Do Irish men lack emotional intelligence and struggle to express their feelings?
In a programme dedicated to the subject of the Irish male, 'The Late Late Show' panellists are psychiatrist Dr Anthony Clare, general practitioner and medical campaigner Dr Patrick Leahy, 'Evening Herald' columnist Paddy Leahy, financial consultant Paddy Monaghan, writer Joe Ambrose and columnist with 'The Sunday Tribune' Tom McGurk.
An additional panel of women are asked to give their views at any point during the discussion. These are columnist and broadcaster Monica Carr, 'Evening Press' columnist Peggy Kennedy, schoolteacher Nuala O'Faolain, and, giving voice to younger attitudes, Margaret Ryan. Opinions are sought from audience members, including Fr Brian D'Arcy.
Nuala O'Faolain makes a point that men continually talk about sex, but women really want them to talk about their feelings.
But why don't men talk about what they really feel, why aren't they up front?
Peggy Kennedy blames the Women's Liberation Movement for giving women ideas. She believes marriage problems should never be discussed outside of the two parties concerned, and definitely not with psychologists and psychiatrists
You sort them out yourselves.
To her, a relationship outside the institution of marriage is
Fornication and living in sin.
In Peggy Kennedy's view, unmarried Irish men displaying a chauvinistic attitude towards women,
Underneath it all they are impotent and that's why they are afraid to go into marriage because their bluff would be called.
Tom McGurk takes issue with Peggy Kennedy's viewpoint. On this show, he was specifically asked questions about sex. However, in general, he and many other men are very comfortable talking about a wide range of feelings and emotions.
This episode of 'The Late Late Show' was broadcast on 11 April 1981. The presenter is Gay Byrne.
