I was on RTÉ’s Prime Time last night. It was of course about the Mairia Cahill case and it was what you might call a learning experience.
Miriam O’Callaghan seemed focused on whether I found the story of Ms Cahill’s account of her meeting with Gerry Adams ‘credible’. In my view, that line of questioning was to pour petrol on what is a fire that’s burning in lively style already. I pointed out that my finding what Ms Cahill said credible or not was beside the point. Likewise in terms of Ms Cahill’s claims to have been raped over a twelve-month period by an alleged IRA man. Likewise in terms of Ms Cahill’s claims that Gerry Adams had made a remark – while stroking his moustache – that some victims are persuaded they enjoy rape. Likewise with her claim that republican rapists were many and were covered up for and moved on, in the style of the Catholic Church child abuse scandals.
All those are beside the point because to the best of my knowledge no evidence has yet been adduced to support Ms Cahill’s claims. She spoke a day or two ago about having been “dragged through the media” over the past week. From what I saw, that seems an odd choice of verb -”glided” might have been nearer the mark. Ms Cahill is a very effective presence when faced with cameras and microphones. But as I say, I’m not aware of any evidence for these deeply serious charges.
Which is bad enough. But when the leading political figures of Ireland – the leader of Fianna Fail, Micheal Martin, the leader of the DUP Peter Robinson, even the leader of the Fine Gael party An Taoiseach Enda Kenny – act as though Ms Cahill’s charges had been proved to the hilt, it’s even more worrying. As though to show the strength of his belief, there’s a picture of the Taoiseach embracing Ms Cahill, presumably to express sympathy for the vile crime that has been committed against her.
When I made this point last night, Noel Whelan in the RTÉ studio responded by saying that Mary Lou McDonald, Martin McGuinness and Gerry Adams himself had added their voices to the crediblity of Ms Cahill’s claims. Unlike Noel, I’m not a barrister. Or a former adviser to the Fianna Fail party. But I do know that questions of innocence or guilt depend on evidence. That’s what the judge based his verdict on when Ms Cahill’s claims came to court. Those who were claimed to have organised an IRA meeting were acquitted, as was the man whom Ms Cahill claimed had raped her. In short, they were declared innocent. As a barrister, Noel presumably knows that you need evidence if you make charge. That’s why the legal firm representing the men charged with holding an IRA meeting, and acquitted of that charge, issued the other day a statement deploring the unrelenting media onslaught against their clients over the past week. “In any normal society, the fact that the men were acquitted in a court of law – found innocent – would be the end of the matter”. Indeed. But not in Ireland.
Quite the reverse, in fact. Noel Whelan’s view, and presumably that of Enda Kenny, Micheal Martin and Peter Robinson appears to be that if enough people say something about an individual, then the belief becomes reality. It’s not exactly mob rule. It’s closer to the Roman emperor asking the mob at the Coliseum whether they think he should give the thumbs up or down to determine the fate of a gladiator. If enough voices urge thumbs down, that’s what happens and the man is killed.
But the fact is, we have courts in which innocence and guilt are tested. When Ms Cahill’s charges came to court, all those charged were deemed innocent. The political opponents of Sinn Féin north and south have acted as though the verdict of the court was an irrelevance and the demeanour of the accuser the deciding factor. If Mary Lou McDonald, Martin McGuinness and Gerry Adams have declared they believe Ms Cahill’s claims are true, they’re entitled (for whatever reason) to do so. I’ll do the same myself when and if convincing evidence is brought forward to support the claim. Rape is a particularly vicious and cowardly crime, and the perpetrator deserves severe punishment and the victim everyone’s sympathy and support. But we must use something other than a persuasive media presence as evidence that rape has occurred.
One final point: the case against Martin Morris and others has resulted in an acquittal. As I understand the law – maybe Noel could corroborate this – those accused and found innocent cannot be charged a second time for the same crime except fresh evidence is produced. Does Ms Cahill have fresh evidence? If she has she should produce it immediately and go to court. Otherwise some of us will begin to suspect she’s being used as a wrecking ball against Gerry Adams in a determined effort to damage Sinn Féin electorally. As Tommy McKearney told Mark Carruthers on the BBC’s The View last night (I watched it when I got home, Virginia), the real story of the past month is not Mairia Cahill but the infliction by the south’s coalition government of water charges on a population already on its knees. “The Maria Cahill case has come like manna from heaven for the coalition government”. Too true, Tommy. In deep electoral difficulties, Maggie Thatcher sent a fleet of warships to the Falklands. In a similar predicament, Enda Kenny flung his arms around Mairia Cahill.
Agree with you Jude, no evidence at all but the entire story is to be taken as fact apparently.
So much so that if you even dare challenge her account of it her followers attack you with extreme vigor! I’m sure you read that blog post (the one the media are currently having a tantrum about) some very valid points on it, but it’s been completely dismissed, and again her entire story is to be taken word for word!
One thing I picked up on though, on the Nolan show she claimed people have went to her or spoken to her about issues they’ve went through or so, Nolan asked has she proof. Her response was “Their voices are proof enough” what’s that about??
