Paul Williams

RaverRo808

Another broadsie brought him up in the 'Celebs you love to hate thread' and I thought this bloke deserves a thread of his own....................what is your opinion of him?,personally I think he is a gickball of the highest order,who prints fairytales with no substance,or dresses up incidents to make things look a million times worse then they really are,in turn making gangland more of a tinderbox then it already is.............................................he also stereotypes alot of places especially in Dublin,makes them look like warzones when in fact they are pretty average and pleasant places to live,like my own hometown Cabra,in his book he states 'Cabra was an area built in the 1950s to house those who lived in the tenements of the inner city,an area rife with drug abuse and unemployment,and devoid of a sense of community' basically calling it a sh*thole,when this couldnt be further from the truth...............................................Cabra is a very vibrant place to live,an amazing sense of community that is hard to find anywhere else,very quiet and settled and right on towns doorstep which is handy,but that Williams a*sehole makes it out to be something out of Mad Max,yeah it has its problems which are few but where doesnt.........................................also his unflinching lick a*sing of the gaurds,he is the best PR they have in a sceptical society,and his accumilation of his info is hilarilous,its always 'a source close to the hood says','a close assosiate says','one local detective says',all unnamed made up crap...................................Is there any one out there that believes his drivel? or has any regard for him?

Kiera

I read his books when i was younger but he just bores me now. Its the same shít over and over with him.

Quazzie

maybe he is secretly buying up land in the "affected areas" before announcing its all a lie and selling for profit.

Biggins

Like him or not, he puts his life on the line.
- And in case anyone thinks that is easy, just remember those that wouldn't even say they would march in protest at the Northern killings for fear of being picked on!
Then put that fear into context with this man that knows more probably about crime criminals than the Gardi sometimes and many, many want to see dead.
A person like any good crime journalist (and family), lives with by the hour but carries on doing the job many would be afraid to do.

Like him or hate him - he's keeping the pressure on the scum of Ireland and letting them know always that for their misdeeds - if he and his like (journalists) can help it - they will be exposed for the scum they are.

I might not like the man - but I admire his consistency in the face of thugs and threats.

I've no idea what you just wrote.

Latchy

With the mount of dissing he has done on Dublin and indivduals over the years, He must live life on the edge a bit if not more .I have read some of his books but dont know enough about him to be able to form an objective opinion .Holding two phones to ears on that ' McEntyre does Dublin ' programme made him look a bit of a dick .

Zadkiel

RaverRo808 wrote: »

Another broadsie brought him up in the 'Celebs you love to hate thread' and I thought this bloke deserves a thread of his own....................what is your opinion of him?,personally I think he is a gickball of the highest order,who prints fairytales with no substance,or dresses up incidents to make things look a million times worse then they really are,in turn making gangland more of a tinderbox then it already is.............................................he also stereotypes alot of places especially in Dublin,makes them look like warzones when in fact they are pretty average and pleasant places to live,like my own hometown Cabra,in his book he states 'Cabra was an area built in the 1950s to house those who lived in the tenements of the inner city,an area rife with drug abuse and unemployment,and devoid of a sense of community' basically calling it a sh*thole,when this couldnt be further from the truth...............................................Cabra is a very vibrant place to live,an amazing sense of community that is hard to find anywhere else,very quiet and settled and right on towns doorstep which is handy,but that Williams a*sehole makes it out to be something out of Mad Max.........................................also his unflinching lick a*sing of the gaurds,he is the best PR they have in a spectical society,and his accumilation of his info is hilarilous,its always 'a source close to the hood says','a close assosiate says','one local detective says',all unnamed made up crap...................................Is there any one out there that believes his drivel? or has any regard for him?

Have to agree there mate as you've said before Cabra can be a little Clanish but the atmosphere is a hell of a lot better than other parts of Dublin. ( except the Oasis that place should be razed to the ground :P)
He does tend to stereotype certain parts of the country and their peoples.
But I wouldn't say all of his stuff is unfounded. Just exaggerated.

