{"version":"1.0","type":"rich","provider_name":"Acast","provider_url":"https://acast.com","height":250,"width":700,"html":"<iframe src=\"https://embed.acast.com/$/67c5d757b48a8f157c1f9076/699ece7843ceb0105db97798?\" frameBorder=\"0\" width=\"700\" height=\"250\"></iframe>","title":"Journalist Calls Critics Who Mocked His Ash Wednesday Ashes 'Bigots' - 25/02/2026","thumbnail_width":200,"thumbnail_height":200,"thumbnail_url":"https://open-images.acast.com/shows/67c5d757b48a8f157c1f9076/1772012662456-7fadef88-47eb-4638-a248-3ba95f45bd81.jpeg?height=200","description":"<p>A journalist who was mocked online for wearing ashes on his forehead on Ash Wednesday has described his critics as “bigots”.</p><p><br></p><p>Last week, Fionnán Sheahan of the Irish Independent appeared on <em>Virgin Media</em>’s <em>The Tonight Show</em>. Of all the panellists, he was the only one wearing ashes on his forehead - something many viewers noticed at home.&nbsp;</p><p><br></p><p>Fionnan says he had been surprised by the negativity directed at him afterwards.&nbsp;</p><p><br></p><p>His issue isn’t so much with the reaction, because that's just the moron hurlers on the ditch on social media,” he said.&nbsp;</p><p><br></p><p>What surprised him was the sane and sensible people saying, ‘Oh, but you should expect to be slagged off in a situation like that’.</p><p><br></p><p>Fionnan joined us on The Agenad this morning to talk to us some more about this. </p><p><br></p><p><br></p>","author_name":"lmfm "}