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Updated 10.30pm
- This report contains language which some may consider offensive.
A WATER PROTESTOR who shouted abuse at President Michael D Higgins and called him a “midget parasite”, has been spared a jail sentence.
Father-of-three Derek Byrne (36), from Streamville Rd, Kilbarrack, Dublin, was fined €300 by Judge Bryan Smyth at Dublin District Court today.
Byrne, a security guard, was found guilty of engaging in threatening, abusive and insulting words or behaviour with intent to provoke a breach of the peace or being reckless as to whether a breach of the peace may be occasioned.
Speaking to Niall Boylan on Classic Hits 4FM this evening, Byrne said he does not regret his actions.
“If I had to go back in time I wouldn’t change a thing about it,” he said.
I believe it’s free speech.
Byrne also said he believes the process, which took over a year to go through the courts, would have cost well over half a million euro.
The abuse was directed at the President during a protest outside Colaiste Eoin secondary school at Cappagh Road in Finglas in Dublin on 23 January last year.
The president and his wife Sabina had been visiting Colaiste Eoin as part of its 50th anniversary celebrations. The protest was organised through Facebook because the president had signed the Water Services Bill into law.
About 40 people turned up outside the school shortly before 10am.
Garda Chief Superintendent John Quirke said many of them had their faces covered with hats and scarves.
He said that when the President’s cavalcade arrived protesters tried to block his car and a “generally nasty atmosphere developed”. The Chief Supt. said he was punched by someone.
He agreed with defence counsel Prionsias Ó Maolchalain BL that he did not see Derek Byrne shoving or attacking anyone. He said Byrne had a megaphone and was wearing a GMC Sierra jacket .
Garda Sergeant Peter Hayde told Judge Smyth that protesters were trying to impede the President’s car. Abuse was shouted and the President was called a traitor.
Garda Sergeant Hayde said Byrne was shouting midget and parasite and profanities were directed at Sabina Higgins by protesters. Garda Sergeant Hayde said he found the words to be threatening and insulting.
Mrs Higgins was called a “slut” while children were present but there was no suggestions Byrne was responsible for that comment.
Just over an hour later, when the entourage was departing, Byrne began running alongside the President’s car and shouting in the window.
Garda Sergeant Hayde said that he went down on the ground while tackling another protester.
He said Derek Byrne started to abuse him and called him a “fucking prick”. He alleged Byrne was “roaring at me”.
Video clips from the protest were later uploaded to Youtube, the court heard. Some clips were played in court and men and woman could be seen confronting gardaí.
In the clips, there was also chanting of “traitor”, “little midget parasite”, “fucking scumbag” and “shame, shame, shame” when the President arrived.
Some were also chanting “no way we won’t pay”. Gardaí were taunted about having their wages cut.
It was put to the garda that words like parasite were part of political discourse but Garda Sergeant Hayde said Byrne made references to gardaí and they were called clowns and glow-sticks .
The sergeant also alleged Byrne called him a “fucking pig”.
Garda Inspector Aidan Flanagan told the court that protesters had placards and banners and some of them tried to get around the President’s car and to block it entering the school.
He said he heard Derek Byrne shout abuse at the President and call him “a fucking parasite, little fucking midget”. “This continued for some time,” said Inspector Flanagan.
When they were leaving people had to be restrained form blocking the car, he said.
Garda Mary Kilcommons said she and her colleagues were outnumbered by the protesters.
She said Byrne was using a megaphone to call gardai corrupt and “puppets protecting a parasite” . She alleged that Byrne said “yegardai get allowances for socks and uniforms”.
She said there were only two women gardai present at this stage. She alleged he said to them: “I suppose you female guards get an allowance for being on the rags” and he said he was told by another protester that he had overstepped the mark
The defence put it to her that he did not make that comment but she said he did and “if I was going to make up something I would make up something better than that, I’ve been called many things in the job but that has never been said to me”.
She said that one woman attacked her and another woman threatened to batter her. As this happened Byrne was pointing his camera shouting at her, she told the court.
The President’s aide-de-camp Commandant Louise Conlon gave evidence in the trial.
She travelled in the same car as him and was sitting in the front passenger seat.
She said that when they arrived abuse was shouted towards him and Sabina Higgins was called a “slut”.
