Independent Cllr Jimmy Guerin at Fingal County Council this afternoon
This afternoon.
At Fingal County Council.
Independent Cllr for Howth-Malahide Jimmy Guerin – the brother of the late journalist Veronica Guerin – made a seven-minute address to the council in relation to journalist and presidential hopeful Gemma O’Doherty, for which he received applause.
It follows Ms O’Doherty telling people present at a recent anti-corruption meeting in Waterford that she believed there was state collusion in the murder of Ms Guerin.
At the outset of his address, Cllr Guerin said Ms O’Doherty’s comments were “hurtful”, “offensive” and “disgusting”.
He also said:
“For the record, and to be very clear, there was never one cent, let alone €10million found in my shed. And to be very honest, if there was, I’d probably be lying in the sun now, missing you all.
“But it is something that needs to be addressed. In 2014, April, a lock-up, one of seven small units in the building that was owned by me was let out. When a tenant left, the cleaners went in and discovered 43 boxes of large sheets of paper that appeared to be used in an attempt to print money.
“Had it been finished, it could have produced €3.3million. However, it was unfinished. As soon as we became aware we notified the gardai, an arrest was made, the person was prosecuted, subsequently pleaded guilty to the charge and was sentenced by the court on the 2nd of March, 2015.
“Therein lies the basis of Ms O’Doherty’s allegation that €10million was found in my shed. And if it were my shed, my garden is five miles long.
“And this week, I read on social media, from supporters of Ms O’Doherty, the gardai placed the €10million there to compromise me, others claimed it was an inducement to keep me quiet about Veronica’s death.
“It was also stated by Ms O’Doherty in Clare chamber, and on social media, that I was a bully. People can judge that, some might agree.
“But I do find it offensive and I reject it. And I also find it ironic because I was responsible, with the help of Chief Executive and the staff of introducing the anti-bullying institute schemes for primary schools in seven of the schools in Fingal. And when the money ran out, I undertook and have, over the last week, along with [his wife] Louann successfully raised, I think we had a target of €15,000, we’re at €13,000, so as every other school who applied in Fingal could be facilitated and that’s why I find it hard.
“And I’ve reasons to hate bullies and to be opposed to it.
“Now, as I’ve said, I can defend myself but you see, no one can libel the dead, people can say what they wish.
“And it’s 22 years since Veronica was brutally murdered. Time doesn’t make it easier but it hurts when a presidential candidate, who in my view is going nowhere, for cheap publicity, tries to speak ill of my sister and make unfounded allegations against her and this state.
“A great sense of comfort, at the time of Veronica’s murder, was how this state and the various State agencies reacted and helped us and it was a great sense of comfort for my mother.
“And I can speak probably better than most with authority on this matter. Not just because I’m her brother but because myself and Louann spent years, day in and day out, and we attended each and every one of Veronica’s trials. And we did that because we wanted to learn the truth.
“Because the truth is important to victims.
“So these hurtful, poisonous, unfounded allegations that Ms O’Doherty makes insult not only Veronica’s memory but the many gardai who literally put their lives on the line and challenge the gangs that were responsible for her killing.
“It insults the prosecutors who fearlessly brought the evidence before the courts. It insults the judiciary, who heard the evidence, without fear or favour. It insults the thousands of ordinary people who contacted our family and were a great sense of support for us in a most difficult time.
“There was no conspiracy or State involvement in this case. Veronica wasn’t murdered because she was a journalist. She wasn’t murdered because of what she wrote or what she was about to write.
“She was murdered because she wasn’t prepared to be bullied by John Gilligan into dropping charges against him for a most vicious assault which would have ended in his drug empire collapsing.
“They’re the facts, I know that and I’m satisfied with that. And in 22 years, there are only two people that I have come across that say John Gilligan was not responsible for arranging Veronica’s murder.
“One is John Gilligan, the second is Gemma O’Doherty.
“I always ignored John Gilligan – he’s not worthy of it. For years, I ignored Ms O’Doherty. But now that she’s seeking a nomination to be president, it makes it all the more difficult to do.
“And I know for a number of years she has been obsessed with Veronica. I’ve seen the emails and they too are hurtful. But it’s when it’s brought into the public domain, it’s really hurtful.
“And you know I didn’t want to be coming here today and taking up your time and addressing this subject and it’s not easy but I would rather Ms O’Doherty found something else to use to get publicity. There’s no conspiracy, no State involvement.
“And I would ask her to allow my sister rest in peace.”
Follow the proceedings in Fingal County Council here
What a dignified response to that headbanger.
Also, at one point during the the presidential hearings in Clare, Gemma O’D, when referring to Jimmy Guerin’s tweet, stated:
“Well that is a libellous tweet. I have gone to the High Court before. I hope you are protected by privilege.”