She also would NOT meet with any SF member without them first admitting she’s telling the truth, even when it was suggested to meet Gerry Adams (who she wants a personal apology from. He had issued an apology on behalf of the Republican movement to all victims of abuse but that isn’t enough it seems?) She said something like it being akin to being in the room with her alleged rapist! (Which as you pointed out was acquitted)
Now i’m not going to go as far as say no she wasn’t raped and she’s lying about the entire thing, but so far that’s what it looks like. Everything has been about her and her alone, she wants to be believed and if she isn’t she goes on the attack.
Regarding the issue of the alleged IRA investigation though. She was against the RUC so no way would she have went to them, (who also would have investigated in a similar way that the IRA did) and she left SF due to them signing up to policing… So going to the PSNI was also out of the question, what else did she expect to happen? It’s confusing… She’s going to Unionists (even the TUV!) and SF’s political opponents in the South, the attacks on Gerry Adams not her alleged rapist are very bizarre, especially the timing, leaving all of this until now when SF are gaining rapid growth in the South.
Is it all for attention? Is it for political reasons? Or is she telling the truth and it just looks like she isn’t? Won’t know until evidence comes out, which it won’t… Because she withdrew her own evidence!
Sean
She should have kept her dress, sure Clinton lied through his teeth alsorts.
Monica soon brought him down, or was it Kenneth Star.
So Maria is Monica
Gerry is Clinton
Kenneth Kenneth were fore art thou Kenneth
And when he appears GA IS GOING DOWN
Monica Lewisnky was a Zionist ‘honey trap’ for Clinton. I have never heard of a Jewish lady who could not get a stain from a dress.
Every body is missing the real point here , what happened is deplorable however people , certain people conveniently forget that this case is complicated by the times in which it occurred what is really disgusting is the face the micheal maritn , and enda kenny are using this to try to do as much damage to SF because they know that they are in for a real beating in the next election , I am not a supporter of SF nor am I a supporter of FG or FF ………..
Of course you support SF Mike have a bit of backbone…
I like your line what what happened is deplorable however….whataboutery in the extreme.
My thoughts exactly. If you notice its all the main stream “Nationalist” parties bar Jim Allister doing the most shouting about this I agree rape is a vile crime but justice must be upheld and if the SDLP ,Fine Gael etc weren’t making such a fuss around the victim their sympathy may appear plausible. On the Nolan show the other day Alex Atwood referred to Mairia as Marita not once or twice but through the whole interview even after being corrected by the host he continued to do so. I am not a Sinn Fein member or avid supporter but I do vote for them ,I disagree with some of their policies ie Welfare reform but I am 42 sand have lived in west Belfast and Newtownabbey and consistently they are the only party who have ever called to my door whether or not it was election time. I am disgusted by rape more so of a minor but as Jude says justice has been served and unless new evidence has been found the matter is closed and if people close to the victim cannot see this is a huge media circus being kept on the road to deflect from water charges, Martin O’ Muilleor and Sinn Fein getting ever more present in the all Ireland arena they should take a step back and watch all of the so called sympathizers from a more sobering view.
Absolutely on the money Jude. Southern establishment have ignored due process for political expediency. The ‘mana from heaven’ doesn’t mean their woes ie Water Charges, have gone away. It’s my view their willfull manipulation in the Cahill case will end up biting them on the proverbial!
Well said Jude. No evidence. I believe the man in question was her cousin’s husband but he was acquitted of all charges. No one knows what happened unless they were present during this year long liaison between Cahill and Morris. It would be realistic to suspect that the intelligences services know but as in the case of Kincora, they will maintain their political silence, in the knowledge that the establishment politicians, North and South will do the dirty talking for them, whilst ignoring Kincora and all the other political scandals useful to maintaining the status quo.
Mary can you provide proof of this ‘this year long liaison between Cahill and Morris’? After all Mary Lou said that “this assertion is shameful and cruel” therefore why are you insisting on spreading it?
In furthering the smear you refer to the ‘intelligences’ (sic) services but could you, and I doubt it, answer the questions below which I put to Jude last night in another piece which he ignored….
Why was a rape case hidden behind the facade of an IRA membership charge? Surely not to give fanatics the chance to claim Mairia Cahill was a tout?
If Morris was innocent why was he moved to Letterkenny? Why did the other 4 keep their distance from him?
And why did the PSNI claim they had no record of a man who was a former prisoner?
And why does everybody keep pointing the finger at Gerry? Thats 3 women now.
And If Martin McGuinness believes Mairia was raped should he take his reasons to the review into her case?
Mary, do you remember when I came to your office to complain about a (non-sexual) assault that I witnessed that was carried out by activists from your party/movement?
It was in April 2000, in case you have forgotten.
I haven’t forgotten. Veiled threats about what might befall people who speak out of turn about ‘Republican’ misdemeanors are pretty memorable. Being told by a prominent Sinn Fein member not to talk about what happened in that Sinn Fein Office was pretty memorable too.
That’s why I believe Mairia Cahill
Perhaps the real argument Jude is that SF and the IRA were more than happy to have a kangaroo court and equally happy to exile people who they found guilty of sex offenses to different parts of Northern and Southern Ireland where they could possibly commit more crimes.
Is this suitable behaviour for a party that wants to get into Government in the south?
I assume you’re talking about the IRA some thirty-forty years ago, neill? Given that the nationalist/republican community had no trust in the RUC, what would you have suggested they do?
