Has Paddy Cosgrave overstepped the mark?

Kermit.de.frog

Seems to be going from bad to worse to awful for his company on the back of his comments on the Israel/Hamas conflict.

Google the latest to pull out of Web Summit following Intel and Siemens.

https://www.irishtimes.com/business/2023/10/20/google-pulls-out-of-web-summit-over-cosgraves-israel-hamas-comments/

This chap has been commenting on politics all over the world but mostly in Ireland.

A classic example of why it's best for companies to concentrate on their own business rather than making statements on current affairs that have nothing to do with them IMO no matter what one thinks.

Surely his position is untenable and this should be seen as a warning to others?

Self inflicted wound and has done serious damage to his company.

Or maybe you think he and other CEO's have every right, maybe even a duty, to speak up?

prunudo

He's not wrong, war crimes are war crimes, even when committed by your allies. The world is full of hypocrites with no moral backbone. I wouldn't be Cosgraves biggest fan, but in this scenario he is right.

Kermit.de.frog

In a personal capacity he can comment on whatever he wants.

But surely given his position his first priority is to his company's shareholders, employees etc?

He has clearly damaged his company maybe even beyond repair.

I don't think it is right for him or any other CEO to be making pronouncements on current affairs (he's not the only one to be fair).

yagan

he's a dick, but he's not wrong in this case.

Edit to rephrase, he always oversteps the mark, except this time.

Google and stripe are now gone.

His empire is crumbling suddenly.

Responder XY

He's deserved this reaction so many times before, but in this case I can't understand the reaction. What he said was entirely reasonable.

JeffKenna

Lesson for anyone as to what happens if you question Israel

jackboy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121263907#Comment_121263907

The US are gone all in behind Israel. There would be pressure on US companies to punish his commentary. He is a bit unlucky. I thought the US would have moderated their position after a few days of Gaza being bombarded. However, they have done the opposite, they now see Hamas as equivalent to ISIS and so will have to be completely destroyed.

yagan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121263907#Comment_121263907

Manufactured consent in western means Israel can repeatedly do things to Palestinians that warrant UN sanctions, but the US vetoes any such reproach. The western consumer never gets to fully appreciates this iniquity so big companies don't want to risk any flak.

Irish people as a post colonial society don't pay lip service to the US's little monster in the middle east.

MisterAnarchy

He has a big mouth and is constantly shooting it off on Twitter.

However the sad thing is that in this case what he said is the truth, and speaking out against Israel means getting cancelled as Zionists have infiltrated so much of US politics and the global media.

Its abhorrent the pro Israel propaganda machine.

hotmail.com

It's a warning for Irish policy makers as well. Clearly America won't be happy if Michael D or Leo shout off about Israel.

yagan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121264070#Comment_121264070

They might drop some of their version of democracy on us.

When the lads walked into the GPO they knew it was a death sentence.

OneEightSeven

Don't forget about how the Ditch reacted to the news about Hamas massacring Israeli women and children. This was posted on the day of Hamas' incursion into Israel:

https://twitter.com/wereontheditch/status/1710758110862700918

Oscar_Madison

Its the equivalent of Bitching about your guests before they arrive ….at YOUR party 🤪

Its all about brand dawling , brand- you’re either in or you’re out- looks like this guys OUT😀- and so are Meta and Google

https://m.independent.ie/irish-news/meta-google-and-stripe-to-boycott-web-summit-on-back-of-paddy-cosgraves-israel-comments/a1235054615.html

Kermit.de.frog

Meta has abandoned Web summit now too.

PokeHerKing

Jesus the irony. First time I've ever agreed with anything this bellend has ever uttered and it's what gets him cancelled 🤣🤣

Glad to see the back of him either way. First good thing Israel has done for humanity.

chrisd2019

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058318958/has-paddy-cosgrave-overstepped-the-mark

Definitely should have stuck to the day job, not social media commentary.

unkel

Like our beloved President, he has no idea what the definition of a war crime is under international humanitarian law. With these comments, he is making a fool of himself and attracting unwanted media attention. Where this association was good for business befofe, now it has turned sour and those associated companies are pulling out

Very much like a sports hero convicted of rape, all his sponsors would be gone asap

jaffusmax

Elon Musk would not even be able to pull off getting out of this one!

