“I think he is in serious trouble,” says Pat Bellew of Senator John McGahon’s chances in the general election.
He hasn’t seen the video showing McGahon hitting Breen White outside a Dundalk pub in 2018, the incident that led to McGahon being found not guilty in a 2022 criminal trial but liable for damages for assault in a 2024 civil action taken by White.
“People I know are disapproving,” says Bellew. “I am part of a local men’s shed and people are tut-tutting about it ... I think Fine Gael are in trouble. They could almost lose a seat here.”
McGahon was not in his office on Dundalk’s Clanbrassil Street on Wednesday and there was no sign he was out canvassing. He has not commented publicly since the controversy over his selection erupted at the weekend with the publication of photographs of White’s injuries in a Sunday newspaper. No one in the town who spoke to The Irish Times had seen him out canvassing since.
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“I thought it was a scuffle, I didn’t realise the damage that was done,” says one man. “I think it is disgraceful, the damage he did to that man’s face.”
“They say he was acquitted in a criminal court, but we have all seen the video, and the civil court has given damages to the man involved,” says Syd Delz. “I just think you can’t have a candidate like that.”
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Cathy Bellew says she had “heard rumours” but the video changed things. “It is disgraceful really. You can see his face. You can see it is him doing it.” She believes selecting him as a candidate sets a bad example.
Jim Dearey says he thought Fine Gael had no choice as it had no other strong candidate in Dundalk and he would like to see a Fine Gael TD elected for the town.
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A man who said he was friendly with McGahon said he would be getting his vote again this election.
“Everyone makes their mistakes. I don’t think anyone going into public life should be held up to a level that we are not prepared to hold ourselves up to,” says the man.
“He went to court and he was found not guilty. One action in your life should not define you.”
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