Mum knocks Baz chance to meet Pope during visit
Baz and Nancy BAZ Ashmawy has revealed his mum “passed” on a chance to see the Pope in Ireland.
The TV presenter and his mother last December starred in Baz and Nancy’s Holy Show.
The one-off Christmas special saw the pair try to get an audience with Pope Francis.
However, when the pontiff visited Ireland last weekend, Nancy, 75, didn’t bother coming back from her holidays in the Canaries to see him.
Speaking yesterday on RTE Radio 1, where he is filling in for Ryan Tubridy, Baz said: “I had a ticket for her and she passed on it because she was going to the Canaries.
“Her and her friend were too busy to after I spent a long time trying to get her to meet him.”
However, the dad of six added they did manage to get near to Pope Francis in the Vatican.
He said: “She did get very close to him and he gave us a kind of blessing.”
The 43-year-old TV star, whose kids are aged between five and 21, said he “can’t get rid of them fast enough” now that it’s back-to-school time.
Baz said: “I’m looking at them all like flatmates who owe me money.
“They’re hanging around different corridors, I’m sick of looking at them all summer.” KEVIN Sharkey yesterday said he was called a “n **** r” just six weeks ago and made a plea to be given a chance to become Ireland’s first black President.
The artist and activist was among five people canvassing Kilkenny county councillors for support yesterday.
He was joined by Dragons’ Den judge Gavin Duffy, Senator and Pieta House founder Joan Freeman, musician Jimmy Smyth and Seamus Nolan – representing the William Delaney 1957-1970 campaign.
It is highlighting the case of a young boy who died in State care, three years after his incarceration at the age of nine for stealing a loaf of bread.
Kilkenny Council will hold another meeting on September 10 to hear from other candidates, including Sarah Louise Mulligan, journalist Gemma O’doherty and another “Dragon” Peter Casey.
During his pitch, Mr Sharkey referred to his work highlighting institutional abuse, following his sexual abuse ordeal as a child, and said he “was the first man in Ireland” to call for the legalisation of civil partnerships for gay people, 12 years ago.
He added: “I still believe that, to this day, I played a large part in opening up this conversation.”
Mr Sharkey said he was asked a lot about racism, describing it as “one of the most awful things you could experience” and added: “I got called a n **** r six weeks ago, where I live. To nominate a black President in Ireland, by the people, I can think of no better message to send, not only to the racists, but the people coming here looking for a better life.”
Senator Freeman, who founded the anti-suicide charity Pieta House and started the Darkness Into Light walks 10 years ago, said she has been campaigning on mental health issues from the age of 17.
She added: “I’m standing here because I want to lead this country into a better way of life.”
Mr Duffy added he wanted to “harness” the type of “soft power” enjoyed by Irish Presidents, which was exemplified by Mary Robinson and Mary Mcaleese in their work with the disenfranchised and in the North, but is not specifically written into the Constitution.
He said: “All my life I have helped people to develop and express their talents”, referring to his work with business people, politicians, young people, and the “new Irish” who have come here from other
KILKENNY YESTERDAY
To nominate a black President, I can think of no better message
KEVIN SHARKEY
countries.
Referring to his association with the Ward Union Hunt in North Co Dublin, Mr Duffy said he was never a member, but “defended” the group because of his concern for the native Irish red deer herd.
In relation to the presence of two fellow “dragons” from television in the nomination race, he added: “I can understand the public being bemused, but I’m the one who turned up here today. I’m serious about this.”