Was it right that they were moved around Northern and Southern Ireland where they could abuse again?
Didn’t the Catholic Church do it for over 100+ years. Are you going to close down all the churches too Neil?
The crux of the matter here is Ms Cahill had the opportunity to face her alleged attacker in the court of law, she refused to do so, and thus in accordance with Irish law there was no case.
The question is, why Ms. Cahill refused to have her day in court?
Perhaps when she realised that the defence had a witness that was about to discredit her entire account, she decided that saving face was the better part of valour.
Enda Kenny would be better off in the short time that he has left ‘governing’ in attempting to get the country up from it’s knees, instead of taxing the poorest of society with unjust charges and taxes than running around like a gombeen trying to pull Gerry Adam’s trousers down when his back is turned.
The court of law you refer to was in fact a Diplock Court opposed by Republicans for decades. Why hold a rape case in a Diplock Court instead of before a jury?
Will you at least answer me that?
Ok lets get this right Jampot SF expect the highest standards from everybody else yet we are expected to turn a blind eye to their activites still good to see so many SF lackeys on this blog….
Not for the first time, Esteemed Blogmeister, Perkie would indeed like to doff his duncher’s cap to you for having the temerity go where even Angelfood McSlurp would fear to thread: Prime Time.
You are definitely a braver man nor Perkie who is not known as Warbeck the Wimp for nothing. Though, in, erm, fairness, he is not entirely chicken, it must be averred.
‘I’m not as bold as lions but I’m braver nor a hen
And he that fights and runs away will live to fight again’
I haven’t seen the programme yet but plan to do so soon as RTE makes it available on its Replay Machine. As you survived to tell the tale I can only conclude you were wearing your striped pajamas. As she showed recently, Brave Miriam the Delirium is exquisitely sensitive to the sensibilities of boys in striped pajamas (more of which anon).
The reason why one quotes from ‘Slattery’s Mounted F.O.T.’ is because at one stage, F.O.T. (aka Fintan O’Toole) was such a regular contributor poor deluded Perkie was under the impresh he was, in fact, the presenter. So much so, Prime Time could never be viewed by Perkie without his humming, involuntarily, the recurring tune of Percy French’s stirring ballad.
But, at least, it was reassuring to see that the triad tradition has not been entirely discarded and that a current member of the morally superior T.U.T. academy of tut, tut, tutting, Noel Whelan was also on the panel. He used to be, as you state, an Adviser to FF at one stage, in his shimmering career.
Perkie has indeed a cherished memory of him from his time in the Goldfish Bowl that was Government Buildings. The plain-dealing Whelan had just taken up his post and cannot have been much more than twenty minutes in his job when Perkie encountered him in an office he had the habit of sidling almost unseen into for the previous twenty years.
-And who exactly are are….. YOU ?!
Was the charming greeting from the permanently vexed Wexican. Perkie was so nonplussed he could but – as he tends to do on such rare occasions – blurt out in his ancestral tongue, the leprechaun:
-O, bron orm, cheap me gur tusa an te a bhi tagtha chun an bac sa leithreas a reiteach.
(Translation: Ooops, sorry, I mistook you for the man who was sent for to clear the blockage in the toilet).
Not sure, why one came out with same but then it could have been because Percy French was a Drainage Inspector. And there was a similar touch of the hirsute about PF and NW which even the wearing of a de rigeur pin-striped suit could not entirely dispel.
Or, it could have been because the deal was in the Goldfish of Government Buildings at the time that with the arrival of top-end, erm, Advisers mere underling civil and uncivil servants alike were immediately demoted to whatever jam jar of an office was available. This was called the Changing of the Water, oops, Guard.
Indeed, it has been water, water, everywhere and not only not a drop to drink but scarcely an op to think in the Free Southern Stateen this past week which has truly been a watershed in the evolution of AVOCA.
There is AVOCA and of course, there is Avoca, the Meeting of the Waters commemorated in song by the Bard of Erin, Thomas Moore.
AVOCA is the acronym for A Victim of Child Abuse.
Now, as is too well known to need elaboration, AVOCA in the Free Southern Stateen is something inextricably linked to the Catholic Church. Just because convicted clergymen of this church (oops, one almost wrote cult) constitute but 3% of all crimes related to AVOCA is no reason at all, at all for not devoting 97% of the media coverage to them.
But, of course, the, erm, canon law of diminishing returns applies here as well as any other sphere of life. So, time to explore new possibilities upon which to pee upon. Hence, the watershed. From the saints and scholars of the Catholic Church what could be more logical than to progress on to the sinners and (economic) illiterates of (gulp) Sinn Fein.
So, hey presto ! Sinn Fein is now a synonym for the acronym that is AVOCA. And it only took a week for the media maji of the Free Southern Stateen to achieve this no mean feat.
But, before doing that, as she did last night, the perfumed but still, steely Wheelbarrower (sans Whelan) recently gave the Catholic Church a little last flick of her riding crop to remind them, as it were, She hadn’t Gang Awaw, you know.
This happened when she welcomed one, John Boyne, the author of the Boy in Striped Pajamas, as her treasured guest on her wireless show. This invitation was prompted by a truly tormented article which the author had penned for the G. Angel of All Oppressed Irish, the Guardian. Under the title ‘The Catholic priesthood blighted my youth’ which contains the isolated line ‘I did not become ashamed of being Irish until I was well into the middle years of life’.