Red Hand

Deleted User wrote: »

I've no idea what you just wrote.

He said that life in the projects isn't as bad as Paul Williams suggests it to be.

Degsy

He's a dirtbag.
That other romancing tosser Donal McIntyre interviewed him on World Toughest Towns a while back and to listen to him talk you'd think that fatal carbombings are a daily and regular occurence in Dublin.
That and unprovoked Stanley knife attacks on foreigners.

Rowley Birkin QC

What's a spectical society??

j0605

RaverRo808 wrote: »

Another broadsie brought him up in the 'Celebs you love to hate thread' and I thought this bloke deserves a thread of his own....................what is your opinion of him?,personally I think he is a gickball of the highest order,who prints fairytales with no substance,or dresses up incidents to make things look a million times worse then they really are,in turn making gangland more of a tinderbox then it already is.............................................he also stereotypes alot of places especially in Dublin,makes them look like warzones when in fact they are pretty average and pleasant places to live,like my own hometown Cabra,in his book he states 'Cabra was an area built in the 1950s to house those who lived in the tenements of the inner city,an area rife with drug abuse and unemployment,and devoid of a sense of community' basically calling it a sh*thole,when this couldnt be further from the truth...............................................Cabra is a very vibrant place to live,an amazing sense of community that is hard to find anywhere else,very quiet and settled and right on towns doorstep which is handy,but that Williams a*sehole makes it out to be something out of Mad Max.........................................also his unflinching lick a*sing of the gaurds,he is the best PR they have in a spectical society,and his accumilation of his info is hilarilous,its always 'a source close to the hood says','a close assosiate says','one local detective says',all unnamed made up crap...................................Is there any one out there that believes his drivel? or has any regard for him?

I dont really have an opinion on him as in I dont like him or hate him. but want to say its not just Dublin, he gives Limerick a good bashing too but with alot of it being true or near truth anyway.
I read his first book and found it interesting enough but being from the heard of Limerick city I'd have kinda heard it all before, more or less.

stovelid

I saw an episode of his programme, if he's the guy I'm thinking of. If they had edited out all the moody shots of him looking hard - skulking along canal banks and alley ways - they'd have had hardly any programme left to air.

A twat, basically.

CreepingDeath

RaverRo808 wrote: »

Is there any one out there that believes his drivel? or has any regard for him?

Yes. I read a few of his books, Gangland and the history of the CAB.
Very interesting and informative stuff.

You're just over-reacting to his comments on your area.
What's your definition of a community ?
I imagine his angle was people who stood together against drugs, action groups, less fear of thugs and helping the guards to clean up their area.

Latchy

stovelid wrote: »

I saw an episode of his programme, if he's the guy I'm thinking of. If they had edited out all the moody shots of him looking hard - skulking along canal banks and alley ways - they'd have had hardly any programme left to air.

A twat, basically.

Sounds like a discription of McEntyre ,not Wiliams

But there was more shots of McEntyre sulking and repeating the same dialogue over and over after each add break on his programme .

Dyr

Biggins wrote: »

Like him or not, he puts his life on the line.

How many attempts have been made on his life now? None? Brave guy alright.

CreepingDeath

Bambi wrote: »

How many attempts have been made on his life now? None? Brave guy alright.

You think crime reporting is safe ?

Tell that to Veronica Guerin.

stovelid

CreepingDeath wrote: »

You think crime reporting is safe ?

Tell that to Veronica Guerin.

The moral of the story would seem to be: coin stupid names for criminals and you don't get shot.

Personally, I'd like him to seem him start coming up with more surreal names for criminals like 'The Bison', 'The Parakeet' or 'The Electric Strangeness Man'.

Zadkiel

CreepingDeath wrote: »

What's your definition of a community ?
I imagine his angle was people who stood together against drugs, action groups, less fear of thugs and helping the guards to clean up their area.

The people of Cabra did do that. Years ago, apparently they still don't warrant his respect

Latchy

Or a good ol fashioned name like ' Anto '

Vegeta

CreepingDeath wrote: »

You think crime reporting is safe ?