She could hear the chanting outside as the President gave a speech in the school. She said that when they departed the car became “engulfed”, adding “ I was concerned something is going to happen”.
Prosecution solicitor Michael Durkan argued that the situation was a powder keg. Defence counsel Prionsias Ó Maolchalain BL argued that his client apologised in the media for comments he made about the president. He said Byrne was involved in water protest movement and trying to protect communities from the hardship of austerity.
He said some of the comments were clearly tongue in cheek and not made in an aggressive manner and his client was motivated by “public spiritedness”. He regrets the comments and a conviction could jeopardise his job, counsel said.
The offence can carry a three-month jail sentence.
Judge Smyth noted Byrne is working as a security guard, is supporting a family and has no prior criminal convictions. He said he was satisfied there was sufficient evidence to convict Byrne fined him €300.
Co-defendant Anna Clarke (35) from St Donagh’s Road, Donaghmede, Dublin but now living in England, was facing the same charge but was not present for the hearing.
Judge Smyth dismissed her charge on the grounds that the evidence of her identification was not sufficient.
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Waste of space
Some of his poetry is OK though.
He still has to contend with the curse of the little people.
Genuinely amusing. I can’t understand the red thumbs.
You’d think Derek being a midget himself would cause him to think twice in his choice of insults.
Next thing we’ll find out he’s also a parasite.
You’d think he would use a toothbrush every now and again. Horrible yellow teeth on him.
Good insult Sean, would you like a ‘Je Suis Derek’ hat?
journal yet again removing all my comments from this page.they moved one comment which had over 250 green thumbs.i must be striking a nerve journal.at least 5 comments removed
Good for nothing skanger.
I’m against water charges as much as the next man, but in all fairness Michael D. Higgins has nothing to do with them. He’s the constitutional head of state, he has no power to either initiate nor veto any laws, and is conditionally obliged to sign any legislation put before him. To blame our President for water charges is not only wrong, but grossly uneducated
Oscar, an excellent, fair, balanced and accurate comment. Therefore you will get some red thumbs!
@Oscar.
Michael D is perfectly capable of long winded pontification on other matters beyond the remit of his role as president if the mood suits him.
The last ting anyone ever expected Michael D to become is an establishment lackey. If as your argument implies, and you are correct in that assertion, that the role of president is a political straight jacket then the honorable option for a man of such high principles would be non acceptance of the mantle rather than a political twilight of dumbed down silence.
‘thing’
Not everybody is against water charges. Some of us actually believe in paying for what we use, and conservation of a vital resource
from “pontification” to “ting” and back to “assertation”. Your post was a rollercoaster of a read.
The mood of anger towards him was a more a consequence of Labour betrayal than any personal input on his part.
Perfectly justifiable in my opinion although I do frown upon the tone of the tirade.
The Predident will do more good in office than by resigning. His speeches on the President.ie website are enlightened, insightful, profound and a countervailing balance against the neoLiberalism which prevails in Irish society.
Perhaps so, but for better or for worse, Michael D. Higgins, whatever his opinions and principles may be, is a man bound by strict constitutional limitations, as is the nature of his office
You’re not too bad at the ould pontificating yourself!
Cheers.
I’m currently doing a master’s in Operatic Indignation with a view to one day occupying the Áras myself.
Although if Kevin Sharkey does decide to run I’ll be stepping aside.
He signed it into law and at the same time his wife was saying people lost the run of themselves during the boom..Great when he gets a whooping 220.000 a year
“His speeches on the President.ie website are enlightened, insightful, profound and a countervailing balance against the neoLiberalism……of which he was part”.”
Fixed.
Btw, how much is his speechwriter on per annum?
http://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/president-s-french-lieutenant-higgins-has-new-speechwriter-1.1466874 Found it. Minimum of €65k
The President does the content, subject, themes and references. He receives assistance and suggestions as well as editing review.
So what is this speechwriter getting paid € 65 k for then ?
Perhaps Suzie…..to reduce ten pages of waffle down to one.
Research, proofing, editing and sourcing material.
@Michael.
‘His speeches on the President.ie website are enlightened, insightful, profound and a countervailing balance against the neoLiberalism which prevails in Irish society.’
The manner in which Irish Water was set up with its over reliance on highly paid consultants could only suggest that the long term plan for the company was a neo liberal model of privatization.
