Yesterday.
Outside the High Court, Dublin
A demonstration in support of Ed Honohan (top), Master of the High Court.
Mr Honohan had debt cases removed from him under a direction by the President of the High Court Peter Kelly.
Filmamker and activist Terry McMahon said:
“Ed Honohan is the Master of the High Court. Quite the title isn’t it. Quite the position. Quite the crown for the corrupt. Imagine the kind of man who yearns for that type of title. Master of the High Court.
A parasite dressed up as protector. A scavenger slicing the wounded for the bigger beasts to feed on. A profiteer of misery seeking the virgin bite of a fresh kill. A politician dressed in the clothes of the courts.
As Master of the High Court, Ed Honohan is meant to be a bad man. A malignant succubus. A facilitator of suicide. A team player.
Problem is, Ed is that rare thing in the corridors of power: Ed Honohan is a good man.
They call him an eccentric. That’s what they call good men these days. Eccentric. Some call him a maverick. Some claim this gentle, erudite, soft-spoken, Master of the High Court might even be a hero.
The Working Class have long known what a conveyer belt of dehumanisation the courts can be. Be a billionaire and watch the banks and the courts and the government roll out the red carpet for you.
They’ll make deals with you. Offer you contracts. Tell you to keep your taxes and write off hundreds of millions of euro for you. Be a bloke in a tracksuit and watch them stare with the blank-eyed hunger of hyenas on the hunt.
And these half-crazy half-dogs have acquired a taste for a different kind of delicacy now. They salivate as judges allow their client’s lies to destroy lives with impunity. They listen as a few more nails are banged into the coffin of our liberty.
From protected perches in foreign countries, parasitic vulture bosses instruct local-hire hyenas to move in on the vulnerable because both breeds of scavenger agree that no cold-blooded-kill has quite the warm-blooded payoff of the repossession of an Irish family home.
If that sounds extreme to you, visit the courts and witness for yourself the horror of people trying to save their homes. Witness the murderous malice the bailed-out banks and their capos have for the very people who bailed them out.
Bankers don’t bite the hand that feeds, they rip the entire arm out of the socket and beat you death with it.
And the judges tell you this is what modern justice tastes like. You’re told to swallow the force-fed bile of professional liars. Stand in line in a court ordained slaughterhouse.
Watch haunted, broke and broken people form an orderly queue to be put out of their misery, while the spoils of their lives are shared among their killers.
Nobody speaks out for these people in the courts. People who can’t afford expensive lawyers. People who can’t afford to feed their kids because they’re still trying to furnish a loan that the banks long ago had written off in that bailout. People who can’t afford to think of any way out of their pain, other than at the end of a rope.
In court, nobody protects these people. People like you and me. People like your parents, your brothers, your sisters, your sons, and your daughters. Except for one man. Ed Honohan. The Master of the High Court.
The basic function of law is to ensure moral, financial and physical protections are afforded to all citizens equally. The Association of Judges Ireland states that:
“The idea of law is that it embodies the core values of our society, creating rights and entitlements as well as duties and obligations. Nobody is above the law, no matter how wealthy or powerful they are.”
We already know that’s a fallacy. We have already witnessed the obscene consequences of our neoliberal Government. Policies are implemented. People struggle. People suffer. People die. And politicians get promoted.
Ed Honohan protects people by using the law. In the realm of the hunter and the prey, he doesn’t take sides. He simply holds bankers and their capos to the same standards that those parasites hold us to.
When the law is weaponised by highly-paid henchmen to protect their insatiable vulture bosses, Ed interrogates the bankers’ rabid exploitation of that law and finds a way to hand a few silver bullets back to the people.
He makes the law a two-way street. A little more balanced. Finally accessible to both sides. He brings equality to the law and uses it to do what the law is supposed to do. On behalf of the people, he faces down the vulture funds. And, for that, Ed Honohan has become the hunted.
Countless people will verify how Ed Honohan has empowered them. But a judge wants to stop him. Countless people will prove how Ed Honohan uses the law to protect them. But a judge wants to remove those protections.
Countless more will need the help of a good man like Ed Honohan in the future. Some of those people might be you.
But a judge has taken it upon himself to prevent Ed Honohan from giving you that help. Why would a judge impose such obscene censure on a fellow servant of the public A judge renowned in the past for his attempts to recognize social and economic rights. A judge due to retire in a year or two.