Tell that to Veronica Guerin.

Her death probably made it a very safe profession

Nodin

stovelid wrote: »

I saw an episode of his programme, if he's the guy I'm thinking of. If they had edited out all the moody shots of him looking hard - skulking along canal banks and alley ways - they'd have had hardly any programme left to air.

A twat, basically.

Yep. Fear mongering, self-promoting tabloid wankstain.

CreepingDeath

Zadkiel wrote: »

The people of Cabra did do that. Years ago, apparently they still don't warrant his respect

Did he call any of ye scumbags ? Apparently not.

He told the facts, Cabra does have a drug problem and high unemployment. He's been talking to drug counsellors and guards on the front line of it.

What did you want him to do ?
Have a little footnote at the end of the page saying "* ah but they're the salt of the earth" ?

Dyr

Apart from being a journalist, He's a useless f**ing wanker, if his "sources" told him that dublins criminal underworld was run by fu manchu he'd print it and people would lap it up.

RaverRo808

CreepingDeath wrote: »

Yes. I read a few of his books, Gangland and the history of the CAB.
Very interesting and informative stuff.

You're just over-reacting to his comments on your area.
What's your definition of a community ?
I imagine his angle was people who stood together against drugs, action groups, less fear of thugs and helping the guards to clean up their area.

I disliked him well before he said anything about my area,he has also has a hard on for Finglas,Clondalkin,Tallaght,Crumlin,Drimnagh,Blanchardstown and parts of Limerick,my definition of a community would be people who adknowledge their neighbours who live next to them and help make the area in which they live a better place

walshb

Paul is just another dude making a killing, pardon the pun, from crime!

CreepingDeath

RaverRo808 wrote: »

my definition of a community would be people who adknowledge their neighbours who live next to them and help make the area in which they live a better place

That's not a community, that's just being neighbourly to people immediately beside you.

A good community has plenty of pro-active groups to support the locals, I don't know... communal creches / groups for mothers, fas courses, night courses, activities for the young, sports facilities, strong neighbourhood watch schemes, prominent locals speaking out against issues, closer ties with the guards on anti-social issues, clean-up days around the area, good local politians etc.... Not just saying "hi" to people as you walk out your door for work.

Mr.Lizard

RaverRo808 wrote: »

Another broadsie brought him up in the 'Celebs you love to hate thread' and I thought this bloke deserves a thread of his own....................what is your opinion of him?,personally I think he is a gickball of the highest order,who prints fairytales with no substance,or dresses up incidents to make things look a million times worse then they really are,in turn making gangland more of a tinderbox then it already is.............................................he also stereotypes alot of places especially in Dublin,makes them look like warzones when in fact they are pretty average and pleasant places to live,like my own hometown Cabra,in his book he states 'Cabra was an area built in the 1950s to house those who lived in the tenements of the inner city,an area rife with drug abuse and unemployment,and devoid of a sense of community' basically calling it a sh*thole,when this couldnt be further from the truth...............................................Cabra is a very vibrant place to live,an amazing sense of community that is hard to find anywhere else,very quiet and settled and right on towns doorstep which is handy,but that Williams a*sehole makes it out to be something out of Mad Max,yeah it has its problems which are few but where doesnt.........................................also his unflinching lick a*sing of the gaurds,he is the best PR they have in a sceptical society,and his accumilation of his info is hilarilous,its always 'a source close to the hood says','a close assosiate says','one local detective says',all unnamed made up crap...................................Is there any one out there that believes his drivel? or has any regard for him?

Did you deliberately write your post in that "any old sh1te will do just so long as it's down on the page" manner to emulate to the Sunday World format?

RaverRo808

CreepingDeath wrote: »

Did he call any of ye scumbags ? Apparently not.

He told the facts, Cabra does have a drug problem and high unemployment. He's been talking to drug counsellors and guards on the front line of it.

What did you want him to do ?
Have a little footnote at the end of the page saying "* ah but they're the salt of the earth" ?

