A recent Denny's television advertisement, offering unlimited pancakes and fries to mark the 150th anniversary of Ireland's potato famine, has provoked the unexpected ire of Irish-Americans across the internet. The ad, which ran in late February and has since disappeared online, touted unlimited starchy treats to customers in celebration of the Great Hunger's end. The potato blight that caused the famine in the late 1840s resulted in the death of one million and the emigration of another two million, mainly to Boston's South End.
Just days after the ad first aired, a "Boycott Denny's" Facebook page appeared, demanding an official apology from the chain. We tracked down the campaign's leader to see what the fuss is all about.
"They were poking fun at a tragedy that took millions of lives," says Sarah Conaghan, who administers the Facebook page.
It's not the first time the "Moons Over My Hammy"–slinging restaurants have run afoul of rights groups, but it is apparently the only instance of name-checking mass starvation to sell fries to stoners at 1 a.m.
Denny's quickly pulled the spots and issued a statement saying, in part, "Denny's has a history of using humor in its television advertising," and that it had no intention to offend.
But Conaghan called the response: "Generic, very insincere."
The Facebook page continues to add fans and encourages fellow Hibernians to lodge complaints directly by calling a Denny's 1-800 number. Conaghan says a good old fashioned street protest is not out of the question.
"Our goal is to get the apology now, but by St. Patrick's Day would be a nice gesture," she said.


























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Comments:
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Sunday 14 March
By gs
the potato famine brought the irish to america so they could, along with the chinese, builed this country at slave wages - i would think the american irish would be happy to celebrate - makes more sense that st patrick's - the irish that stayed in ireland died because the english would not help them - that is why the sun shines brighter on the emerald isle when an englishman dies
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Sunday 14 March
By Armagh
Too many people are thin-skinned and NONE OF YOU has the right to claim that you speak for the majority of Irish. Preposterous!! The only thing Denny's should legimately be criticized for is their awful food.
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Sunday 14 March
By Susie
The Irish went to South Boston, not the South End. Those are two different areas.
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Sunday 14 March
By JLD
One does not demand respect----one earns it!!!!!!
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Sunday 14 March
By TomW
I am Irish, 2nd generation in the US, and this did not offend me. I understand that Denny's has been a target for such things and so I guess the writer felt that we would sit and bark for this. No, its funny, the article is sad.
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Sunday 14 March
By lisanie43
Denny's originally was known for being extremely racist against blacks. Now I did not know that Denny's offending the Irish. I am skipping Denny's in favor of eating pancakes at home. I am flippin' flapjacks at the expense of Denny's incompetence.
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Sunday 14 March
By jojo
have a little respect for your ancestry if your irish its a very good posability you had family SUFFER from this . it wasnt pretty and your lucky yours made it here to america. i dont think they would do it about jews or or any one else who suffered . it was poor taste and just mean seeing the Irish came over here in desperation and helped create this beatuiful nation.
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Sunday 14 March
By david
First of all, there is no such thing as an Irish-American. In a rare case where someone has dual citizenship, they would be called an Irish-American but otherwise, its an inappropriate term. If you were born in the USA and have not applied for Irish citizenship, you are an "American". So if you dont fall into that category and the Denny's ad offends you, you are getting offended by something that has absolutely nothing to do with you.
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Sunday 14 March
By Mike
I wonder if denny's will have special on ribs to cellebrate MLK day? Or if they gave blackeye peas or collaredgreens away for black history month?
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Monday 15 March
By vg
Brilliant Idea!!!!!! Wish I would have thought of it first. LOL
Sunday 14 March
By anothrimage
I'm part Irish, in fact a great deal of my blood is Irish, keep up the humor, Denny's. Someone needs to outdo the joke in D.C.!!
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Sunday 14 March
By Lee
Some people are just going to find offense in just about anything. Are these people embarrassed that they're Irish? (actually I think I have some "irish blood' in me, but who cares)....Why not say....get pissed that Denny's serves...hmm...let's see.......EGGS>? These are all potential live chickens....go on...make your protests signs now! Crybabies.
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Sunday 14 March
By johnny
OMG! What has happened to this country? There use to be a place for jokes, and funny ads. It wasn;t that long ago we use to laugh at stupid crap like this. Get a life fools and grow up. The world has enough A-holes in why add more. Jeez I want to move out of this country and go some where you can be yourself and enjoy a good laugh..law suit hungray morons
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Sunday 14 March
By William
If this is offensive to the Irish; what about the Notre Dame fighting Irish?
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Sunday 14 March
By kerry
TO MANY CRY BABIES NOW A DAYS
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Sunday 14 March
By stlrjon
We are destined to self destruct. Now the poor Irish are offended. Next the you will protest Lucky Freakin Charms and Notre Dame because the degrade the Irish man. Too mad you do not know how to think for yourself. I get insulted by Affirmative Action laws, welfare dispursement, and governmet entitlements.
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Sunday 14 March
By Bill
I live on Hungry Hill,home of the Irish in Mass.They want to change the name because it's "offensive".
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Sunday 14 March
By Michael Odom
One big way us Irish are different from other minority groups is we can take a joke and not be offended. Other minority groups could learn a thing or two from us. Everyone is so quick to be offended; piss on them and their political correctness.
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Sunday 14 March
By Edna
The potato famine is over. Why are the Irish still here? Let them take their pedophile, idol worshipping catholism back to Ireland with them.
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Sunday 14 March
By poot
You're pretty much considered a total dumb shyt by family and friends, aren't you Edna?