McDonald’s tribute to senator ‘as a mental stab’

A teenager who received inappropriate text messages from former Sinn Féin senator Niall Ó Donnghaile has said Mary Lou McDonald’s tribute to him was “like a mental stab”.

The boy, who detailed what happened in a letter to the Sunday Independent, said it was “painful and frustrating” to see Mr Ó Donnghaile resign in December 2023 for “health reasons”.

Mr Ó Donnghaile quit Sinn Féin after sending inappropriate text messages to the boy.

At the time, Ms McDonald issued a statement thanking him for his service to the party.

Sinn Féin has declined to comment on the letter.

Mr Ó Donnghaile, a former mayor of Belfast, has admitted sending an inappropriate message to a 17-year-old boy in Northern Ireland.

The teenager told the Sunday Independent he was 16 years old at the time.

It is believed the message was personal in nature but not sexually explicit.

Sinn Féin had also defended its decision not to reveal that Mr Ó Donnghaile had been suspended from the party when he resigned last year.

Earlier this month, Mary Lou McDonald said that following a referral by Sinn Féin, there were no findings of illegality and no criminal charges were laid.

But the teenager has said he ‘had to put up with’ seeing Mr Ó Donnghaile in his senior role, months after he complained to the party.

“I lost essential and precious time in my teenage life,” he wrote.

‘Originally afraid’ to report concerns

The teenager told the newspaper that his complaints were made to the party’s youth wing, Órga Sinn Féin, in the spring of 2023.

He wrote: “I asked that the information be conveyed boldly to the senior party to make them aware not only of my personal concerns but also of my family’s concerns.”

The boy said the messages made him feel “stunningly uncomfortable.”

“I immediately knew this was wrong, but was initially afraid to report this to the central party as there was clearly no safety culture in place.”

Wanted to apologize

In his account of his interactions with Mr Ó Donnghaile, the teenager said the senator would view and ‘like’ his Instagram stories, and that the messages he received in early 2023 were ‘innocent’.

“I remember thinking at the time, ‘wow, I must be doing something right if a senator is showing me support.’

But he added that “things escalated as time went on – and by the spring I was being asked inappropriate requests and questions.”

“This is not a normal situation for a 16-year-old.

“It is not normal for anyone at any age to experience inappropriate text messages, reinforced by a massive power dynamic that left me feeling like I had no opportunity to speak up.”

“I believe that Mary Lou McDonald owes me and those affected by the disastrous handling of the situation a direct and sincere apology.”