Teenager describes Mary Lou McDonald’s ‘glowing tribute’ to Niall O’Donnghaile after senator’s resignation as ‘a mental stab’ – The Irish News

THE teenager at the center of the Niall O’Donnghaile lyrics controversy has called on Sinn Féin to apologize to him for their handling of the matter.

In a statement, the now 17-year-old also called out party leader Mary Lou McDonald for her “glowing tribute” to the Belfast-born senator when he resigned last December, saying it “felt like a mental stab.”

“I had to endure it in silence as I watched Niall resign for ‘health reasons’, even though I knew the truth,” he said.

“If anything could have made the situation worse, Mary Lou McDonald’s glowing tribute to Niall felt like a mental stab.

“All this demonstrates the hypocrisy of Sinn Féin and their failure to protect me and others in accordance with child protection policy.”

The teenager described the messages the former senator sent him as “surprisingly uncomfortable” and that he highlighted this when reporting to members of Ógra Shinn Fein who were in their early to mid-20s.

Sinn Féin said the leadership was informed of the reports in September 2023. Mr Ó Donnghaile announced his resignation in December and formally left the Senate in January this year.

“In the spring of 2023, I reported an incident to my peers in Ógra Shinn Féin, who were in their early and mid-20s, regarding inappropriate messages that Niall Ó Donnghaile sent to me,” the teenager wrote in a published statement. on Sunday.

“I must confess that I had to endure silently watching Niall in his leadership role for months after raising my concerns with the party – especially during the months of September to December 2023.

“This was painful and frustrating. It had a mental impact on me and put me in dark places at times, at a time when I would have enjoyed starting sixth form and living a normal teenage life. Words: 602 Characters: 3441 Lines: 29 Inches: 4,143 Text Size: Small Medium

“I have lost vital and precious time in my teenage life and I believe that Mary Lou McDonald owes me and those affected by this disastrous handling of the situation a direct and sincere apology.”

The now 17-year-old told the party he wanted everything to stop, but “this situation will never stop – really at all, in my mind – unless an apology is given.”

Ms McDonald previously said the PSNI had told the party the teenager was satisfied with the party’s actions.

The party leader said in a statement to the Sunday Independent that she apologized for the pain her words caused the teenager.

“All child protection protocols were followed with an immediate referral to the PSNI and social services. The protection of the young person was our primary concern,” Ms McDonald said, adding that she was “deeply sorry and angry that this young person had to endure this inappropriate and unacceptable behaviour”.

The teenager said his first contact with Mr Ó Donnghaile was in early 2023, when he liked posts on his Instagram account. By the spring this had ‘escalated’ to inappropriate messages that the boy knew were wrong.

He was “originally afraid” to report the messages to the central party “as the safety culture was visibly not present”. Later in the spring, he “passed this on to the party” to prevent other young members from potentially being placed in the same position.

“It is not normal for anyone, of any age, to experience uncomfortable text messages, reinforced by a massive power dynamic that made me feel like I had no chance to make my voice heard,” he said.

A colleague from the party’s youth wing warned him that ‘Niall is at the very top here and you are at the bottom. It could have an adverse effect on you.”