“Why can’t adult consenting women see full frontal nudity if they want to and if they paid for it?”

A very entertaining story from Niamh Campbell in the Beltel. While most of us were watching the Eurovision, The Pleasure Boys were back in Northern Ireland on Saturday night and bought some Free Presbyterians and Frostbite Boy for a craic. From the story:

The UK Pleasure Boys, Frostbit Boy and two Free Presbyterian ministers walk into a bar… No, that’s not the start of a joke, it’s how this reporter’s Saturday night panned out.
After the controversy caused by the Pleasure Boys’ presence the last time they came to Northern Ireland, a lot of people weren’t sure what to expect when they made their return to Banbridge at the weekend.

One woman from north Belfast said she had boarded a bus at City Hall with a large group of ladies; most of whom had never met each other before.

One even wore a wedding dress, such is the extent of her love for the Pleasure Boys.

Another woman local to Banbridge said her husband had driven her and her sister over, adding: “He told me to go and enjoy myself.”

This journalist was given access to all backstage areas, and to the makeshift podcast studio in the hotel’s basement, where Ruairi McSorley was recording the first episodes of his new podcast.

Yes, that same Ruairi McSorley who first got a taste of fame as a schoolboy in 2015 when a clip of him appearing on UTV news during a cold snap saying “you wouldn’t be long gettin’ frostbit” went viral.

The night in general was full of contrasts.

A bus full of women banged their vehicle’s windows while they waited to get into the entrance of the Bannville, as directly facing them were the protestors who read Bible verses through a megaphone and held a poster that said: “The wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness.”

Meanwhile, the Pleasure Boys opened with the whole group dancing to Singin’ in The Rain, followed by individual acts from each performer, and a grand group finale. Some ladies in the audience joked that the boys were “right at home” here in Northern Ireland, as one came out dressed in sunglasses and a balaclava-esque face covering, for his Sons of Anarchy-themed performance,

From what this writer witnessed, the audience had a great time overall, and new friendships were even made, but many were disappointed that they didn’t get to see the ‘full monty’.

One woman became visibly annoyed as she kept demanding to speak to council workers, repeatedly saying: “Why can’t adult consenting women see full frontal nudity if they want to and if they paid for it?”

The Belfast Telegraph understands that workers from Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon Council were present at the event to “ensure” that no regulations were broken, with some of the Pleasure Boys claiming that they were told if any private parts were shown, the show would be pulled immediately.

I am not sure if demand for full-frontal nudity will be an issue on the doorsteps for the voters of Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon Council, but just incase our political parties might want to work on their party position of big hunky fellas shaking their massive members at the good God fearing people of Ulster.

Pleasure Boys show in Banbridge branded ‘filthy display’ by Free Presbyterian picket@niamh_journo reporting from The Bannville, where 700 people have flocked to watch the show despite the protest at the gates

➡️ https://t.co/NO4QxTBRhy https://t.co/NO4QxTBRhy

— Sunday Life (@TheSundayLife) May 11, 2024

I help to manage Slugger by taking care of the site as well as running our live events. My background is in business, marketing and IT. My politics tend towards middle-of-the-road pragmatism, I am not a member of any political party. Oddly for a member of the Slugger team, I am not that interested in daily politics, preferring to write about big ideas in society. When not stuck in front of a screen, I am a parkrun Run Director.