What are you sh*tting about,are you Paul Williams?,Cabra has no drug problem,and in the past the drug problem is had was miniscule,and in regards employment,Id say even now in these recession times,the majority of Cabra is employed in decent jobs,sure Cabra is one of the most sought after areas in Dublin for young professionals,due to its proximity to the City Centre,and its quiet nature,I suggest you take a stroll out of whatever fortifeid suburban compound you live and have a look at the real world,not the world you read about in Paul Williams books

RaverRo808

CreepingDeath wrote: »

That's not a community, that's just being neighbourly to people immediately beside you.

A good community has plenty of pro-active groups to support the locals, I don't know... communal creches / groups for mothers, fas courses, night courses, activities for the young, sports facilities, strong neighbourhood watch schemes, prominent locals speaking out against issues, closer ties with the guards on anti-social issues, clean-up days around the area, good local politians etc.... Not just saying "hi" to people as you walk out your door for work.

Cabra has all that and more,Finbars probably one of the best football and hurling teams in the country with a state of the art clubhouse,with state of the art facitilties,dozens of creches,a fas centre,numerous schools and night colleges,a strong polictical presence that isnt afraid to stand up to the powers that be,mainly Sinn Fein and the late Tony Gregory,anti-bin organisations,it is probably the most community orientated area in Dublin,ask anyone familar with the area

Biggins

Bambi wrote: »

How many attempts have been made on his life now? None? Brave guy alright.

Not from the want of trying!

Example: http://www.rte.ie/news/2003/1114/williamsp.html

humanji

Biggins wrote: »

Not from the want of trying!

Example: http://www.rte.ie/news/2003/1114/williamsp.html

Well thank god he puts his job ahead of the well-being of his family.

Kiera

Biggins wrote: »

Not from the want of trying!

Example: http://www.rte.ie/news/2003/1114/williamsp.html

If there were any real threats to his life he wouldnt be still writing.

Biggins

Kiera wrote: »

If there were any real threats to his life he wouldn't be still writing.

O' Please. Tell that to Veronica Guirean RIP.
She kept going in the face of threats and more. Sorry, disagree with you on that one.
You know, there are some people that actually don't feel like giving in to the thugs and bullies.

stovelid

Why would any of them want to kill him?

With him dead, they'd just be criminal scobes; when he's alive, they're 'Gangland Lynchpins' and 'Criminal Masterminds'.

They probably can't wait to read the write-ups.

biko

Had to google to find out who this man is.

Aidric

Biggins wrote: »

O' Please. Tell that to Veronica Guirean RIP.
She kept going in the face of threats and more. Sorry, disagree with you on that one.
You know, there are some people that actually don't feel like giving in to the thugs and bullies.

Stop reading the Sunday World.

Biggins

To be honest I'm on the fence about him as a personality.
I am glad however that he and his kind are out there.

Without their exposures and explanations, I suspect a lot of things we would never know about, be covered up and/or denied in the first place.
Add to that the pressure sometimes that is brought to bear and thus something is done about something/someone that is undesirable by the general public - I'd rather have his kind in the world, than non-existent at all.

End of the day, there are bigger people and scumbags we should be giving out about.

Kiera

Biggins wrote: »

O' Please. Tell that to Veronica Guirean RIP.
She kept going in the face of threats and more. Sorry, disagree with you on that one.
You know, there are some people that actually don't feel like giving in to the thugs and bullies.

I hang around with Veronica's nephew so i know about these thugs.

Doesnt stop me thinking he's a díck tho. There's not a hope in hell these scumbags are gonna take him out and suffer all the shít that happened after Veronica was killed and he knows this and plays on it. He's a drama queen. He makes out he's living on the edge outing all these thugs when he's not really. When's the last time he outed a real scumbag? He uses the same stories and thugs week in and week out. He's a bore.

Stay_in_Kampuchea

RaverRo808 wrote: »

-Cabra has no drug problem.

Paul Williams just passed this onto me

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1pdZXKKMGuE

Proof.