Ed Honohan is trying to protect vulnerable people. And he is doing it better than anybody else in the courts. In a culture where pretenders, poseurs, and politicians fail upwards, Ed Honohan is a proud servant of us, the people. Nobody is quite sure, anymore, who some of these judges might be servants of.
A good man like Ed Honohan wouldn’t be made Master of the High Court today. Fairness and decency and dignity don’t sell in this era of every man for himself and to hell with the vulnerable.
We pay lip service to mental health but, let’s be honest, there is nobody more despised in this country than people who need our help. They are weak. They need to be cut off like the cancer that they are.
They need to be tortured and sacrificed to the banks because only then can the strong survive. Only then can the banks and the judges and politicians go back to rolling out the red carpet for their billionaire buddies flying high above the faulty radar of the law.
Another eccentric Irishman, Edmund Burke is purported to have said, “The Only Thing Necessary for the Triumph of Evil is that Good Men Do Nothing.”
But what happens when Good Men do something and get forcibly stopped?
If we do not align ourselves with the thoughts and actions of good men and good women then our cowardly silence will choke us. And it will choke our children. It will choke our country.
Because, if this can be done to the Master of the High Court, imagine what can be done to the rest of us.
James Joyce was also called an eccentric. Often said with a disparaging nudge and a wink. Constance Markievicz. Oscar Wilde. Sean MacBride. Hanna Sheehy-Skeffington. Samuel Beckett. Rosie Hackett. James Connolly. Luke Kelly.
And a long list of other eccentrics whose legacies are bled dry every day by our governments and tourists boards and arts administrators in the peacock pretense of national pride.
Some of today’s eccentrics include nation-altering men like John Hume and Maurice McCabe and life-saving women like Christina Noble and Debbie Deegan.
Those brave nurses and midwives fighting for a better future are probably a little left-of-center too. And then there’s that gentle, curious, dignified man who sits in a stuffy little courtroom in Dublin, diligently working for vulnerable people betrayed by a court system increasingly intent on facilitating corporate theft.
That’s why we call good men eccentric. Decency has been relegated to the realm of the eccentric. A label used to dehumanize the most humane. Nobody calls evil men eccentrics. They call them politicians. And bankers.
Somehow these morons have taken the reigns of our national destiny. Mediocrity dressed itself up as leadership and demanded its day in the Dail. And we allowed the psychopaths to stay. To take over. To do billions of dollars worth of dodgy deals. To give hundreds of millions of euros of tax breaks to vulture funds.
To create a government-run whorehouse where the Johns get to screw the clients to death for free. But what if they’re not morons? What if these psychopaths know exactly what they’re doing? What if all this is simple treachery dressed up as policy? Murder dressed up as austerity. Democracy dressed up as Goldman Sachs.
As our government uses the courts to facilitate the moral, ethical and economic rape of our people, hustlers, card sharks, and snake oil salesmen play politics with our lives.
Poseurs and liars on both sides feign compassion for photo shoots then go right back into the Dail bar and raise another twenty glasses to the con that is our country.
There is no rise of the right. There is only the abject failure of the left. Most politicians have the principles of a pimp. The law means nothing to either side.
What is happening is not tax avoidance. It’s tax evasion. It’s theft. It’s government facilitated fraud. It is treason. When our courts take instruction from vulture funds, our laws die.
When our politicians take instruction from Goldman Sachs, our democracy dies. When good men and good women take treasonous betrayal from government, our nation dies.
But, when all this horror becomes too much for us to comprehend, we must never forget that men and women are fighting to bring decency, and honor and nobility back to this country.
We must never forget that a quiet, diligent, eccentric Irishman is sitting in his stuffy courtroom and studying ways to use the law to defy Goliath.
We must never forget that a good man, who has demonstrated the real meaning of compassion, must be allowed to continue, for all of us, because, in a snakepit of liars, Ed Honohan, Master of the High Court, is profound proof that the principles by which you do anything is what truly matters.”
Terry McMahon is a filmmaker and can be found on Twitter @terrymcmahon69
A petition in support of Ed Honohan can be signed here.
Previously: Ed’s Shearing
The plot of Terry McMahon’s new film sounds too good to be true. I understand the Working Title is “Mr. Smith goes to the Four Courts”
Return of the Mc!!!
