Back in 2010 The Sunday Tribune’s Ali Bracken reported on an alleged assault by Garda Assistant Commissioner Derek Byrne on Garda Whistleblower Sgt. Maurice McCabe. In 2008, the Whistleblower had alleged serious charges against colleagues in the Cavan/Monaghan area, including framing of innocent people for crimes, failing to investigate serious crimes including sexual assault and hijacking, publishing details of a victim of domestic abuse on social media, drunkenness at work and failure … Read More
#rabbleRaker: Watching The Detectives
Ten things you need to know about GSOC, Alan Shatter and the Gardaí. Oireachtas Retort provides the skinny. 1) In 1997 Kieran Boylan was sentenced to serve more than seven years for the possession of cannabis in England. In 2001 Boylan was convicted of theft and dangerous driving. 2) In 2003 Boylan obtained an international haulage license from the Dept of Transport after Gardaí provided information which suggested that he … Read More
Flatley’s Horn Nicked By Gang
Twinkle-toed multi-millionaire Michael Flatley disturbed a gang of thieves on Sunday night at his Cork mansion. The gang is believed to have gotten away with valuables worth hundreds of thousands of euro including a rhino horn! Flatley allegedly has a ‘Hunting Room’ which did include a mounted rhino trophy with horn. Reports breaking tonight imply that armed Gardaí are in pursuit of the same gang.
Advance Scambridge
For our younger readers – that disgraceful JobBridge scam is not the 1st time Advance Pitstop have been in the news. Garda corruption was highlighted in 2001 when an investigation was launched into how Advance Pitstop won contracts for Garda tyre-supply and subsequently charged well above their initial tenders, eventually having to return some £100k from the £2.1m spent between ’98-2001. Holidays. Advance Pitstop took Garda civilian fleet manager Oliver … Read More
Heavy Garda presence at funeral of Omagh Bomb suspect
There is a heavy Garda presence at the funeral of Omagh Bombsuspect, Seamus McKenna. UPDATE: Larry Keane, known as ‘Bomber’ was jailed for 15 years in 1998 after he was caught driving a car containing a bomb, stated to be twice the size of the Omagh bomb. Last night, (July 18th 2013) he was kicked to death in a walkway between St John’s Lane and the Greenhills Housing Estate in Athy, Co … Read More
While you were chanting. A strange arrest on O’Connell St.
The young man whose arrest featured in a video we were sent on Saturday, which went somewhat viral, has published his account of the events. We have had lots of requests for updates on this story. Here we post his report and a link to the full text: At around 2:45 PM, on Saturday the 6th of July, I was standing on O’Connell Street at the counter demo to Youth … Read More
Irish Independent censors video of Portmarnock ‘riot’.
The Irish Independent has published amateur footage of the riotous scenes from Portmarnock beach yesterday but edited the footage to remove clips of Gardaí watching and recording the violence without acting even when a young girl appeared to be seriously injured. UPDATE: The Independent has removed the page and video While the Gardaí may have been waiting for back-up, the Garda Helicopter and Public Order unit for example, they may … Read More
Are Garda leaks political?
In light of the recent arrest of Clare Daly under suspicion of driving while intoxicated it prompted some commentators to note that this story was leaked immediately to the press because Daly is a vociferous anti-corruption campaigner. But surely if a representative from the conservative hegemony was suspected of a similar act it would hit the headlines immediately? We cast our net back a couple of years and pulled in … Read More
Ballroom of No Dance.
The 1935 Dancehall Act was passed in the atmosphere of racism and media hysteria which surrounded jazz. Originally intended to target this salacious newcomer it had a serious detrimental effect on the practice of traditional music in the countryside. Justin Cans takes a look at how it has had serious repercussions ever since. My first introduction to this bedevilment of the Irish Statue Book came around the year 2008, when … Read More
Under The Influence
Since 1833, legislation on intoxicating liquor and associated socialising has always come at the behest of special interest groups such as the Church, the Vintners, Dev or the supermarkets. Simon Price looks at what we’re up against. The last ten years have seen government legislate NAMA and bank bailouts to the ruination of the country while any moves to alter the status quo surrounding Irish nightlife have met fierce resistance … Read More