Maíria Cahill – Slugger O'Toole

Máiría Cahill, and violence against women after the Agreement

Kellie Turtle on September 30, 2018, 10:18 am | Readers 2431

Máiría Cahill is a survivor, and we believe her. The recent publicity around her case is a timely reminder of the importance of stepping outside of party political agendas, wherever abuse occurs, and to offer our support to survivors of all political stripes. In recent years our understanding of violence against women, such as sexual abuse and intimate partner violence (IPV), has expanded to include the concept of coercive control. Legislation that reflects this key dynamic in these abusive circumstances …

We Believe Her

Soapbox on September 26, 2018, 1:35 pm | Readers 3277

By SDLP Youth On Sunday past, we watched a very uncomfortable Michelle O’Neill, the Vice President of Sinn Féin on BBC Inside Politics, when being questioned about the Máiría Cahill case. Upon being asked if she believed Máiría Cahill’s account of the abuse she suffered in the 1990s, at the hands of an IRA member, Ms O’Neill replied, “it’s not for me to say that I believe her.” In recent years, Sinn Féin have positioned themselves as the political defenders …

Máiría Cahill to become an SDLP Councillor

David McCann on July 9, 2018, 12:57 pm | Readers 1878

Former Labour Senator, Máiría Cahill will become a Councillor on Lisburn and Castlereagh Council for the SDLP. You can read her interview with the BBC here. Speaking about the move, SDLP Leader Colum Eastwood said; “Máiría Cahill has an extremely strong record of speaking out against injustice, maltreatment and inequality; we are confident that her attributes are best placed to compliment the values and vision of the SDLP, and we are delighted she has decided to make the SDLP her political …

Mairia Cahill, the legitimacy of the Seanad and the vexed issue of political accountability…

Mick Fealty on November 12, 2015, 1:59 pm | Readers 2471

UNACCOUNTABLE SEANAD: Democracy is a rough business, but the rewards of success can also be substantial. No one seriously expects that Ms Cahill won’t win the ticket. I suspect that’s why some in Dublin are quietly livid about her ducking this and indeed any other question relating to her bid for the Seanad seat.

Irish Labour leader puts Mairia Cahill forward for Seanad byelection

Mick Fealty on October 3, 2015, 8:27 pm | Readers 2340

Labour haven’t lost any time in trying to fill Jimmy Hart’s lately vacated seat in the upper house in Dublin. Mairia Cahill is the surprise proposal from the party’s leadership. The rest of the party has to ratify her candidacy, although given they awarded her their Jim Larkin Prize earlier in the year that looks like a formality. Joan Burton why she’s been nominated: Cutting indecently to the realpolitik of it all, Cahill be hard for the other parties in …

Martin on the Starmer report: “It’s time for Gerry Adams to own up and come clean…”

Mick Fealty on May 23, 2015, 7:53 am | Readers 2190

And whilst the SDLP gets tangled in all kinds of mess with welfare reform, Micheal Martin keeps up his one man Republican opposition to Sinn Fein on the Starmer report (copy via reader Jag) released yesterday… The report vindicates Mairia Cahill who bravely stood up to on-going abuse and spin by Sinn Féin. Consistent claims that the court case had found all suspects not guilty have been given their proper context by this report. The unacceptable delays and weakening of …

Adams and child abuse: “if you keep telling a lie often enough, sometimes people believe it”

The Firemen on March 22, 2015, 12:05 pm | Readers 1984

An exclusive story in today’s Sunday Independent features an interview with the son of IRA murder victim Brian Stack. Speaking to Mairia Cahill, the woman who first exposed the cover up of sexual abuse within the Republican Movement, Austin Stack details a host of horrific revelations. Austin Stack claims that Gerry Adams does not “grasp the reality, or the gravity” of the abuse cover up issue, and that the Sinn Fein president referred in conversations with Mr Stack of the court proceedings …

Gerry Adams: Guidelines or Rules? What rules?

The Firemen on March 12, 2015, 6:06 pm | Readers 1929

As the Gardaí confirm that a file is being prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions relating to the alleged sexual assault of Paudie McGahon and another male in the 1990s, further questions are being asked of Sinn Fein’s handling of the issue. Gerry Adams, and his party, accept that both Maíria Cahill and Paudie McGahon were raped. Both allege they were assaulted by senior figures in the republican movement. As Miriam Lord in today’s Irish Times reports: Broadcaster Pat Kenny …

Running out of tricks?

The Firemen on March 11, 2015, 6:17 pm | Readers 1795

By very kind permission of Niall O’Loughlin [twitter_follow username=”https://twitter.com/nialloloughlin” language=”en”] The Firementwitter.com/The_Firemen

Mairia Cahill honoured with James Larkin award

The Firemen on February 28, 2015, 8:20 pm | Readers 2439

UPDATED – WITH VIDEO Mairia Cahill was last night presented with the ‘Larkin Thirst for Justice Award’ at the Labour Party’s National Conference in Killarney. The award, named after the trade union leader and founder member of the Labour Party James Larkin, is awarded to a person who, in their personal and/or professional life has made an outstanding contribution in the area of human rights and justice. Speaking at the INEC in Killarney minutes before Joan Burton’s keynote address Ms. …

