IAN BAILEY SAID he feels he is in the eye of the hurricane after being found guilty in a French court of the murder of Sophie Toscan du Plantier 22 years ago. 

Speaking to RTÉ this morning he said he was doing well following the verdict and is “in a sense of peace” after being handed a 25-year prison sentence by the court yesterday. 

“I’ve written a poem, well it’s a mantra and a poem, to stay calm in the eye of the hurricane and that’s what I’ve been doing,” he said. 

“We’ll have to see. Actually I decided this morning when I woke up, because the hurricane moves on – this is a metaphor and I’m a poet – I’m just going to remain in the eye of the hurricane, in a sense of peace.

Bailey was convicted in absentia, meaning he was not present in the court. 

Asked if he was waiting for a knock on the door from the authorities, he said:

“I don’t know. Look it’s a bank holiday weekend, tomorrow is Sunday, it’s a bank holiday on Monday. Maybe on Tuesday I might be waiting for a knock on my door, so can I say no more. 

Asked how he was feeling, he said “Tá mé go maith, I’m actually pretty good. I mean I’m surprised this morning, I’m under strict instruction not to make any comment.

Du Plantier was murdered at her holiday home At Dinane in Toormore, west Cork on 23 December 1996. 

Bailey said he felt the verdict “was water off a duck’s back to be honest but there we are”.

“From my point of view, it’s all business as usual, I’m just going to carry on as long as I can, being myself and being as creative as I can be.

He insisted that the person behind Du Plantier’s murder was still out there and pleaded for them to come forward. 

He said he wanted “for somebody in Ireland to have the courage to come out and tell the truth and to admit they know it wasn’t me. 

“That’s what I would ask because I know there are people in this country who know that it wasn’t me. It was the culprit and I know they are sitting on that, and my prayer has been that the truth will come out.

He said he had “all sympathy” for the family of Sophie Toscan du Plantier.

“They were told a bundle of lies from the beginning that somehow I was the culprit. They chose to believe that and now they still have my sympathy.”