Philip Cairns' Murder finally confirmed?

Pretzill

My take on it and I did look at some of Gareth O Callaghan's posts on FB and cringe a little - some made me angry because he seemed to be hindering an ongoing investigation - particularly the one where he called for his 'fb friend's' to ring into Crime line on a night they were featuring Philip's case (that was seriously wrong and he later withdrew and asked his possey not to call in)

But I think he got involved in this case because of the Cooke allegations and because he worked with Cooke and came out straight away to say there was no way he could be responsible - It's an awkward association we all know now Cooke was a predator and I think Gareth suffered some trauma in the realisation he worked with this bollix and as a sufferer of abuse himself, didn't see it.

Perhaps I'm simplifying it but I do think G'OC hasn't helped an ongoing investigation but I do think it wasnt intentional.

Seth Brundle

Pretzill wrote: »

But I think he got involved in this case because of the Cooke allegations and because he worked with Cooke and came out straight away to say there was no way he could be responsible - It's an awkward association we all know now Cooke was a predator and I think Gareth suffered some trauma in the realisation he worked with this bollix and as a sufferer of abuse himself, didn't see it.

Many people wondered about that. An alleged victim of child abuse not thinking it odd that creepy Cooke was so close to kids?

Losty Dublin

Pretzill wrote: »

Perhaps I'm simplifying it but I do think G'OC hasn't helped an ongoing investigation but I do think it wasnt intentional.

The numerous comments criticising Garda efforts and allegations of cover ups would clearly suggest otherwise.

endacl

political analyst wrote: »

Expression of hate, hateful expression - same thing. If you think there's a difference then please explain.

No. Go figure it out. Comprehension will be important if you intend living up to your username.

political analyst wrote: »

Describing someone as troubled is sympathetic, not hateful.

OK. I'm going to type really slowly. Just for you. Describing a missing child who one has never met, and who one has no first hand knowledge of, as 'troubled', in the full knowledge of the implications of the innuendo that description would carry for the child's family, is a hateful expression.

It results in the likes of this comment, from GOC's FaceBook page, following his post announcing that he's just too exhausted to continue:

"Allie Long
Allie Long IT seems so eerie that the same issue like you said Gareth the Cairns family don't want to know, I watched the Mary Boyle documentary and her Mother doesn't want to know..there is some kind of connection there. ..what is it that they are all afraid of..
Like · Reply · 2 · 18 November at 16:54"

The family remain private, as is their right. GOC provided a platform for the likes of the idiot quoted above to vent their idiotic nonsense. He provided a space for idiots who think their opinions matter to egg each other on. On a public forum. That the family have access to. Nobody, aside from these muppets, take GOC seriously. However, they take each other seriously, and there are quite a lot of them, and what they say is hurtful. I find it hurtful, and I knew Philip and his family. I can't imagine how hurtful the family must find it. I admire their restraint in the recent comments they made. I respect their absolute right to not engage with GOC's rabble. The rabble don't get that, though. They also have trouble with comprehension.

Kamili

^^and because they don't get it, he is using it to his advantage to increase his followers and get more likes and attention by spewing lies in such a way.

Sickeningly selfish thing to do to the family of a lost child. Twisting the knife more and more.

endacl

Kamili wrote: »

^^and because they don't get it, he is using it to his advantage to increase his followers and get more likes and attention by spewing lies in such a way.

Sickeningly selfish thing to do to the family of a lost child. Twisting the knife more and more.

Gareth O'Callaghan is a despicable individual. That's the last I have to say on the topic.

Fleawuss

There may well be material on social media that would be upsetting to individuals and families if they read it. Particularly the families of missing people. But what is the solution to that? Censorship? A self censorship where people don't comment on cases that have perplexed the public for years?

If I think about what enabled crime, abuse and incompetence in the recent history of this country it is silence. The price of avoiding silence is that many voices are raised and not all are worth listening to.