*grabs a LOT of popcorn*
And butter … Lots of buttery butter
*marches into Cineworld, pulls out BB gun and recites some Pulp Fiction, removes giant popcorn-making machine, a bag of kernels, a kilo of butter – loads onto GoVan – installs in office beside desk, flicks switch*
@Spag Hoop – LOL!
Nothing about his actions actually costing people more because he had no jurisdiction to do what he had been doing?
@Daisy – Fair point Daisy, if he has been stopped from doing it then who does do it, who does protect vulnerable people in the court system in these type of cases. For well over 10 years there has been a consistent criticism of our judicial system but no improvements, no progress, no reform. Why do we stand by and watch, decade after decade, at a flawed system that we ultimately fund and let it continue to serve us badly.
Their counsel. Their senior counsel stands up for them.
The courts job is to uphold the law and protect the interests of both parties. And an unpaid bank has an interest too, like it or not. And whatabouttery re the bailout doesn’t exempt parties from contractual agreements.
To take a side lacks the required disinterest, and court officers should also not involve themselves politically.
Ed Honohan seems like a popular man, maybe he should run for public office rather than play the role of an apparent inside man in our judiciary?
Oh right. Because everyone who has run for office has made such a difference.
He has an office. All that is needed if for it’s legal rights to be recognised rather than illegally abrogated.
the legal rights of his office have just been recognised by the HC judge who decided he was acting outside his remit
unless you have a better way to decide on the limit of legal rights? maybe a protest, a twitter poll?
I had a discussion on this previously. The President acted ultra vires in amending RSC. Your deference and those who refuse to look objectively at this is disturbing.
Thanks lads! You know what for!
*fist bump*
Back at ya hon’
(Although the film version was kindly retweeted into my feed yesterday via his presidential candidate – several times)
Interesting there was no such come-all-ya carry-on and webcasts and what have ya when Mr Gilroy left the 4 courts yesterday; a free man
Any idea why
Anyone?
So no one
Fair enough
Anyone ask what Mr Honohan’s bother has had to say about all this that’s happened to his baby brother?
Or what he thinks about the above and the song for Ed?
Anyone?
For shame, won’t somebody think of the poor banks, why should they have the correct documents in order so they can to evict those disgusting debtors from their homes. Whatever must the vulture funds think of us…
This is all very vague.
I’ve sort of ignored this story for a few different reasons, but credit needs to go to Terry for providing absolutely no valid evidence or information or indeed coherant cogent arguments for his eccentric hero.
I feel like Broadsheet is just trolling for clicks with this sort of stuff now.
Gemma4Pres!
*snigger*
Ah the typical slur to restrict freedom of expression.
I’m sick of Terry McMahon!
I’m sick of Terry McMahon being one of the few people calling out the psychopathic behavior of our public servants. I’m sick there aren’t more people like Terry McMahon willing to stand up and be counted in broad daylight.
I’m sick there aren’t more whistle blowers in public office like Edmund Honohon.
Terry McMahon can still get the blood boiling in people. He says it as it is. He stands there as a free man and not as a freemason, and calls the scum out as they are.
So what if this might be the basis for his next project. I don’t believe it is, or that is his modus operandi. I believe he is a true sincere Irish citizen who believes in free speech and uses his basic human right regularly. He articulated the feelings of many people who don’t hear that kind of visceral speak in the mainstream.
Why don’t we is the question? Because it’s real talk is the answer. Can you imagine RTE having this as a news item on 6:01. Then you have to imagine why wouldn’t they. An activist and film director speaking on behalf of a high ranked member of our law society.
Justice Peter Kelly decided to take debt cases away from Edmund Honohon Master of High Court because Honohon saw reasonable cause to stand with Mortage holders against banks and vulture capitalists.
This is the kind of news story that any journalist or media organization would want to explore and develop. Not RTE though. Where is their intrepid reporter John Kilraine? Ex regional reporter Damian Tienan left RTE because €90000 wasn’t enough to not report the truth. Kilraine must be loving life with his high profile cronies and getting paid a massive Dublin salary estimated €150000 ( I just plucked that figure out of my arse) to swan around the capital while avoiding any controversy that might be newsworthy to people in the country. The idea that they would pay their license fee to be told what’s ‘going on’ is the real joke here.
McMahon gives great copy. This stuff sells. Is that not the motive of modern media. Clickbait!
Maybe because he didn’t pile on platitudes like a government minister or screech some profound crap like Bono it was deemed not news worthy by OUR national broadcaster.