Given your own stated position on the economic evils of the neo liberal economic model I’m rather surprised at your willingness to excuse the missed opportunity to intervene on behalf of the people by Michael D., a position which could only be categorized as an ideological volte face once in office and instead direct your focus on the actions of a politically powerless man with possibly no other course of action open to him, a man motivated by nothing other than the welfare of his fellow citizens being cowed down by the might of the state.
A peculiar stance on your part.
@Michael.
It would appear on the face of it that your outrage has more to do with language and poor linguistic ability than the substantive issue at hand.
Style over substance is your real concern here.
Perhaps if the protester was less working class in his approach you would have found his actions more palatable.
Lol true Al Cal , I’ve had the pleasure of listening to him make one of his speeches ..
Frown…..that behaviour is not acceptable in any respect
He can refer to the council of state but he didn’t.
Derek looks like a proper plonker
Yuuuuuuuupp.
Calling the President’s wife a “slut” is not an example of freedom of expression. It is simple invective and verbal abusecwhich took place in a threatening and hostile environment.
he didn’t .
I have not registered for water charges, have not paid them and strongly oppose water charges.
That said, there was no justification for verbally abusing the President of the the country who holds a high constitutional office and has been inspirational in opposing neoLiberalism.
The office of the President in a democratic republic elected by the people deserves a modicum of respect.
Grandstanding and “IS Mise Derek” is just self indulgent.
The fine was lenient. It should be paid without demur.,
Fined for exercising his free speech?
Only in Ireland could somebody be opposed to paying for water
There are limits to free speech everywhere and I feel that limit has been crossed when a lady with no executive power or role is called a slut and a female Garda is told that she collects extra pay for menstruating.
Not if you pay for it already not once but twice!
Freedom of Speech ffs. Don’t like it so what.
It’s now very common to hear people say, “I’m rather offended by that,” as if that gives them certain rights. It’s no more thank a whine. It has no meaning, it has no purpose, it has no reason to be respected as a phrase.
“I’m offended by that.”
Well, so fooking what ?
Stephen Fry.
Free speech is the right to express one’s opinions, not to abuse and gratuitously offend.
See the little blue book in the picture Peter? You should read it some time. We don’t have freedom of speech (that’s an American right). We have freedom of expression, which is not absolute, but subject to balancing against other rights.
You must work for Irish water. you’re comment,,,seem to be all about paying for the resources.
So what if he offended someone, build a bridge and get over it.
I don’t like what he said either, but I’ll defend his right to say it.
So, will you abolish the offences of inducing a breach of the peace and actual breach of the peace?
The speech used was scurrilous invective, agitating a highly charged situation and which placed some of those present in fear of their safety, on top of calumnifying impugning the character and reputation if the Presudent’s wife. Is that seriously what you wish to defend?
Not just that .. threatening behaviour and provocation. .
Yes.
He managed to hurt someone’s feelings, so what ?
They’re not dead, hurt or what not, so as far as I care, I’ll defend his right to say it.
Courts got it bang on.
@Chris Cantwell
Would you be as understanding if some plonker threatened and abused your wife in public, calling her a slut and calling you a parasite?
Anybody that thinks this is free speech is obviously irate that a certain preacher was sentenced to 5 years in jail in the UK today.
I live by a saying, sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never harm me.
Maybe the rest of ye, should live by it. It says a lot about a person if they get their feelings hurt by the words parasite or slut.
Sorry but we’re the gards trying to do the same thing.
A tired cliche from a cliched type of person.
I doubt that they were hurt by what this bloke said .. He was threatening and provoking ..and if he succeeded then the outcome could’ve been a lot worse ..
Chris ,he was provoking a situation that could’ve easily got out of hand ..
Chris, I noticed you didn’t jump to the defense of Anjem Choudary.
Why would I defend someone who was connected in the death of lee Rigby.
He was arrested because of his radical teachings, which in turn lead to the death of Lee Rigby.
This guy was connected to the word Slut and parasite.
Two complete different scenarios.
In fairness though, he expressed his regret for the comments, so he accepts they were out of order. He let himself and his buddies down. As for protesting in the first place, nothing wrong with that, it was plain antiestablishment.
Chris, by your own use of cliché you’ve stated that words don’t hurt anyone. You can’t then say that someone else’s words got someone killed. Also Greg, judging by the choice of hats this guy wears his only regret is that he believed his own hype
Anjem Choudary was a know supporter of Islamic state.