Adams: No internal investigation by Sinn Féin into Maíria Cahill allegations

Mick Fealty on January 19, 2015, 11:11 am | Readers 1753

listen to ‘Adams: No internal investigation by Sinn Féin into Maíria Cahill allegations’ on audioBoom Here’s Gerry Adams’ interview on RTE’s This Week in which he denies his party has held an inquiry into its handling of the Mairia Cahill affair. It’s sparked a lot of conversation already on Slugger’s Facebook page, which it well worth reading in conjunction with the recording. Two striking aspects: 1, it’s notable RTE gave so much time on a matter many of thought was …

Photo of the day – “Graffiti on the walls…”

The Firemen on December 21, 2014, 7:05 pm | Readers 2531

Mairia Cahill visits recently painted (and hastily removed) graffiti in West Belfast. Photo by Malachi O’Doherty [twitter_follow username=”https://twitter.com/The_Firemen” language=”en”] The Firementwitter.com/The_Firemen

The trolling of Ann Travers

The Firemen on November 30, 2014, 3:12 pm | Readers 4057

The first in a three part series exploring so-called ‘trolling’ and abuse on social media At the beginning of November 2014 it was widely reported that victims campaigner Ann Travers had closed down her Facebook and Twitter accounts following a barrage of online abuse. It’s worth reminding people of the fact that Ann’s sister, Mary, was murdered by the IRA in Belfast in 1984. The target of the ambush was their father, Tom, a resident magistrate. He survived. In 2011 …

For the foreseeable future, almost whatever comes, it’s Gerry’s party to build or destroy…

Mick Fealty on November 27, 2014, 10:16 am | Readers 1773

Malachi O’Doherty in the BelTel wonders if Gerry is losing his touch… He says “mea culpa”, accepting the failing, but it would help if we knew who the “b******s” are. Is Gregory Campbell one of them? That seems fairly likely. In the juvenile world he relishes he surely gets called worse. But is Peter Robinson a b*****d? Is the average unionist voter? The ones he specifically absolves are those who don’t vote at all because they are “scundered” by the …

Mary Lou’s second defenestration from the Dail in a month… What’s the problem Mary Lou?

Mick Fealty on November 13, 2014, 5:20 pm | Readers 1956

So, ahem, Mary Lou got herself thrown out and then didn’t go? Result. That’s the end of business in the Irish parliament for the day. When’s the last time Mary Lou got herself flung out? That would be about a month ago on Tuesday 14th October. That would be the same day of Spotlight’s Cahill documentary: In case you miss it (as we may be meant to), take some time and listen to Ms Cahill’s rather combative interview on LMFM …

“Roy is right to say there are journalists working for party political advantage”

Mick Fealty on November 4, 2014, 1:53 pm | Readers 1313

Roy Greenslade has another post up on the subject of Mairia Cahill case. [Ahem, with the comments closed. Whose decision was that I wonder? Ed]. He cites a letter writer in today’s Irish Times EE Fanning (also a prolific and unremittingly pro Sinn Fein twitter writer): “Only journalists outside of Ireland have questioned the treatment being meted out to Gerry Adams… The gated community of journalism in Ireland has little time for fairness when it comes to Sinn Féin.” That’s a …

Sinn Fein continues to flout its own guidelines over disclosure of abuse…

The Firemen on November 4, 2014, 1:13 pm | Readers 775

In an interview with Newstalk’s lunchtime show yesterday, Councillor Joe Reilly Sinn Féin’s National Child Protection Officer outlined the party’s guidelines on reporting child abuse: listen to ‘Did Gerry Adams breach Sinn Féin guidelines on reporting child abuse?’ on audioBoom Cllr. Reilly stated that in 2003 the party instigated a policy whereby members who were aware of instances of child abuse should report them to the party chair. The policy “evolved” in 2006 when any such reports should be submitted …

“Because that’s the way you should really “help” children, Sinn Fein.”

The Firemen on November 2, 2014, 6:18 pm | Readers 2071

listen to ‘Mairia Cahill speaks: "Vulnerable children left unprotected"’ on audioBoom Mairia Cahill reading her article in the Sunday Independent today… The Firementwitter.com/The_Firemen

The Taoiseach: “I will ask them the question that the Deputy will not answer.”

Pete Baker on November 1, 2014, 7:54 pm | Readers 1718

There was a clear attempt at political revisionism this week, as the Sinn Féin president, Gerry Adams, TD, sought to, as Anthony McIntyre put it, “claw back lost ground” following an “unprecedented” Leaders’ questions in the Dáil on Wednesday 22 Oct – aided and abetted by interventions from the legal representative of four of those accused, and acquitted, in the Maíria Cahill case. [added in-line link] This is the position the Sinn Fein president attempted to end the week with “I further understand that Peter …

Calumnies sting without disabling; and those stung are moved by hatred of their detractors

Mick Fealty on October 28, 2014, 4:39 pm | Readers 1770

“Oh, yes–you can shout me down, I know! But you cannot answer me.” Henrik Ibsen, An Enemy of the People It’s taken two weeks for a mainstream journalist to commit to print some kind of defence of Sinn Fein and raise questions about Mairia Cahill’s credibility. Roy Greenslade has interesting views on the matter, not least because he breaks the news that… …the programme itself is now under fire. It is claimed that the makers failed to take account of the …