He stood up outside the four courts and once again called out the scum who have total and utter disdain for the people of Ireland. The justice department and all the conniving barristers that orchestrate tribunal after tribunal should be on trial.
The law is set up against the people to benefit the privileged. Edmund Honohan knows this . That’s why he is making a stand. That’s why McMahon stood up behind him. As did Anna Kavanagh who made a subtler but as important speech https://www.facebook.com/476911549500224/posts/482822525575793/
As did Liam Ó Mailoní who sang from the heart of Ireland.
This is what standing up for what’s right looks like. Take a closer look. Before the internet this is what people did. The news item by BS is important to let people know this is going on. So when the next solidarity stand takes place people will be inspired to get up stand up and stand out with people who really care about the state of our country.
This should give comfort to the down trodden. Saturday should be a massive solidarity march. Not just for the nurses but for us all. It’s not left and right anymore. It’s just right and wrong.
So which side are you on?
It must really get under the skins of the alter egos and pseudonyms of some BS contributors to see McMahon face these scum down when all the knockers can do is type very angrily and bitterly in response.
What’s ye’re modus operandi. That’s a rhetorical question btw.
#PowerToThePeaceful
Freedom for Tooting.
Well said Terry.
Snide
Well said absolutely disgusted at the cheap jibes that dominate this thread by individuals hiding behind silly names, people I would say who have never stood up for anything in their lives. The same ones who will have a go at anyone who sticks their head above the parapet, one day maybe, they will find themselves being gouged by the two clubs that run our independent judiciary, the Law Society and the Bar Association, these same folks would be better off taking the time to independently investigate the mockery the legal profession combined with the political class and steered by the financial institutions, is making of every man and woman in Ireland, they do not even attempt to hide their disastrously criminal behaviour anymore. And why should they when they inhabit a country of ignoramus’s who care for nobody or nothing outside their own little world. Community, empathy, mercy and respect is disappearing fast and we will reap what we sow. Well done Terry, Brian etc. And thank you sincerely Ed Honohan for your honesty and mild mannered attention to detail which inadvertently has a detrimental effect on financial institutions seeking to destroy Irish families in the name of naked greed. I salute you all.
how many people commenting negatively have ever stood on a street or anywhere for that matter and dared to speak up for good people who are telling the truth and trying to make things better for all of us?
…. i suppose it’s much easier to be a coward with internet than to be brave.
I don’t agree with Mr Honohan striking out summonses after the High Court has said he has no authority to do. The High Court may be wrong but as a court of judicial review it determines the scope of his jurisdiction, unless and until appealed.
But I agree with Conall and the other poster who shared his view that the basis on which the High Court President has sought to curtail the Master’s jurisdiction does not appear in order.
It is very important that the President of the High Court be seen to act in accordance with law. Changing the Rules of the Superior Courts other than in accordance with the statutorily prescribed mechanism of Superior Court Rules Committee approval and ministerial concurrence is even more serious than Mr Honohan’s actions in disregarding High Court authority.
What is going to happen in the future if, three years or so down the line, a defendant challenges a judgment made on foot of the new practice direction (or maybe a judgment mortgage registered on foot of such a judgment) on the basis that correct procedure was not followed in arriving at this judgment, that the matter should have been put before the Master first, as stated by Order 37 RSC which currently remains unamended? An issue is going to arise regarding the validity of all judgments reached in this manner.
A simple solution would be to make the change in accordance with the statutory mechanism in the Courts Acts for changing the Rules – a vote by the Superior Court Rules Committee and ministerial concurrence followed by the passing of a statutory instrument.
I don’t want to sound like Cassandra, but the use of Practice Directions to change the Rules of the Superior Courts raises very serious constitutional questions. Irrespective of how you feel about Ed Honohan, this issue really needs to be considered sooner rather than later. The first of these potentially suspect judgments may have been handed down last Monday.
Taking away the Master’s power in an unlawful manner does creditors no favours in the long term. Ironically, it may end up benefiting debtors if subsequent judgments are successfully challenged, having wasted a large amount of time and costs and further diminished the legal system in the eyes of the public.
This is, as one might say, a right mess.
Just wondering if the twist in the movie will be Ben Gilroy is hired by the banks to make them look good and Gemma O Doherty writes a 20,000 word piece on how Leo was not vaccinated