Thousands Of Mothers Salute As ‘That Angry Man Over There’ On Bus Retires Aged 84

THOUSANDS of Irish mother’s saluted an old friend today as the infamous ‘angry man over there’ on bus retires at the ripe old age of 84.

Gerry Hackett has served the Irish transport system for over 53 years by ‘looking cross’ at misbehaving children who would not sit down in their seats properly.

The bachelor’s overgrown eyebrows and stony-stare was notorious amongst travelling mothers who did not have a male partner around to give out to their children.

“He was great and will be sorely missed.” said mother of five Janet Longly from Galway city.

“All you had to do is say to your kids: ‘sit down there now or that angry man will come over and give out to ya’.”

“It was enough to put any child in their place, and if that didn’t work, you’d give him the nod and he’d throw them ‘the stare’.”

Mr Hackett first began staring at children in 1957, and it wasn’t long before his talents were noticed by bus fleet owner JJ. Kavanagh: “I was driving a feeder bus to Clonmel one day when some little shit was screaming and jumping around the place wrecking heads.”

“His mother couldn’t control him. Then, all of a sudden, the child stopped!! I later found out from a passenger that Gerry just stared at the child until it stopped.

“That week I hired Gerry to follow me around on my route.”

Gerry Hackett later went on to work for over 40 different bus companies throughout his career before ending up as Bus Eireanns chief ‘angry man over there’ trainer.

There are now over 300 ‘angry man over there’ personnel working for various bus companies throughout the Republic of Ireland.

Later on today, Mr Hackett will join President Michael D Higgins in Áras an Uachtaráin for a special ceremony commemorating his service to the Irish public.