Apart from the fact that she is again showing herself to be a bully, threatening to sue anyone who disagrees with her, I would really expect a potential presidential candidate to have some clue about the constitution, and to know whether or not council proceedings came under parliamentary privilege.
Agree Rob. She is a disgrace.
In fairness, and I am No Fan of Sindo FF Jimmy, GoD’s claim is bonkers. And offensive.
What I never understood about the brother is this. Orla Guerin was treated very badly by Independent News and Media. Though she worked full time for them, she was on an impermanent half-time contract. She wasn’t afforded any security detail. She was very baldy paid. And in the INM Newsroom she wasn’t taken seriously. And yet Jimmy never opens his mouth about this.
Orla?
“baldy” paid?
Unpossible!
I think her being dead may be the more pressing issue in his eyes
Worth noting Gemma has pulled out of the meeting 1 hour prior.
She doesn’t seem to be doing herself any favours, and is gaining more in opposition than followers it seems.
the multi talented Gary Cooke, diversifying due to the latest poor showings by the Irish soccer team
well, that’s the sound of a flush being busted.
I don’t much about Gemma O’D , probably wasn’t going to bother voting, I doubt Michael D will be beaten , but Ive suddenly got interested, Im going to take an interested look at her now, and especially who is dead set against her , in Ireland that can often tell its own story …
It seems that for the most part ‘the families of the victims’ seems to be the ones dead set against her
As a friend of mine would say…” the driveway doesn’t go all the way to the front door there”.
If Guerin hadn’t been trying to make a living off the memory of his sister I’d be a bit more sympathetic
GO’D has done some fantastic work in the past and been persecuted for it. But some of the recent stuff is bonkers. .
If Guerin hadn’t been trying to make a living off the memory of his sister – what’s he been doin’?
Why are so many of Gemma’s defenders so grammatically challenged?
It was a bit odd that he started writing for the Sindo after his sister’s death, given everything that had gone down. Anyhow, why the focus on the brother, what does the husband have to say?
This was a council meeting and he is a member of the council who Gemma was asking to nominate her. That is why he gave this speech and raised this particular issue.
Fair enough. I’d have skipped that one myself. Wasn’t she saying on BS telly that lots of ‘em overlapped.
That’s true
Super Monday
But they overlap for the others too
Yeah, that’s what I mean Frilly. Since she couldn’t do them all, I’d definitely have been giving Jimmy a miss in the circumstances.
I’m impressed that Broadsheet published this
Gemma seems to be the official Bodger candidate so its nice to see some balance on one of the BS cause du jour for a change.
Fair play.
+1 Maybe he’s starting to see sense ;)
Serena O’Doherty. She’s wrong. On this one.
It is my sincere hope that Jimmy sues Gemma for defamation.
I can’t see how she was defaming him. Peeing him off, definitely, but defamation, I’m not so sure.
All the same, I can’t understand why Mary Wilson wouldn’t have her on to give her side of the story. Tomorrow maybe.
She won’t. She’ll continue to play the victim card. Did you hear her interesting interview with Pascal Sheedy. She has nothing to offer. Broadsheet.ie have been waving the flag for her for years. The past three weeks have shown that she is of no consequence whatsoever.
No, I wanted to listen to it but couldn’t find a link in his Twitter feed.
I’ve heard it now, ridiculous. Makes wild allegation, won’t discuss, says it’s not a priority for voters. A citizen gets bumped off by the State and we’d prefer to talk about the weather…. ridiculous.
Gemma didn’t pull out of Fingal presentation today an hour beforehand. There were seven Couny Council meeting today,
Go figure how anyone could attend all and this is possibly just another way of media bias? But the continued and constant attack on an honest journalist who is trying to get to the truth by other hacks is the real scandal.
The control of information makes history and all those hacks are and have brainwashed a lot of sheeple. Open your eyes and you don’t have to agree with everything Gemma O’Doherty is trying to achieve but don’t be a sheep. #EndCorruptionNow
Cllr Keith Redmond would beg to differ:
“Are you serious? She informed us half an hour before the meeting that she wasn’t coming. We were DYING to hear her conspiracy theories and watch Cllr Guerin dissect her nonsense.”
It was live streamed, from the start of the meeting
And before the presentations by the Candidates
Apologies were read by the Mayor who informed the chamber that Gemma had only advised them shortly before, I think he said an hour.
So
Make of that what ye will
At least the Gemmenittes can’t blame meself n’ Lill
Open your eyes sheeple!
Are you satirising a conspiracy moron?
Gemma has done some fantastic work, particularly on the Boyle and Molloy cases, but she has done herself no favours raising her Guerin / state conspiracy theory.
Why then do both those families despise her?