The family have suffered and continue to suffer. People need to remember that. But everyone needs to remember that the first victim here was Philip Cairns. When the Gardai solve that mystery (or face examination for not doing so) then the central and most important victim will have escaped from the silence of all these years.

endacl

Fleawuss wrote: »

There may well be material on social media that would be upsetting to individuals and families if they read it. Particularly the families of missing people. But what is the solution to that? Censorship? A self censorship where people don't comment on cases that have perplexed the public for years?

If I think about what enabled crime, abuse and incompetence in the recent history of this country it is silence. The price of avoiding silence is that many voices are raised and not all are worth listening to.

The family have suffered and continue to suffer. People need to remember that. But everyone needs to remember that the first victim here was Philip Cairns. When the Gardai solve that mystery (or face examination for not doing so) then the central and most important victim will have escaped from the silence of all these years.

Nobody is suggesting that people shouldn't comment.

"Or face examination for not doing so"? My experience of guards involved in the active investigation in the decades since Philip disappeared is at odds with the implication inherent in the tone of your post.

political analyst

endacl wrote: »

No. Go figure it out. Comprehension will be important if you intend living up to your username.

OK. I'm going to type really slowly. Just for you. Describing a missing child who one has never met, and who one has no first hand knowledge of, as 'troubled', in the full knowledge of the implications of the innuendo that description would carry for the child's family, is a hateful expression.

It results in the likes of this comment, from GOC's FaceBook page, following his post announcing that he's just too exhausted to continue:

"Allie Long
Allie Long IT seems so eerie that the same issue like you said Gareth the Cairns family don't want to know, I watched the Mary Boyle documentary and her Mother doesn't want to know..there is some kind of connection there. ..what is it that they are all afraid of..
Like · Reply · 2 · 18 November at 16:54"

The family remain private, as is their right. GOC provided a platform for the likes of the idiot quoted above to vent their idiotic nonsense. He provided a space for idiots who think their opinions matter to egg each other on. On a public forum. That the family have access to. Nobody, aside from these muppets, take GOC seriously. However, they take each other seriously, and there are quite a lot of them, and what they say is hurtful. I find it hurtful, and I knew Philip and his family. I can't imagine how hurtful the family must find it. I admire their restraint in the recent comments they made. I respect their absolute right to not engage with GOC's rabble. The rabble don't get that, though. They also have trouble with comprehension.

The family don't have to log into the forum.

If you don't like what is said about you or your family on a particular forum, stay away from it.

Fleawuss

endacl wrote: »

Nobody is suggesting that people shouldn't comment.

"Or face examination for not doing so"? My experience of guards involved in the active investigation in the decades since Philip disappeared is at odds with the implication inherent in the tone of your post.

Good for you. I'd much prefer a formal review by an outside force than personal opinion. No point giving out about GOC comments if you think your experience of individual guards is a definitive version of the conduct of this case.

endacl

political analyst wrote: »

The family don't have to log into the forum.

If you don't like what is said about you or your family on a particular forum, stay away from it.

Not as simple as that. It became part of the broader conversation. People spoke about it. It was mentioned in the wider media. I was aware of the tone of what was being said before I ever looked at the page. 'Don't have to log in' just doesn't cut it, I'm afraid.

Idiots, such as that specimen I quoted earlier, are of course free to have and express their opinion. That somebody should use their profile to provide an echo chamber in order to massage their own narcisstic egotistical tendencies is what I, and many others take issue with.

Out of interest, are you just trying to 'win the internet' here? If so, let me know so I can just pop you on <ignore> and we can both just jog along.

political analyst

endacl wrote: »

Not as simple as that. It became part of the broader conversation. People spoke about it. It was mentioned in the wider media. I was aware of the tone of what was being said before I ever looked at the page. 'Don't have to log in' just doesn't cut it, I'm afraid.