How shocking and skin-crawling his harrowing account of being whacked in school (yes, that’s all, folks) must have read to the English whose schooling was obtained in such bastions of soft-spoken encouragement as Harrow and the High Wycombe comprehensive school for the Hoi Polloi and the Hard Up. Thus, Greyfriars with the pillow bum of Billy Bunter and the swishing stick, made from bamboo and bloody mindedness, of Mr. Squelch was just that, a work of pure imagination. Not to mention the Dothboys Hall of Nicholas Nickelby and Wackford Squeers. Imagine that.
Brave Miriam of Delirium did us all a favour by rebaptizing her born-again shoneen listeners in this bracing bowl of Boyne Water.
Seemingly, Boyne Water is all that guests of any show in RTE can now expect.
‘And then we saw a notice which the bravest hearts unnerved
‘All liquour must be settled before the drink is served’.
There was a time, when the hospitality suite in RTE used to be heavy of hand in the dispensing of alcoholic beverage to guests, both timid and temeritous, to the former before the show and to the latter after the show, free, gratis and for diddley squat. Now, alas, one understands, this generous gesture has been discontinued and guests of both stripes are required to cough up before they drink down. Perhaps you could confirm this, E.B.?
This,one understands, is called ‘corporate belt tightening’, the aim of which is to ensure that the wheelbarrows which the, erm, star presenters tend to use to transport home their weekly stipend from the public purse, is not in any way, underladen.
Still, Perkie, in truth, has a sneaking regard for the muscular forearms of Brave Miriam of the Delirium.
Free drink, Perkie? You must be joking. I was on a Belfast balcony struggling with a Force 8 wind….
THIS IS SHERDY, NOT ME:
How come its all these normally ‘law and order’ parties and politicians are deliberately ignoring the outcome of the out workings of the legal system?
Mairia apparently went to the RUC with her complaint, and was up to taking part in the proceedings until she found out that someone she thought would be her witness would in fact be a witness for the defence, so she took a hissy fit and refused to give her evidence.
Had that witness been on her side presumably she would have been prepared to go into the witness box to be interrogated, in the presence of the five defendants.
When she went to the IRA to voluntarily take part in their ‘kangaroo’ court she probably knew that she would be questioned/interrogated (what is the difference) when giving her side of the story.
Her case must not have been sufficiently compelling to get a favourable verdict.
She is now intent on damaging Sinn Fein as much as she can. Why not the IRA? Why not the RUC/PSNI whom she also claims let her down? Why not her cousin, journalist Eilis O’Hanlon who knew about her claims for 14 years and apparently did nothing until it became politically expedient?
Looking to the future, If Barra McGrory decides there is a case to answer and recommends fresh prosecutions (my thoughts are that double jeopardy only applies to murder cases, though I could be wrong) will Mairia have to see the defence witness list before she agrees to take part?
Will she be prepared to be in the witness box and be interrogated in front of the five defendants? And is there any chance of a more favourable outcome for her?
Or perhaps the DPP may decide that there has been such widespread publicity of the case, with the defendants having been pictured, named and discussed in all the baying media that they would have no chance of a fair trial, and throw out the case on that basis.
Be careful what you wish for Mairia!
If it does not turn out to your liking all your new ‘friends’ will disappear like snow off a ditch!
Retrial by the media of the regime!
Another Traversty
Imagine Padraic Wilson, Briege Wright, Seamus Finucane, and Agnes McCrory being accused of being part of an IRA meeting!
As for the Mairia Cahill case, GA let it slip that he knew “of the IRA” being involved in the rape of Mairia Cahill when he first learned of the incident. It is one allegation after another in relation to SF/IRA, and none of them are true? I would suggest there will be more, and they will continue to deny as they are prone to do. I wonder, Jude, what you would be saying if these allegations involved Unionists, I may suggest your attitude would be slightly different.
One other thing, I believe the rape case was withdrawn as Miss Cahill failed to give evidence, this is somewhat different to being found not guilty.
Ah sweet William! Back to stay this time? So someone is acquitted, that’s not saying they’re not guilty…Mmmm. Let me think about that one for a while…Meanwhile, remind me what the cornerstone of British justice is?
Man , you are one busy bee Jude. It’s a wonder you’ve any time to read my stuff at all. I’ve barely time to write it!!
Some very rational and clear thinking from yourself ,Sean , Bernard , Ewan and Sherdy so far . I like to see things laid out without all the flannel.This lady really needs to concisely write down her story so that we can really get to grips with her personal “truth”. So far ,I’ve only read bits and pieces of what happened to her. I ‘ve no idea about what kind of person she was when she was a teenager. I get the impression she was really into the republican movement in a way that a lot of us writing ,never were.We read and commentate but most of us probably had very different lives outside of that republican family.
I have no idea either what kind of fellow her accused rapist is. Was this a seduction of an underage or unwilling girl by a much older fellow or was he nearer her age and in a “love -affair ” that went wrong ? Was she besotted at any time by the “glamour” of a “freedom fighter”. I use the inverted commas because this kind of “relationship” may have been, in part ,a teenage infatuation that went very much in the wrong direction for her. She may have been under-age and flirtatious but partly -compliant and her “rapist” may have been a sexual opportunist who grabbed an opportunity. On the other hand he may have been plainly a brutal sexual bully out to take what he was not being given freely by a very young girl.
