Politics

Fine Gael candidate John McGahon divides opinions in Dundalk over 2018 incident

McGahon, found not guilty of assault causing harm to another man, has been endorsed by Taoiseach Simon Harris ‘on the basis of what happened in a court’

Senator John McGahon is a general election candidate for Fine Gael in the Louth constituency. Photograph Collins Courts
Senator John McGahon is a general election candidate for Fine Gael in the Louth constituency. Photograph Collins Courts
Stephen Farrell
Tue Nov 19 2024 - 21:25

On Monday night, Fine Gael leader Simon Harris conceded on the Upfront Leader’s debate with Katie Hannon on RTÉ that he had not seen a video of the altercation involving general election candidate John McGahon and another man when he referred to it as “a scuffle”.

The incident, which happened outside the Rum House pub in Dundalk in 2018, has now emerged as an election issue. Referring to the criminal case against Mr McGahon, who was found not guilty of assault causing harm to Breen White in the 2018 altercation, the leader of Fine Gael said he had backed Mr McGahon’s candidacy “on the basis of what happened in a court”.

While the McGahon endorsement has generated considerable controversy, what do the locals in Dundalk make of it?

Tom Brennan (60), who lives outside Dundalk, said Mr McGahon had gone through the court process and had been found not guilty.

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“The fact that the court found him not guilty is enough for me, it shouldn’t preclude him from running, but that doesn’t mean I’ll vote for him,” he said.

Pat Murphy (68), from Ravensdale, felt the criminal case against Mr McGahon had been dealt with and was critical of how it had been portrayed. “It’s a witch hunt, he went before a court of law, that should be the end of it, he is a senator and he has a family,” he said.

Pat said there is a considerable amount of support for Fine Gael in the Dundalk area. “There was his [Mr McGahon’s] uncle, Brendan McGahon, and Peter Fitzpatrick, who subsequently went Independent.”

Others who declined to be named were more critical of Mr McGahon and of the Government.

“I think he [Mr McGahon] should have got jail,” said one man, who was also critical of Government politicians whom he referred to as “gangsters, lining their own pockets”.

“You can’t take the law into your own hands,” said another, for whom the cost of living is impacting his life considerably. “I’m having to work two jobs, my bills are €1,400 per month,” he said.

For some young people in Dundalk, there is little interest in the controversy. Barney Blake (21), from Channonrock, said he wasn’t planning to vote. “I have no interest or knowledge on any of the parties,” he said.

Oisin Brady-Cullen (18) of Dundalk was unaware of the McGahon controversy. “If more proof has come out and it wasn’t a case of self-defence it should go for a retrial,” said the criminology and psychology student.