Idiots, such as that specimen I quoted earlier, are of course free to have and express their opinion. That somebody should use their profile to provide an echo chamber in order to massage their own narcisstic egotistical tendencies is what I, and many others take issue with.

Out of interest, are you just trying to 'win the internet' here? If so, let me know so I can just pop you on <ignore> and we can both just jog along.

Win the internet?!

I'm not trying to win anything. So people talk about these issues in the privacy of their own homes or cars or among themselves in a pub or a café. Only a cretin would say anything to Philip's relatives.

By the way, what's the point of the Ignore function? If you don't want to reply to my posts, then just don't reply.

Kamili

Only a cretin would post lies and openly attempt to hinder an ongoing investigation into the disappearance of a child, using an online open forum, knowing full well the family would hear or even read it themselves. He may as well have said it to their faces.

The ignore function is so that your posts won't show and the user doesn't have to read them.

You do seem to want to win time and again by defending the despicable behavior of someone who is bang out of order. Its getting boring.

Laois_Man

Think GOC was a dope but blinded by a genuine belief in the spew he was spouting and I don't think he ever intended to hurt the Cairns family. Glad that he has backed off now since a detective paid him a visit and pointed out his stupidity.

I posted on one of his threads once pointing out a few holes in the particular post I was replying to. Hr didn't respond directly to me but next thing I knew, he had started another thread spouting drivel about people who were involved in the cover up starting fake Facebook profiles just to discredit him.

I don't believe he is malicious. He's just a ****in eejit and an obsessive one at that.

Kamili

He's got to be some self involved airhead not to realise he was hurting the family with his diatribe. I doubt he'd hold back if the tables were turned.

Glad he got a visit from a detective though.

political analyst

Kamili wrote: »

Only a cretin would post lies and openly attempt to hinder an ongoing investigation into the disappearance of a child, using an online open forum, knowing full well the family would hear or even read it themselves. He may as well have said it to their faces.

The ignore function is so that your posts won't show and the user doesn't have to read them.

You do seem to want to win time and again by defending the despicable behavior of someone who is bang out of order. Its getting boring.

I'm not defending the comments. It is linked to the wider issue of cyber-bullying. If you don't like what's being said about you or your family on a particular Facebook page, don't log on to that page. People are always saying bad things about others on the Internet. That's part of human nature.

This isn't the only criminal case about which people have made absurd comments, e.g. 9/11 "Truthers".

I'm simply putting the comments into context.

Stasi 2.0

Mischa68 wrote: »

As far as I got it all of Eamonn Cooke's victims were girls. So why should he have killed Philip?

political analyst wrote: »

I haven't come across any indication of any of Cooke's victims being male.

As mentioned a couple of times in the thread already yes some of them were.

Kamili

political analyst wrote: »

I'm not defending the comments. It is linked to the wider issue of cyber-bullying. If you don't like what's being said about you or your family on a particular Facebook page, don't log on to that page. People are always saying bad things about others on the Internet. That's part of human nature.

This isn't the only criminal case about which people have made absurd comments, e.g. 9/11 "Truthers".

I'm simply putting the comments into context.

Sigh, yeah cos its that simple. Its in the newspapers, its online, people are talking about it. A journalist publishing this tripe on fb and in newspapers isn't that easy to get away from

you really don't get it in the slightest do you. It is like you're defending it.

I'm not responding to your posts again.

political analyst

Kamili wrote: »

Sigh, yeah cos its that simple. Its in the newspapers, its online, people are talking about it. A journalist publishing this tripe on fb and in newspapers isn't that easy to get away from

you really don't get it in the slightest do you. It is like you're defending it.

I'm not responding to your posts again.