He preached to his followers to go join Isis. He preached to his followers to kill.
His followers went a did what he preached them to do.
Derek Byrne, told president Higgins, you’re a midget parasites and his wife a slut.
He is not connected to any form of preaching in which he told someone to join a terrorist group and go and kill someone.
I’m completely confused on why you’re trying to compare the two.
Two completely different scenarios.
Because you said that words don’t harm people, both were charged and convicted for what they said. To me neither is acceptable but would come under different charges. Do you think the preacher should have been charged with conspiracy to commit murder or something of that nature?
he didn’t call her a slut
Petr, defending free speech what a laugh. Of course free speech is a cornerstone of socialist utopias as long as you have been re-educated in the work camp. Or treated for the diagnosis of mental illness made by the local political commissar. Of course the really dangerous free speaking dissenting voices in such utopian can be cured with a customary 9mm to the back of the head. Why would anyone want to live in a free democratic society where you can voice your dissent when the alternative socialist utopian has cures for every ill. Isn’t that right Petr?
The only midget parasite in this whole story is Derek!
I hope you realise that by calling the guy who used the insult ‘midget parasite’ a ‘midget parasite, you are basically saying ‘Je Suis Derek’.
Insulting someone can result in a jail term?
WTF?
Is there a particular law for blasphemy against the establishment?
I’m sure you’d have no problem if a mob of skangers surrounded your daughter/wife/mother and roared at her that she was a slut.
But that says something about you rather than what is acceptable in civilised society.
Aggressively shouting obscenities at an elderly couple and at the gardai. And generally acting the maggot. The court was unduly merciful towards the accussed
How would you feel if someone called your mother a slut? People have a perfect right to protest about pretty well anything, but the President only signs bills into law and has no input into their contents, whilst his wife has even less of a role than that and should be free to accompany her husband without being called a slut.
The remark to the female Garda was also way out of line. A fine of a paltry €300 is enough of a slap on the wrist – he seems to have plenty of money to spend on stupid customised hats in various languages – and I hope he appreciates being spared jail time and learns to conduct himself in future.
In another country he would have been jailed.
No, of course I would be unhappy and find it unacceptable behaviour but If I was in political office I would certainly be able to distinguish between personal insult and abuse directed at me as a public representative…particularly on such a polarising issue as Irish Water given that my political principles up to that point were self proclaimed as Labour and socialist leaning.
Calling the President’s a “slut” was a dusting invective and a provocative breach of the peace.
I’m all for the right to protest but this is just grim and coarse.
Joey, if you were in office you would differentiate between a personal insult and an insult directed at the public respresentative? Stop talking out of your a hole.
Look, I do appreciate the air turned blue on this occasion but can we at least be grateful things didn’t get fully out of hand and that there was no Bastille day.
Anyway, my point has more to do with the nature of the legislature which was rather heavy handed in this instance.
Seems it’s perfectly acceptable to crush butterflies when they are opposed to Irish Water.
God knows how Paul Murphy’s case will be presented by the prosecution if this is the precedent for protests of that nature.
‘Anarchist attempts to overthrow state with home made water balloon’
‘nature of the response of the legislature’
He’s no worse than Duterte president of the Philippines in fairness.
He called Obama’s mother a hoor the other day.
They’d ever right to protest and causing an annoyance was their tactic. But you’d think they would’ve given the megaphone to someone a little more classy than that. ‘Slut’, ‘on the rag’ – the hacka ye.
@Donal O’Brien.
Like Brazil
What a disgusting human being. Unfortunatly he wasnt the only dredge of society to use water protests to behave like a thug!
Is that a copy of the constitution he’s pretending to read? :-P
Derek Byrne intended to provoke a breach of the peace and succeeded in so doing. He would be well advised to pay the fine and limit himself to non abusive protest.
Perhaps a protest out of earshot of his betters, holding a sign containing words pre-approved by the Gardaí?
This really shows the anti water campaign for what is, a vulgar attack on public representatives , had nothing to do about water. it’s protesters show a complete lack of common decency and etiquette, it also show how ignorant the majority of the protestors are, like anyone with a Slight grasp of political knowledge would know the president didn’t come up with the idea for water charges, like come seriously. At an event last attended by an Taoiseach and the US ambassador and the protestors jeered during our national anthem and called the ambassador “a US parasite”. These people should go to school or get a job.