That’s the thing. It’s like all those pop stars who took advantage of willing young fans and never asked or cared about their ages..The girls may have been foolish and young, possibly underage and only had regrets after the bloom went off the rose.I’m sure the sixteen year old girls who pursued the Beatles were in a state of sexual benevolence and didn’t care. That can happen too.I think Gerry Adams is supposed to have awkwardly alluded to that kind of scenario.It’s all in the details though and i’m afraid i have n’t seen too much of them. The idea of paedophilia is also a relatively new social concept and most of us , twenty years ago would have been unfamiliar with the word, never mind the idea that a seventeen year old boy was committing it with a sixteen year old girl , for example.That would go for both sexes I’m sure.
There is much confusion with Maria Cahill’s attitude to the police services too…should that be either the RUC or the PSNI. Republicans back then were equally leery of the courts of the land too.We’d all come through things like the Birmingham Six and the mis-use of justice so republicans in particular would have had problems for years approaching anything to do with the “State”. Most republicans have said that they really didn’t have the skills to deal with a sex crime within their community anyway so they could do little else but ask the two people involved some searching questions.Was that an “interrogation?”I suppose that would depend on how vulnerable you felt or how truthful you were being.
Why did she withdraw her evidence?Why is her evidence now any better than it was back then?Is she enjoying her moment in the spotlight too much or is she a fantasist like Paul McCartney’s ex-wife Heather Mills? Where can we satify ourselves to the details of this sad case before the politicians run amok with it.
Spot on, Paddykool.
You slotted the ball home precisely where it was needed, low and left in the corner of the networks, while the right-leaning goalie was all over the shop like an octopus.
A real daisy cutter which shook the onion sack of Group Think Utd. to its very core.
You are the penalty taker on Team Jude, that sober-sided midfield generalissimo.
And what you say about the idea of paedophilia being a relatively new social concept and a word most of us would have been unfamiliar with score years ago, is clinically accurate too. And rings an even louder bell a further twenty years or more further back. As an antediluvian Perkie can attest.
Back then, the nearest we ever got to that word or the concept it embodied was a pedestrian crossing. Though, in truth, it must be said, in every teenage class room of unruly boys there was always inevitably one, the jaywalker of the dictionary (with the accent on the first syllable) who was fluent in filth, or at least in polysyllabic words with the hint of loam truths about them. (No, in Perkie’s case it wasn’t Pat Kenny).
Personally, one puts the rise of this Shrill New Order down to the posthumous triumph of that Bouncy Castle of Bile, Andrea Dworkin. The last week in the Free Southern Stateen has emphatically been an anus mirabilis (divided by 52) for the Dworkin Class.
It would take a person of a rare and precious foolhardiness indeed to picket the palaces of PC with a placard proclaiming: The Dworkin Class can plant a pogue on my posterior.
The longer this is rolls out in the agenda driven media the more the real agenda of Ms Cahill and her media management team’s real agenda is being exposed as a ‘damage G Adams and SF’ excercise.
Also, anyone who dares question Ms Cahill’s story or motives is brow beaten with accusations of intimidation and attempts to silence her.
No journalist has dared (either deliberately or out of fear of being accused of intimidation) ask the obvious questions one might expect to get the background to her case. Why did she continue to meet her alleged abuse for such a period of time? Why did she remain in SF until 2004? Why did she leave SF? Was it because of their endorsement of policing structures? Is she or was she a member of any group politically opposed to SF since she left SF? Does she support the PSNI? What is her relationship to member(s) of the Mc Cartney family? These are questions that need to be addressed.
Alex
She got OUT because the man who raped her wanted her to go on and maybe kill policemen or police women, or soldiers, or politicians, or people honoring their dead at cenotaphs. Or transport bombs, who knows
Good Man Alex throw in the old ‘dissident’ smear it might work.
Your absurd claim that she left SF in 2004 because of their endorsement of policing structures shows you up for what you are. SF didn’t support the PSNI until 2007…
Now tell me this because others won’t. Why does McGuinness believe she was raped. Is it because he’s aware that two girls younger than Mairia also accused Morris of abusing them and that this is on public record and might very well come back to haunt him?
And are you saying that the McCartney family are undesirables? Surely that alone is a smear on that family?
Factualy incorrect if you are going to try to besmirch peoples charaters get the facts right
P.S. Ms Cahill was tweeting the transcript of G Adams cross examination by the defence counsel in the original Liam Adams case.
I would have liked to have seen her answers to a defense barrister’s questioning in the case against the Four accused Republicans who were acquitted but we won’t get to see that will we because
Ms Cahill tefused to take the stand.
Do you support Diplock Courts especially in cases of Rape Alex because this was heard before a Diplock Court….Funny how SF have come round to having confidence in the Diplock Courts eh?
There is a difference between getting a satisfactory outcome in court and the satisfaction of being believed in the court of public opinion. It seems clear that many people believe Mairia Cahill even though her case was never properly tested in court.
We know the IRA policed their own communities, that is no secret.
Peadar Tóibín,has told us that other abusers were moved from the North.
The Irish News has a story about other cases including of course Liam Adams.
