In March of 2021, after nearly a year of arbitrary restrictions on religious worship, a small but pious number of Irish Catholics took to the streets of Dublin for a procession in order to mark the Holy Day and National Holiday of St. Patrick’s Day.
One politician, Councillor Anthony Flynn, filmed the event and used his power to whip up a hate mob of bullies against the Catholics. He tweeted that it was ‘Take your statue for a walk day’. The far left politician later committed suicide after being accused of using his position to rape homeless men.
Flynn’s disgusting and unprofessional behaviour was only the tip of the iceberg of Ireland’s crass and repulsive political class.
On Palm Sunday of last year, Limerick Councillor Elisa O’Donovan filmed Catholics praying outside the church which had been closed by the government. The footage is chilling, reminiscent of the spirit of the Penal Laws in Ireland or anything in Eastern Europe under the Soviet Union. An elected official policing the religious beliefs of individuals and informing law and order when it displeases them, it was completely beyond the pale.
Elisa O’Donovan was present again this past Saturday as horrific events of sectarian hatred unfolded on the streets of Limerick City, reminiscent of some of the worst aggression of the Orange Order, though she stated on social media that she left early as she felt ‘unsafe’.
After the incredible success of Men’s Rosary Rallies in Poland, the initiative started in Ireland in Derry in October, growing as it moved through Newry and into Belfast. On New Year’s Day in Armagh, the large crowd included Primate of All Ireland Archbishop Eamon Martin.
These events have been a radical reimagining of Irish Catholicism, offering men an outlet for a Catholicism that fits with their character, solemn and direct. It seemed that the events, which were growing exponentially to the South also, had no limit. However, a smear job by a number of Irish politicians and Irish ‘journalists’ has threatened to damage their reputation, even though these attacks have been based upon easily refuted allegations.
What are the allegations?
Claim: The Men’s Rosary Rally ‘deliberately moved to Bedford Row from Thomas Street in order to disrupt a vigil to murdered teacher Ashling Murphy’
Answer: A separate Rosary group takes place at Thomas Street. In accordance with the Men’s Rosary Rally initiative, this was the first time that this initiative had taken place in Limerick, with Bedford Row being selected as the location. Text messages promoting the Rosary dating from 11th of January predate not only the public advertisement of the ‘Vigil’, but the tragic murder itself. It is patently false and contrary to all evidence to claim that the men could have organised it at Bedford Row as a means of ‘disrupting’ a ‘Vigil’ for an event that had not yet happened.
Claim: The men refused to move despite being politely asked.
Answer: The men arrived well before the pro abortion group arrived to set up their ‘Vigil’. Bedford Row is a long street, the pro abortion group chose to stand as close as possible to the Rosary group instead of moving towards the end. Any alleged ‘politeness’ was short lived, with members of the pro abortion group verbally abusing the Catholics, calling them ‘Catholic motherfuckers’ and one person walking up to a man praying and screaming ‘Fuck you’ into his face as the pro abortion group screamed and cheered their support. One American sounding individual screamed ‘Jesus and Superman are the same character’. Another can be heard shouting ‘Shut the f*ck up’.
Claim: The Catholics ‘drowned out’ the pro abortion group’s ‘Vigil’.
Answer: We’ll let this video answer that particularly brazen claim from Sinn Fein’s TD Maurice Quinlivan. And also, some of those present at the Rosary have countered that it was in fact members of the pro abortion group who started shouting abuse when the men prayed for the murdered teacher.
Claim: This was a ‘Vigil’.
Answer: Merriam Webster Dictionary defines a Vigil as ‘to stay in a place and quietly wait, pray, etc., for a period of time e.g. She kept vigil at the bedside of her ailing son’.
The pro abortion group were not quiet.
They also carried signs that had nothing to do with the alleged issue at hand, some of the signs read ‘Safe, Legal. On Demand’, in relation to abortion and others of George Nkencho, who was killed by Gardai as he carried a knife in Dublin last year.
Just this week, media outlets reported that the Irish government were awarding themselves security detail and extra cars because of security threats. They have also repeatedly claimed that they have been subjected to abuse on social media and have sought to change laws in order to stop people from criticising them online.
In reality, it is the public who needs protection from politicians such as Conor Sheehan and Maurice Quinlivan. These Catholic men faced threats of being ‘strung up by their Rosary beads’ after the claims of these two ‘leaders’. This is not how a first world country should be run.
WE ENCOURAGE ALL CONCERNED CATHOLICS TO CONTACT THE ETHICS REGISTRAR IN ORDER TO ADDRESS THE BEHAVIOUR OF POLITICIANS AFTER THIS EVENT.
BELOW IS A SAMPLE EMAIL THAT YOU CAN USE IF YOU WISH.
Email Address for complaint; customerservices@limerick.ieEmail Subject; FAO Ethics Registrar; Complaint about Councillor Conor Sheehan
EMAIL BODY; (Please add your contact info to the email template below)
Dear Ethics Registrar, Limerick City and County Council,
I wish to make a formal complaint under Section 9.4 of the Code of Conduct for Councillors contained within the Ethical Framework for the Local Government Service.
My complaint involves Labour County Councillor, Conor Sheehan.
Section 9.4 outlines examples of unacceptable use/misuse of social media by councillors if posts;
· Use profane or derogatory language or content
· Content that promotes, fosters, or perpetuates discrimination on the basis of gender, civil status, family status, sexual orientation, disability, age, race, religious belief or membership of the Traveller Community;
· Illegal activity or encouragement of same;
On 15th January 2022, Labour Councillor Conor Sheehan posted a series of comments on his twitter account. Please see relevant details of the tweets and links below. It is my opinion that Councillor Sheehan’s tweets breach the Code of Conduct of Councillors.
As a Catholic, I personally find this series of tweets and subsequent comments that his tweets invoked, grossly offensive, unbecoming of a political representative, in breech of the Code of Conduct and factually incorrect.
I ask the Ethics Registrar to investigate this incident and report back as soon as possible.Yours sincerely,
YOUR NAME
YOUR ADDRESS
YOUR CONTACT NUMBERReferences:
Twitter Link twitter.com/ConorSheehan93/status/1482414083756462085?cxt=HHwWisC4hanwy5IpAAAA
Archived copy available here:
https://archive.is/wbUAC
TWITTER ACCOUNT;
Cllr Conor Sheehan @ConorSheehan93 6.07pm 15th January 20221/ Today I attended a protest on Bedford Row in Limerick against male violence against women. A group of men called the “mens rosary” stood alongside us chanting loudly Catholic prayers.
157 Retweets / 45 Quote Tweets / 1,047 Likes
2/ One of the organisers went over and politely explained what the demo was about and if they would mind taking their rosary across the street. In response to that they turned their sound system up louder to try and drown us out.
3/ There must have been at least 15 men chanting Catholic prayers very loudly and while they may call themselves Catholic, their behaviour was one of the most unchristian things I have ever witnessed.
4/This Irish Mens Rosary are normally on Thomas St but they moved to Bedford Row specifically to disrupt this demo against gender violence. They tried to drown out each woman who stood up to speak. No compassion or humanity just misogyny. Disgusting!
Please see YouTube video produced by CatholicArena disputing Councillor Conor Sheehan’s version of events. youtube.com/watch?v=_9MgJWcVIs8