One person does not represent a peaceful movement.
Protest can be legitimate or legitimately motivated.
I would not want a repressive society, even it means we have to listen to a few obnoxious persons.
I respect the right to protest Michael , it’s a key pillar of democracy, but, attacking our president on that manner and calling his wife a “slut” is not protest, it’s unwarranted verbal abuse. I saw the water protesters first hand at an unveiling of a national monument to honor dead Men who served during the American civil war, it was attended by the soldier’s families and it was a special day for them, these “protesters” decided to jeer during the whole ceremony. They’re lack of respect was startling.
‘unveiling of a national monument to honor dead Men who served during the American civil war’
When was this?
Last April. Ballymote, Sligo. Attended by Taoiseach and US ambassador.
Ah! thank you……didn’t hear about that one.
BTW….”This really shows the anti water campaign for what is, a vulgar attack on public representatives” you really shouldn’t paint everyone with the same brush, you’re just a victim of confirmation bias.
Jude, you’re a member of Young Fine Gael, yes?
You are quick to claim water protesters are an attack on public representatives, perhaps you should look a bit closer to home for your own partys attack on chronically ill children and the most vulnerable.
@ Al. I posted the video of the protest. It was completely blown out of proportion by the YFGers who post here, and jude is still trying to spoof it up.
Ahh Jude has been well coached.
Classic Little Man Syndrome. He’s angry with the world for his lack of standing in it.
They’re is no spoofing about this at all, that protest was a disgrace and the protesters shamed themselves. They’re is always a right way to let people know your views but that’s not it. When the US ambassador was speaking one of the protestors started pissing on the street. Half of things they were shouting weren’t even about water, they were personal attacks on the reps present. Water protestors really have little to do to be honest.
Okay so instead of presenting me with a valid argument you say “I have little man syndrome”. Jesus. How ignorant can you get. Anyone who hides behind a fake name to express they’re views certainly doesn’t stand for much.
Jude, when you’re back in college this morning, can you please ask one of the lecturers to teach you the correct usage of the words there, their and they’re?
Good lad.
Sure thing ” for Connolly” and when you go back to mammy tonight for dinner and a hot water bottle will you ask her to teach you some manners before she reads you a bed time story. Thanks.
well done Derek
Possibly was the most stupid anti water charges protest. The court was very lenient towards him.
Will he pay the lenient fine?
Aww he hurt peoples fweelings. The big bold man!
let’s repeat it all in court and newspapers, that will make make them all feel better…. No?
I’ve seen people convicted of these types of charges before but in their defence they were wither drunk or drugged out of their heads so they had some excuse for hurling abusive behaviour. This clown has brought showing disrespect not only the President and his wife but to OAP’s and women to a whole new level.
Agreed Brian, but something about this doesn’t sit well with me. They used video evidence to convict a man of throwing an insult at a man who threw an insult at somebody on live radio without any consequences. Meanwhile there was video evidence shown on national television of a public representative demanding a bribe, and he’s still walking around shaking hands with his supporters who feel terrible for the ordeal he’s been put through by the ‘meedja’.
Just watched some of Byrnes videos. Some awful abusive behaviour. Why do this class of uneducated riff raff think they outclass someone with the achievements and education of Higgins. The sense of entitlement is unbelievable.
Yes, damn those blighted ‘riff raff’. Bad eggs the lot of them. Should be given a damn good trashing like we were at Eton.
What does education have to do with it? Should my father, who dropped out of secondary school and worked overtime every day of his life to give me a comfortable life, have to bow before me because I got a degree?
No, but you should bow before him in endless gratitude
As somebody who has not and will never register to pay Irish water, and has attended the protests, I cant stand this guy. He was doing more harm than good to the cause. An absolute kn0b.
This man is a hero to many across the country.
We should respect the massive contribution and sacrifice he has made both on a personal and a social level.
He still didn’t need to say anything about as it did nothing
Please outline his contribution. What has he achieved?
He’s allowed everyone in the country feel better about themselves because they aren’t Derek Byrne.
Ahh, you are referring to the President, not Derek Byrne. Well said.
With you on that statement.
I trust his children are suitably proud of him – I’m sure they really are.