There is no detail forthcoming about what happened in the meetings with Mairia Cahill from Finucane or McCullough. Were they, like Gerry Adams, never in the IRA?
That all adds up to her version being more widely accepted,with even senior members of SF saying they believe she was raped.
This will keep coming back to haunt SF and every time sex abuse is raised as an issue they will be on the back foot.
So if enough people say “I saw Goody Proctor with the devil!” that proves she was with the devil?
Jude
I was not making a statement about the truth or otherwise of her account but about the consequences for Sinn Fein from the widespread belief in her account.
There were consequences for Goody Proctor and I think there will be consequences for Sinn Fein.
Ah. So you’d see this as a witch-hunt too?
Jude
Time will tell.
The IRA was never by any stretch of the imagination akin to a defenceless woman like Goody Proctor. That role better fits Mairia Cahill.
We know they held these courts in their community
.Perhaps the people who know would tell us how that went.
What happened in those trials? Where were those men who were found guilty sent?
Still I’m sure they are fine wherever they are. Best not to ask.
I believe Mairia Cahill’s claim she was raped (again, that doesn’t mean it happened in the eyes of the law) but its obvious now (its actually so obvious its cringe worthy) that Mairia is being used by the media, both north and south, as a wrecking ball against Sinn Fein and its pretty obvious too that Mairia doesn’t care about that or doesn’t mind.
What I find particularly strange is the lack of talk about Mairias alleged abuser, the man who actually raped her. From the footage I have seen on TV, articles I’ve read on the internet, etc she hasn’t once called for her abuser to be retrialled, its all been targeted at Sinn Fein.
As someone who was an active member of Sinn Fein for years and who (im assuming) is staunchly republican, Mairia had no issue going to the likes of the DUP and TUV, knowing full well the background of each of these parties, who have lead campaigns of “Smash Sinn Fein” in the past, its plain to see Mairia wouldn’t mind seeing that happen or maybe that’s her intention?
As for Taoiseach Enda Kenny, I watched him in the Dail the other day deliberately twisting Gerry Adams words, which I found a pretty pathetic level to sink to but im not surprised, this is the same Taoiseach that drives his own country into severe poverty due to the unrelenting cuts demanded from Europe and pays for debts that aren’t even Irelands, and what does he get in return? a nice pat on the head by Frau Merkel.
Nice one Ryan
Talk about wanting the best of both worlds. Only the paddies could end up paying for a debt that wasn’t their making…. Oh yes it was!
You did not like GA grilled by ENDA I loved it, I rewound it back to watch it again.
Heading to Dublin next week if I meet him I will buy him a pint and pat his back.
Norma
Jude you say….
” If Mary Lou McDonald, Martin McGuinness and Gerry Adams have declared they believe Ms Cahill’s claims are true, they’re entitled (for whatever reason) to do so…”
Do you believe in the interests of justice that those three should give their reasons to the Review into the three cases linked to the alleged rape of Máiría Cahill?
If the review thinks it relevant, yes.
But Jude should they in the interests of Justice offer their reasons to the review?
Ryan sure didn’t SF ask Shaun Woodward to intervene in the case…a Brit?
When it suits, members of SF throw up the ‘the enemies of Republicanism, anti-Republican journalists etc yet McGuinness had no problem toasting the British Queen and he continues to make favourable statements about the woman who honoured the killers of 14 innocent Derry men, something which can only make the most repugnant aspect of British Imperialism acceptable to nationalists…
You referred to those who have lead campaigns of “Smash Sinn Fein” in the past, however McGuinness had no problem with the bigot who coined the phrase…
And didn’t he once lead a campaign to Smash Stormont yet he now says he would die for it.
I get the impression that the review is quite a narrow one focusing on whether the correct procedures and processes were followed by the P P S and its instructed counsel.
I have stopped reading after PaddyKool, I always like his approach, he comes close to my husband. By this I mean a genuine nice person.
Now that’s the niceties out of the way here goes….. Maybe you are all still afraid of tge IRA for the whole bloody lot of you are tarred with the same brush. (PK) excluded.
I suppose you believe that the three people gunned down in Gibraltar were on their holidays.
I also suppose you thought the eight in Loughall were going potato picking.
Have any of you got daughters, when you make love to someone it is an act of union between two people. A woman guides a man to enter her, it’s not there to be forced on you.
But pray tell me gentlemen, the church the church the church, what about the church, surely if GA could meet Father Reid, then Maria should have able too.
To all of you, if at times it looks like I hate you’s I don’t, I don’t hate anybody… But I sure am glad I was not born a catholic or grew up in a nationalist area. I could not have coped, by the way shame on the women. Carol McCullen seems to have a bit of decency about her, so here I am discussing a girl with a first class pedigree in Republicanism, and a Sinn Fein MLA.
Not one of you’s gave this girl any credibility what was in it for her, what harm has she brought to her family, will the mafioso leave her alone, or will she quietly disappear.
The most of you are educated men, who should know better, if Maria wants to walk about with no knickers on that’s her perogitive. Not one of you have condemned this man.
Thank God for the politicians down south, now they are getting a whiff of the stink I have had to share my life with up here in the North.
The most of you are a load of old decrepit hypocrites
Norma.
