dream-job-copying-pasting-tweets/ ''Journalism Graduate Lands Dream Job Copying & Pasting Tweets'']
* [https://waterfordwhispersnews.com/2018/04/16/taoiseach-treated-for-severe-criticism-in-dublin-hospital/ ''Taoiseach Treated For Severe Criticism In Dublin Hospital'']
* [https://waterfordwhispersnews.com/2019/01/14/penneys-have-unveiled-a-e12-dress-that-disintegrates-after-its-first-wash/ ''Penneys Have Unveiled A €12 Dress That Disintegrates After Its First Wash'']
* [https://waterfordwhispersnews.com/2021/08/06/everyone-in-pub-footage-was-a-dub-danny-healy-rae-confirms/ ''Everyone In Pub Footage Was A Dub,] [[Danny Healy-Rae]] Confirms''

== Bréagnuacht ==
Unfortunately, like other satirical websites, its articles have been mistaken for genuine news, including one about a successful [[North Korea|North Korean]] space exploration mission to the [[Sun]] that was picked up by [[Canada Free Press]].<ref>[https://canadafreepress.com/article/report-north-korea-claims-to-have-landed-a-man-on-the-sun Report: North Korea claims to have landed a man on the sun], ''Canada Free Press''</ref><ref>[https://www.thejournal.ie/north-korea-sun-1283188-Jan2014/ Whoops... Media outlets duped by North Korea 'rocket to the sun' story], ''TheJournal.ie''</ref> Others include; [[Michelle Obama]] thinking that the Irish are ugly motherfuckers,<ref>[https://waterfordwhispersnews.com/2013/06/17/there-are-some-seriously-ugly-looking-motherfuckers-living-on-this-island-michelle-obama/ “There Are Some Seriously Ugly looking Motherfuckers living On This Island.”: Michelle Obama], Waterford Whispers</ref><ref>[https://www.thejournal.ie/michelle-obama-ireland-ugly-957917-Jun2013/ Does Michelle Obama think Irish people are "ugly m*****f*****s"?], TheJournal.ie</ref> and the [[Catholic Church]] saying that [[Jesus]] isn't [[Second Coming|coming back]].<ref>[https://waterfordwhispersnews.com/2014/04/18/jesus-not-coming-back-by-the-looks-of-it-admits-vatican/ “Jesus Not Coming Back By The Looks Of It” Admits Vatican], ''Waterford Whispers''</ref><ref>[https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/jesus-is-not-coming-back-vatican-says/ Jesus Is Not Coming Back, Vatican Says], ''Snopes''</ref>

==External links==
*[https://www.waterfordwhispersnews.com Waterford Whispers' website]

==References==
{{reflist|2|80%}}

[[Category:Ireland]]
[[Category:Parodists]]
[[Category:Websites]]

Categories: Ireland, Parodists, Websites