His children are none of your God Damn business!
I’ll give him credit though – he managed to hold the constitution the right way up.
And Ireland likes to pretend that it is a country that has free speech. What a banana republic!
Convicted of a criminal offence in a country which makes some effort in respecting the rule of law. A dignified protest would have been more effective.
The so called “rule of law” is a dangerous when it is used to defend bad law.
Is it a duty to accept regulations that are bad or restrict democratic freedoms just because it is “the Law?”
Should all diktats be obeyed just because they are the law?
Abusive and aggressive behaviour, invective, insult and provocative behaviour with intent to provoke a breach of the peace does not come within the umbrella of freedom of expression.
Why wasn’t he charged with provoking a breach of the peace Michael, if he’s guilty of what you claim?
Took the words out of my mouth For Connolly.
You make it sound we are ruled by a foreign power….ridiculous statement
What is that in response to Rory?
Eh that’s what he was found guilty of …
He should have gotten jail time.
Insulting our lovely President like that.
He is one of the few good things we have going for us at the moment.
Cultured, articulate and without a blemish of wheeling and dealing.
On the other hand you have this imbecile who could only think of one way to go to show his ignorance.
Body shaming.
What an absolute hero he must be to his children!
So glad he is not my son or my son in law!
They lock people up in Turkey for insulting the president – maybe you should go and live there.
He was only being honest.
If every pig ignorant guard was convicted every time one of them verbally abused a member of the public , about half the force would have convictions.
@Charles! And you know this why!
Are you of those guys who knows this through experience!
The abuse gardai get is disgraceful, particularly during the water ‘protests’. It’s only human to react to such provocation.
The abuse, austerity, taxes etc.etc.etc. the public have been getting for the last 10 years from the last 2 govts is totally disgraceful. Its only human people will react to such provocation.
So a “midget parasite”, a parasite of a midget or a small parasite???
@Alois, all we can conclude is that it is a parasite
The nature of language is strange sometimes lol.
Well I hope everybody is enjoying the irony and hypocracy of the usual suspects showing their disgust towards a person who was fined for insulting somebody by throwing insults at him, as much as I am.
Man, you need to get out more if this is what you get your enjoyment from. Fact is, lowlifes like him tarnished all of us water protesters with the same brush and gave the government and media all the ammunition they needed to slow the protests. And that’s exactly what happened. Every protest has had less people than the one proceeding it. Decent people don’t like associating worth thugs.
That is no reason Sean, to defend the the over-reach of the state in enacting and using bad law. When free speech is restricted, we all lose in the end.
Je Suis Derek will be back in front of a judge. It knows no other way.
Obscenities, invective, abuse and foul language does not come within the scope of freedom of expression.
Actually Michael it does. That’s the thing about freedom of expression, Michael OLainn doesn’t get to set the ‘scope’ of how other free people express themselves.
Fair and reasonable laws enforced by an independent judiciary does that.
“Je suis Derek”????
Clearly no respect for the victims…
Surprised Enda didn’t call in the army and start a nationwide search for the missing GMC Sierra operative.
Is the headline suggesting he should be jailed for such a statement? I fail to see the racism, incitement to anything. Whatever you think of the lad itss nasty nothing more.
I seen this loser in person once. He looks like he cud do wit a gud power hosing and yard bush to clean his mouldy teeth!
Is Tusa Spanner !
Is Spanner Thú
Will he pay the fine?
Firstly I have too say I like president Higgins and think he’s a very decent man but threatening to put someone in jail over some name calling is an extremely worrying thing in this so called free country, remember that North korea suppresses free speech in the same manner, obviously this is the society some people however unwittingly are aiming to create here, as the old saying goes be careful what you wish for because you might just get it :-)
I would not be surprised if Derek decides not to pay the fine and thereby attempt to make a martyr of himself.
He gives legitimate protest a bad name.
Michael , that’s exactly what he’s going to do ..
Is he allowed appeal? I would imagine so.
That sends out some example there . Derek .. he’s the man ! ..
Sarcasm guys …
Got that Suzie.
Knew you would, Joey .
Bit of a ‘Whoosh’ for many it seems.
I like his hats!
If he’s that much into customised hats in various languages, I suggest he get one done in German: Ich bin Derek der Linkswichser.
You couldn’t possibly fit that on a hat!