Thank you Jude for being honest on the whole thing! We need more people with an open mind to speak out rather than political leaders using this for political gain and point scoring tactics against sinn fein
Jude, I genuinely agree a lot with what’s in your article. One question I would like answered from Martin McGuinness, Mary Lou McDonald et al. They say they believe Maria was raped! Do they know have any evidence to substantiate their comments? Or, like many others, are they caught up in the media reaction to Maria’s allegation? Being as astute as they are I doubt they would be caught up in any media witch hunt – Are Martin McGuinness, Mary Lou et al not accepting Of the acquittal that Gerry Adams and Gerry Kelly have continuously made reference to, as due process having taken place. Maria’s allegations seem to have caught SF on the backfoot as a United front isn’t being presented. One thing is certain though, for the short term Maria Cahill is not going away – as we proceed towards elections, she will undoubtedly be the face of many political parties across the island, as why not to vote SF.
Regardless of the outcome of the court case and the “witness” who was supposed to represent the prosecution, turned defence, Maria should have left the decision to a jury and allowed all evidence to be tested in court, and that of Morris! By refusing to give evidence she has in effect damaged her credibility. It seems Maria wanted to be witness, prosecution, jury and judge!
TheHist, did you ask yourself why a rape case was held in a Diplock Court, hidden behind the facade of an IRA membership charge? Suddenly after decades of protesting against Diplock Courts so called Republicans, when it suits, put their faith in them.
Did you not ask yourself whatever happened to the other girls who are younger than Mairia Cahill who also made accusations against Morris? If they had managed to endure enough to get before the judge would they too also have been smeared as having ‘a year long liaison with Morris?
And if appearing before a Diplock Court, with the PSNI ignoring her pleas to call McCullough as a witness, wasn’t bad enough why, could you tell me, did Mairia Cahill have to move out of Belfast with her child for a year before returning for the court case? If anything it was Mairia Cahill who was exiled.
There are at least a half-dozen different things which don’t look right and which I’ve put as questions to both Jude and Mary Nelis and those high-fiving Jude don’t seem to notice that as yet they’ve not replied.
You wondered did McGuinness, Mary Lou et al have any evidence to substantiate their comments in regards to believing Mairia Cahill was raped.
I’d say McGuinness was well aware of what happened but the only reason he’s made this admission is, unlike others in his party, he’s has the foresight to see that others might yet come forward to back Mairia’s claims up.
It should be an eye opener for anybody the coverage this case is getting in spite of the lack of evidence to back up the claims. It may or may not be true but the relish that people are trying to put the irish republican movement in the dock for individual actions of others leaves a sour taste in my mouth. Some people who were part of that said movement are relishing it more than the traditional foe.
I am a republican who became disillusioned with Sinn fein policy a few moons ago but recently I have come to realise that I would rather have them than most of the other political parties North or South. Not one of these parties has represented northern nationalists in the true sense of the word. In fact an Taoiseach has told unionists recently he won’t interfere in the norths affairs even though he has a duty under the good Friday agreement.
Can any body remember any southern party encouraging,promoting,championing irish reunification? Absolutely shameful, and these cowboys pathetically will be mouthing sweet nothings soon about the 1916 uprising. Although to be fair some won’t.
And yet these gombeens will not hesitate to ‘interfere’ in the north if there is a chance to kick irish republicanism that has its roots in the north.
Despite the lack of evidence in this individual case all and sundry are choosing to ignore that fact to attack the republican movement and yet if I pointed out similar accusations against members of the British royal family, the Vatican, politicians,judges,celebrities,police etc I would be dismissed as a conspiracy theorist. If I pointed out that there was even more evidence in these cases than what Ms Cahill has presented in her case I would again be dismissed.
Where is the clamour to examine the allegations that the british establishment have been actively covering up sexual abuse of girls and boys for years? Maybe Sinn fein are missing a trick, maybe they should set up an inquiry, appoint an ‘impartial’ person to oversee it but who must be a relative of one of the accused or at the very least to have had some of the accused around for dinner a half dozen times in the past? We will take their word for it that they have no biased agenda. After all if they do that, the media and politicians will back off because that’s what they have done recently with the Leon brittan cover up scandal.
Alas that is wishful thinking as people know what side their bread is buttered. Even the loyalist community know where their butter is because rather than demand an inquiry into the kincora scandal were it is alleged one of their own members, John mckeague, was shot by an mi5 agent within the INLA, in an effort by the spooks to cover up the kincora abuse as it was known mckeague had knowledge of the going ons in that place. Rather than try and find out if the Brit spooks had a hand in his death the loyalists remain muted. Rather than find out if the British establishment would kill a loyalist to protect the reputation of vile individuals within that establishment isn’t important to loyalists in the north? Yes they truly are loyal but thick.
What seems to be forgotten is in 1997 Maria Cahill was 16, the age of consent in NI was 17, so for those who mention ‘liaisons’ it was at the very least statutory rape.
Theresa what these people conveniently leave out is that there were two other girls younger than Mairia Cahill who also made accusations against Morris. Notice that I am not being challenged on this.
Just as the two girls couldn’t cope with the pressure Mairia Cahill was forced to take her child and move to Derry until the time of the trail. If you take that into account I’m certain you’ll realise just what pressures were put in front of Mairia.