Biggins

Here is a very good write-up on him as a person.

http://www.tribune.ie/news/article/2008/oct/26/profile-paul-williams/

Profile - Paul Williams

The Untouchable - He has been a scourge of Ireland's gangland kingpins for many years, but in the process the journalist has proven that crime really does pay, writes Mick McCaffrey

Listeners to RTé's Liveline probably didn't know it at the time, but Tuesday 1 May 2007 marked the completion of the transformation of Paul Williams from mere journalist to bona fide brand. The Sunday World crime editor was talking to Joe when one of the country's most notorious criminals, John Daly, phoned the show from his cell in the supposedly high-security Portlaoise Prison to have a go at Williams. The way that the veteran crime hack swatted away Daly's criticisms before asking the question that everyone was thinking – "where did you get a mobile phone in jail?" – made the programme one of the most compell*ing in living memory. The storm of public and political outrage following the incident reinforced Williams's reputation as the fearless hack ready to take on the criminals no matter what the consequences.

On Tuesday night, "Paulie's" latest book will be launched and hundreds of politicians, gardaí, celebrities and journalists will descend to pay their respects to the man who has been described, by Joe Duffy, as the "out-stand*ing journalist of his generation".

There can be no arguing that he is certainly the best known and one of the most successful. The Leitrim native moved to Dublin in 1984 and studied journalism in Rathmines College. Among his contemporaries there were the Sunday Tribune editor Nóirín Hegarty, editor of the Evening Herald Stephen Rae and Irish Sun editor Michael McEniffe. He was also friendly with well-known BBC journalist Orla Guerin. He was eager to get his hands dirty and dropped out after only a year when he landed a job at the Longford Leader. After learning the journalistic ropes, he joined the Sunday World in 1987 and began to focus on crime reporting, writing about the drug barons who were importing heroin.

But it was after the 1996 murder of Sunday Independent crime reporter Veronica Guerin that he really came to national prominence. The passionate way in which he articulated the national outrage over the murder exposed him to a new audience and he seamlessly took Guerin's place as the most high-profile investigative crime reporter in the country. Since then, he has led the way in breaking scoop after scoop and chronicling the crimes of countless gangsters, including Guerin's suspected murderer, John Gilligan.

Williams and the Sunday World led the way in giving nicknames to crimin*als in order to avoid the strict libel laws, and 'The Tosser', 'The Penguin', 'Babyface' and 'Fatpuss' all entered the public consciousness. But this tactic also led to criticism, with some arguing it glamourised these criminals and gave them a higher profile than they would otherwise have enjoyed.

Williams's rise has not all been plain sailing though. In November 2003, the journalist and his family were asleep in their home when a passing garda noticed a suspicious device under their car. The Williams family and 140 of their neighbours had to be evacuated while a controlled explosion was carried out on the hoax bomb. It is believed that the device was a warning from a major gangland figure to stop investigating his criminal activities. In his typically populist way, Williams responded to the bomb threat by saying, "I am not going to stop taking on these bastards."

He was one of the first writers to realise that the public's fascination with gangsters could benefit his bank balance, and Crime Wars is his sixth offering in 13 years. All his books have proven to be massive sellers. The General, which told the life story of arch-criminal Martin Cahill, was turned into a Hollywood movie, and last year came The Untouchables, a profile of the Crim*inal Assets Bureau, which was made into an award-winning documentary for TV3, with Williams as the presenter.

Crime has certainly paid for Williams – he lives in a €1m house in Rathfarnham with his wife Ann Sweeney (whom he met in his first job) and two teenage children. Williams (43) is a gregarious character who always has a story to tell and an anecdote to share. He is at his most comfortable holding court in a bar surrounded by close friends, many of whom are serving or former gardaí.

Among his inner circle are RTé broadcaster Joe Duffy (who will be MC at his book launch on Tuesday), defence minister Willie O'Dea, former garda commissioner Pat Byrne and retired assistant commissioner Tony Hickey. Williams is no shrinking violet; he is not afraid to tell people when he believes he has been slighted and prides himself on calling things as he sees them. He has crossed swords with close friends on a number of occasions and is sensitive about his image, sending legal corres*pondence to various newspapers over perceived inaccuracies over the years.