Agreed: You could shorten it to Ich bin Wichser.
Chapeau!
Do you know what love him or hate him at least he is off his couch or his computer and he is out there in our communities trying to inflict change and fight these corrupt politicians that destroyed our country he and many others are out there holding these corrupt politicians to account and they are trying to protect our natural resources our water so what if he called Michael D a midget parasite I’m sure he has been called worse it’s a joke that Derek an his family have been dragged through the courts at huge expense to the tax payer all for a 300 euro fine typically Irish costs thousands for all these court dates for a small fine fair play to anyone who stands up against austerity that’s forced upon already struggling families
Like him or despise him, one thing is certain. We would in all probability, never have heard of Derek Byrne, or even knew he existed, were it not for the fact that the government tried to impose a water tax, and had water meters forced on people’s homes. All done under spin, lies, dubious awarding of contracts, and the turning of a people’s police force into a political force, to be used as private security for water meter installations, and to force compliance on people who are normally law abiding.
That MSM has been used to vilify and slander anyone who protests against this water debacle, makes the charges brought against Derek Byrne both ironic and unjust.
To see the shill fest indulged here by YFG, who follow the “Party” blindly in all dictates, is very the very same as the blind obedience that had to be shown to party dictates in communist Eastern Europe.
The Republic of Ireland is mired in corruption. It’s people used as cash cows, and unashamedly lied to by those in power. Where Corporate Welfare is put first and foremost before the interests of its people.
Higgins and the rest are very lucky they only have insults hurled at them.
On a personal level if Derek Byrne get fined or jailed for something Im delighted, ever since he & others chased after suspected Pegida supporters on the streets of Dublin I have had a personal dislike of the guy ever since .
Major revelations on NAMA and Northern Ireland. See BBC Spotlight.
It will be interesting to see how the Irish media and Irish politicians respond.
The angle will be that this could only happen in Northern Ireland and nothing to hear or see otherwise.
Unbelievable developements.
There will be repercussions south of the border here without a doubt.
Can’t wait for the Dail to resume and hear Mick Wallace’s pronouncements on the matter.
He’s already talking about it on Twitter. .
The way things are unravelling Enda and Michael Noonan will be thanking their lucky stars they’re in the twilight of their political careers rather than starting out.
Fintan, well expressed!
I suppose some people will want a minimum height requirement for eligibility to stand for high office.
Ireland the land of corrupt and no accountability.
Not really. Didn’t your crew account for the Labour Party in the last election, and the corruption stuff is a total myth given Ireland’s ranking on the international corruption index.
I just read all the comments with interest. It just occurred to me, were any of you actually present on the day in question ?? If not ….are you really believing everything you read in the papers ?? Do you believe everything you see on RTE? Do you not realise that our newspapers are just as corrupt as our judicial system ?? Maybe, you should go to the courts around the country especially the eviction courts and really see what’s happening on a daily basis ?? Then, you can come back on here and give an factual comment based on what you’ve learned.
@Yvonne, they were stupid enough to post it on you tube for everyone to see.
The man recorded himself and put it up on YouTube for all to see. Didn’t need to there to see this disgraceful behaviour.
Micky, the complete event was not recorded.
Calling someone a name should never ever reach the courts, regardless whom the name calling was directed at.
Donal, the complete event was not recorded.
Either way, wasting possibly hundreds of thousands of tax payers money to take someone to court for name calling is absolute joke.
Why are people not up in arms because of this ??
How many people could have been homed for this cost ??
How many homeless people could have been fed etc, etc, etc.
The bottom line….the event was used by the establishment to tarnish the anti water protest.
Anyone, that cannot see that for what it really is, needs to go to spec savers I’m afraid.
Yvonne, maybe not, but the parts that I seen on you tube were disgusting. A group of thugs taking over a peaceful protest. If people behave and act like thugs the law should come down hard on them hard.
I stood beside Derek once, he ain’t much bigger than Higgins.
And he’s a lot fookin uglier.
Ledge-bag.
The irony of that waste of skin calling anyone a midget let alone a parasite isn’t wasted on anyone with even a hint of intelligence….
A nobody. Ignore.
Oompah loompah.
He looks like a trump supporter
He’s not exactly a madonnas himself. I don’t think Brad or Danny Craig will have to worry over this vulgar dude.
……
have your say