I wonder would Jude comment on this and would he say that persons calling a rape victim/s a tout or touts both in public and online would certainly be cause for concern and certainly put pressure on them not to go ahead and testify.
Given that Mairia has noted everything I’m certain this will eventually come to light…
rape is a particularly nasty crime, inflicted to exert power and humiliation, rather than sexual release. A few things perturb me about this particular matter. How can you be raped for a year, why would you keep going back to a place of danger. Why when the oppotunity to face your rapist in the correct arena (a court of law) did this woman not present herself and confront her ‘abusers’. As a result of her behaviour is it possible that she permitted a lot of guilty people to go free, why? The media hype has attracted a veritable swarm of strange bedfellows, think about it and their only agenda is a vitriolic sttack on the Sinn Fein party and its president Gerry Adams in particular. I hope the great politicised public of Ireland are thinking long and hard about all of this and questioning the great bruhaha!!
Once again same message from SF drones perhaps Connolly house has started the counter attack….
There you go Jude, applying the ‘gimlet eye of a canon lawyer’ to Maria’s claims that she suffered abused at the hands of an IRA man. As if the crime of rape was similar to the crime of burglary – sexual abuse is very secretive and allegations usually boil down to one person’s word against another.
I believe Maria was abused and it’s likely that the perpetrator abused others.
Sinn Fein will have to cop themselves on; they’re one of the big boys now on the political scene here – a part of the Establishment if you will, and with the potential to either lead, or be a major part of, the next Government; and if they want to be different than Fianna Fail, Fine Gael & Labour (on the abuse of children) then they have to man-up and admit their many failings on the issue and, particularly, on the abuse that Maria Cahill suffered at the hands of an IRA member and the Republican movement.
They’re in media firestorm now – part of that is their own making – and much of it IS politically motivated; but isn’t that the nature of politics here – that parties will use an issue to do down opponents?
I doubt that Maria Cahill is unaware that Enda & Co. is using her … and that other abuse victims (Bethany Home, Magdalene Laundries, Louise O’Keefe, etc.) never received such wide-ranging political support!
Thanks for your thoughts, Andrew. I’m at the stage that I don’t care what anybody thinks about the Maria Cahill case – the sooner it’s got into a court of law and whatever violations occurred (or didn’t occur) are sorted out and judgement made, the better. This nonsense of different people telling the camera lens “I am very impressed” or “Ms Cahill is a very credible witness of great courage” really is just that – nonsense, and dangerous nonsense at that. Why dangerous? Because it quickly gets to the point where if someone of sufficient eminence, or enough people, say something is true, then it becomes true.
Jude I’ve been on here hitting you, Mary Nelis and others with questions which you repeatedly ignored yet you and the rest continue to make statements and high five each other. I think it proves that high levels of dishonestly are at work here.
You talk about a court of law yet neither yourself nor any of the others calling themselves Republicans both here and on Slugger etc can answer me do they now accept a Diplock Court as being a Court of Law or the Judicial System because the Mairia Cahill case was heard, against her will, in a Diplock Court.
Why do you Jude think that the two other girls withdrew their evidence?
I see that the Sunday Times has referred to them.
Jude would you condemn the baseless smears and innuendos which have thrown out about Mairia Cahill in recent days and weeks including some which have appeared on this very blog?
Dixie – my word, so MANY questions. I’ll try to answer until I get bored – after that you’ll have to allow me to make my excuses and leave.
1. I have more to do than answer questions you pose.
2. Not answering does not prove dishonesty – boredom, maybe? A life to be lived?
3. Diplock court is the best there is – like a football team, you can only play what’s put in front of you. Would you prefer an IRA court?
4. I have no idea why these two girls you speak of withdrew their evidence. I do suspect you’ve your mind up as to why, so why ask me?
5. Baseless smears and innuendo – would I condemn them. Well any smear that’s baseless I certainly would reject. Condemn? A very silly word used here over the decades. Stupid. Pointless. On the other hand if you’re referring to facts about Mairia’s background – e.g, that Joe Cahill’s niece is Eilis O Hanlon who’s been doing her best to politically assassinate Gerry Adams and Sinn Féin for decades – I’d think those might help people understand the big picture a little better….There. I think I got to the end of your list . Just in time….
Oh dear Jude saying you’re bored etc with my questions only serves to prove my point that you can’t answer them.
Lets take the Diplock Court thingy…You say would I prefer an IRA court? Certainly not. Given that proof is coming out of something we knew for decades, that in many cases the IRA courts adjudicated in their own self-serving interests and protected the guilty if they had the right connections.
However Jude you say that Diplock Courts are all we have. Firstly if I’m not mistaken there are trails by jury. And according to McGuinness the Devolution of Policing and Justice to Stormont meant that ‘we’ as in the local politicians now had control over the police and courts.
Therefore Jude why are Diplock Courts still going?
I’ll cut my last point down to the bare basics if it helps.
Would you condemn the smear…. ‘this year long liaison between Cahill and Morris’… as being baseless or would you agree with it thus going against the opinion of Mary Lou McDonald that “this assertion is shameful and cruel”
Bobby Sands and the other brave men fought long and hard enough to have diplock thrown out on its ass. But hey why any rush ? now that the same diplock better serves a small group of individuals, happy to play their loaded dice against the ordinary man and woman. An Ireland of equals.