Williams has a reputation for being helpful and supportive to talented young journalists, but he is a jealous guardian of his position as top dog among crime journalists.

There have been many criticisms levelled against him over the years, chief among them being that he is little more than a cheerleader for the gardaí who steers away from reporting on the scandals which have blighted the force.

Williams has been with the Sunday World for 21 years and during that time, the paper has outstripped the Sunday Independent to become the most widely read in the country. There is little doubt that he is a significant factor behind this. In many ways Paul Williams is the World. Through clever marketing and his forceful personality he has transformed himself into a one-man brand. Last Sunday, the front cover of his new book was the main image on the paper's front page. He has become such a phenomenon that his stories these days almost take second place to his personal celebrity. Friends say that he is only too aware of this and has renegotiated his contract throughout the years to reflect his market value.

They say that imitation is the ultimate form of flattery, and Williams has recently appeared as a character – Paul 'The Hack' Williams – in RTé radio's popular comedy sketches Nob Nation. He is a fan of the humour and Oliver Callan, the comedian behind the skits, will also perform at his launch.

With gangland murders at an all-time high and the public's morbid fascination showing no sign of abating, it is safe to say that Paul Williams will be in the nat-ional consciousness for quite some time.

October 26, 2008

We might dis-like him but I'm glad his kind are still doing what they are doing.
Not letting thugs think they are immune from exposure.

Davei141

How many stories has the monks name been dropped into for no reason aswell? Somebody should count. "The fierce underworld figure also share's the same chipper as the notorious monk, sources say the both like extra vinegar".

stovelid

RaverRo808 wrote: »

Cabra has no drug problem

+1

Sure there is no problem getting drugs there.

Davei141

Biggins wrote: »

Not from the want of trying!

Example: http://www.rte.ie/news/2003/1114/williamsp.html

The Minister for Justice, Michael McDowell, has condemned the planting of a hoax device at the home of Sunday World crime editor Paul Williams this morning.

Not trying very hard if it was a hoax bomb now were they.

me-skywalker

The skeptics are the very same ppl that pay money to watch batman take down the 'mob'........

At least there is someone out there willing (rightly/wrongly/stupidly) to name these ppl and get pressure on them and make them aware that they're are ppl out there who do care that these gangs and drugs are spreading in the cities and towns of ireland and that the system(no matter how bad it is) will get them...

if its just a 1page photo in the paper it sends a signal... that we are watching and waiting for you to slip and we will catch you!

Teferi

This lad used to live on my road. He is an absolute sap. I feel bad for his family - they are under constant police protection.

Dyr

His sources are gardai/other scumbags/informers, you think you're getting the honest unbridled truth him or his sources? Might as well read the horoscopes.

RaverRo808

Bambi wrote: »

His sources are gardai/other scumbags/informers, you think you're getting the honest unbridled truth him or his sources? Might as well read the horoscopes.

I dont believe he has any underworld sources,nobody in the underworld no matter how high or low up the ladder would talk to him,all his sources are gardai

CreepingDeath

RaverRo808 wrote: »

I dont believe he has any underworld sources,nobody in the underworld no matter how high or low up the ladder would talk to him,all his sources are gardai

So in this credibility match between you and a respected journalist, we should believe you, an anonymous ranter on the internet ?

Dyr

He aint a respected journalist by any stretch

Anyway most journos are pretty repugnant.

me-skywalker

Bambi wrote: »

He aint a respected journalist by any stretch

Anyway most journos are pretty repugnant.

I respect a man that at least tries to cover the seedier side of life and the effects on society and communites these scum have than whores that report about what shoes posh spice is wearing or what size is jade goodies gash!

macdonagh

oh ppl if u only knew the truth. hes in they pay of the cops, what he writes is what they want people to read, well a certain section of them. probabally one of the most unethical journalists in ireland, and thats a really hard position to earn