IRE60

He's a pretend media mogul with a dog and pony website. All mouth and trousers at home, but stepped on a corporate landmine straying out of his lane. Infintile. Honestly, if he's mixing in the money end of tech, he should have known his audience and stayed in the middle lane. Have your hard-line 'SF' flower throwing in D4 - bring that to a bigger arena and you get your arse handed to you.

markodaly

Delighted the jumped-up fool is getting his comeuppance.

He weighed into a top that was over his head and bit the hand that fed him at the same time.

If your gut reaction in regards to Hamas is to play the "There are good and bad guys on both sides" shtick, then you are a fool.

We are seeing his business crumble right before our eyes.

Maybe he can spend more time shilling his wife's €1000 woolly jumpers.

hurikane

Good enough for him. Smug git.

Quantum Erasure

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121264047#Comment_121264047

Zionists have infiltrated so much of US politics and the global media.

Careful now...

helimachoptor

I assume web summit bounces back next year as this will be forgotten, but he’s an incredibly irritating man, I’d like it to be the end of him in his company but his ego wouldn’t let him stand aside.

Annasopra

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058318958/has-paddy-cosgrave-overstepped-the-mark

His comments were correct in this case but I cant feel sorry for him given his links to Russia and Qatar.

He's a classic case of everything wrong with capitalism. Created by it, tried to use and abuse it for his own insane power games and vanity, destroyed by it.

Annasopra

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121264389#Comment_121264389

I don't think it can actually bounce back. He's singlehandedly destroyed it.

For Forks Sake

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121264389#Comment_121264389

The next Web Summit event is scheduled for Qatar, current hosts to the leaders of Hamas

Doubt Paddys going to attract too many Israelis and/or jewish delegates to that.

Annasopra

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121264526#Comment_121264526

Or American...

Fred Cryton

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058318958/has-paddy-cosgrave-overstepped-the-mark

It's good news that the Shinners and the hard left headbangers in this country are finally going to feel some pain for their loony and irresponsible remarks. I hope this is the beginning of the end for that fool.

Lets remember Hamas is an organization that wants to eliminate the Jews. Another Holocaust. And last weekend they managed to kill 1400 Jews, about 0.025% of the entire Israeli population. That included burning people alive and killing babies. These are not freedom fighters, they are like ISIS or Al Qaeda.

The immaturity of the hard left and Michael D is finally going to come right around and bite them in the face.

kennethsmyth

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058318958/has-paddy-cosgrave-overstepped-the-mark

In this instance he was correct in his statement and I would not be a fan of him. However I actually think he was wrong to apologise for what was a fair statement. As google and stripe (especially as Irish based) have pulled he should double down and look to shame them as he hasn't said anything actually contentious! He may as well come off as the good guy and google as shameful.

Finty Lemon

He wasn't correct in his statement though.

PD2019

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121265214#Comment_121265214

What was incorrect about his statement?

Grey123

What did his initial tweets say? Had he deleted stuff?

Craig_David

Taken from the Irish Times;

In a post a week ago on X, formerly known as Twitter, Mr Cosgrave said he was “shocked at the rhetoric and actions of so many western leaders & governments, with the exception in particular of Ireland’s Government, who for once are doing the right thing. War crimes are war crimes even when committed by allies, and should be called out for what they are.”

Maybe its a case that he said more than that and it was deleted afterwards?

markodaly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121264466#Comment_121264466

Sorry to nitpick but isn't that the essence of Capitalism?

awec

Cosgrave's problem is he is a deluded narcissist.

He wasn't wrong in his tweet, but his mistake was him thinking people needed to hear his opinion on this matter. He's an event planner trying to act like a politician or a social justice warrior, and he's a very public face of his business, so much so that what he says is basically what WebSummit says. It was stupid of him to wade into this, but I think he's a person who has had such a sheltered and privileged upbringing, and is surrounded by nodding dogs, that he is not used to facing consequences for his words or actions, and the reaction to this must have come as a big shock to him.