I haven't come across indication of comments made by strangers on Gareth's FB page being mentioned in mainstream media other than the reaction of Philip's sister to the comments.

holyhead

If I read Gareth O'Callaghan latest post correctly he is indirectly blaming Phillip's sister Sandra for some whoppers sending him abusive messages. All she did was point out that the family found the social media campaign regarding her brother's disapperance as upsetting. He knew at an earlier point the Cairn family disagreed with what he was doing but he persisted to carry on regardless. He has finally copped himself on and agreed to respect the missing boy's family wishes. He had another post about the decision by RTE to oursource children's progamming. He agreed with the decision but unfortunately used it to attack RTE and somehow brought up Gerry Ryan into the post which puzzles me as to the connection. He had to take that post down as well.

With the right of free speech and the platform that FB permits you, their is a corresponding responsibility to use it correctly.

Stasi 2.0

Ferrari3600 wrote: »

Yes and also I think people with grudges against 'the establishment' (sometimes for entirely legitimate reasons) join the band-wagon without ever considering if the bizarre and outlandish conspiracy theories that O'Callaghan has been spouting are in the family's best interests.

You know this current fashion for following people who portray themselves (sometimes ludicrously) as "anti-establishment" is very dangerous thing as their followers have a tendency to suspend critical faculties and overlook flaws in the persons character along with indefensible aspects of their behaviour.

For a long time a certain Eamonn Cooke was widely regarded and looked up to in some quarters as an anti-establishment figure.

endacl

political analyst wrote: »

I haven't come across indication of comments made by strangers on Gareth's FB page being mentioned in mainstream media other than the reaction of Philip's sister to the comments.

:rolleyes:

Kamili wrote: »

you really don't get it in the slightest do you. It is like you're defending it.

I'm not responding to your posts again.

Y'know, I think I might just join you...

endacl

holyhead wrote: »

If I read Gareth O'Callaghan latest post correctly he is indirectly blaming Phillip's sister Sandra for some whoppers sending him abusive messages. All she did was point out that the family found the social media campaign regarding her brother's disapperance as upsetting. He knew at an earlier point the Cairn family disagreed with what he was doing but he persisted to carry on regardless. He has finally copped himself on and agreed to respect the missing boy's family wishes. He had another post about the decision by RTE to oursource children's progamming. He agreed with the decision but unfortunately used it to attack RTE and somehow brought up Gerry Ryan into the post which puzzles me as to the connection. He had to take that post down as well.

With the right of free speech and the platform that FB permits you, their is a corresponding responsibility to use it correctly.

Just read it. What a self-serving, arrogant, grandiose, narcissistic prick.

Only read a few of the replies. Jesus. That page is a ship of fools.

nacho libre

political analyst wrote: »

I haven't come across indication of comments made by strangers on Gareth's FB page being mentioned in mainstream media other than the reaction of Philip's sister to the comments.

Indeed. Clearly it's her fault. She went out of her way to see these comments, and even of she did not, it's her fault for been offended by the noble Gareth who is only after the truth.

Cop yourself on.

sadie06

I just read the GOC 'apology' (aimed mostly at Philip's sister) on Facebook and it is unbelievably passive aggressive.

If you are not on FB, here is a summary:

I'm sorry I upset you...here are all the things I said to upset you (once more) in condensed form...I helped loads of people...I am related to you...you've never spoken about it before, and now that you have I'm going to tell you what your words should have meant...finally, as I claim that I will never post about this again, I'll refrain from posting the one sentence that could have made me appear in any way caring: leave the Cairns family alone...BUT I wish the Cairns family a happy and peaceful Christmas.

Je-sus.

I also very much doubt that's the last he will post. Come January there will be the reluctant reopening of his armchair investigation at the persuasion of his bizarre followers.

Phat Dick

Any update on this ?

branie2

Let's hope the Cairns family finally have closure

Kamili

Its funny how this has all gone quiet again, seems no new developments after all that.

I hope the Cairns family some day get some closure and can finally move on with their lives. My heart goes out to them.

The Crowman

I thought the story this "witness" told was very iffy from the start.

Kamili

The Crowman wrote: »

I thought the story this "witness" told was very iffy from the start.

Likewise - which is not a good thing.