To be honest, the guy is a complete dickhead, he's been more than happy to abuse people, lie, manipulate and post misinformation online for years. He makes a big statement about Israel, says he won't relent, then as soon as it becomes apparent it's going to hit him in his pocket he's out with the retraction.

He has ended up annoying both sides of the fence here which is quite the feat, but consistent with someone who isn't as smart as they act like they are. On the one hand, the pro-Isreal side dislike him due to his original statement. On the other hand, the pro-Palestine side dislike him as he had no courage of his convictions and folded like a deckchair as soon as it became financially inconvenient for him.

I am in the odd position where I mostly agree with what he said, but I simultaneously am enjoying the pain he has brought on himself. He deserves no sympathy whatsoever.

Given his relentless attempts to smear individuals and parties over the past number of years, there is a delicious irony that it's a tweet in support of the government that might be the end of him.

Grey123

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121265327#Comment_121265327

He posted that on the 13th. The attacks were on the 7th.

I think there were posts before that. From my understanding he responded to the Hamas attack with something inappropriate. Probably some "what about". That's what the issue is. What's been said since seems more balanced but is just him backtracking.

From the Independent.

"In his apology this week, Mr Cosgrave said: “I understand that what I said, the timing of what I said, and the way it has been presented has caused profound hurt to many. To anyone who was hurt by my words, I apologise deeply."

Frank Bullitt

If this is properly the end of Web Summit, I will feel for the staff more than anything.

As for Paddy, I have written in the other thread how I am quite happy to see him pay the price for his own ego here. There are plenty of stories online about him and past behaviours, he is a bully, plain and simple.

ednwireland

Israel has quite a large IT industry. its always been a player in security. lots of stuff you've never heard of is running systems. so I suspect you might want to at least think about your comments in this sort of situation.

lmao10

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121265371#Comment_121265371

It's not like narcissism is a rare trait today. Serious wack of it off him but you could say that about an awful lot of people who seem to love putting their thoughts/image out there.

For Forks Sake

..

https://twitter.com/RayMinehane/status/1715430581570257161?t=DdZGQZKAa2lt-ufnfybvNQ&s=19

Kermit.de.frog

This is an interesting discussion in the context of Sinn Féin. You see these companies running a mile from Cosgrave.

Is there a risk to a lot of multinational tech jobs and FDI in Ireland if SF was in government saying the same thing?

All well to back comments from someone until you lose your job perhaps? All well for the population until all that tax revenue disappears?

I do actually think there is a risk here the public may need to consider that they may not have thought of.

geographica

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058318958/has-paddy-cosgrave-overstepped-the-mark

Weren’t Siemens in bed with the German Nazis, I think so

Hoboo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121265820#Comment_121265820

Whats you take? I’d prefer some pain and backbone over watching in silence and allowing a genocide take place.

jackboy

All lot of public figures did not realise as soon as they publicly commented, they picked a side, regardless of how measured they thought their comments were. All of those who commented in favour of the Palestinians after the Hamas attack, supported Hamas in the eyes of the western world. There is no getting away from that, it may be incorrect, but these people may as well have Hamas supporter stamped on their forehead.

PokeHerKing

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121265820#Comment_121265820

America sided with Ireland/Republicanism so this would not happen.

America sides with Israel, if Paddy the knob had come out supporting Israel there would be no boycott.

Annasopra

Paddy is all over the place really

Supports human rights for Palestinians but doesn't give a crap about Qataris human rights. Supports Israel only when his business is threatened. Very bloody quiet on Russian war crimes too.

Many overseas websummit supporters are really seeing the real Paddy. An egotistical narcissistic smug git who jumps on bandwagons when it suits his agenda but will abandon all principle and value if it harms his bank balance.

Luxembourgo

I'd be lying if I didn't admit to enjoying this a bit.

A smug rich prick

JVince

There's a phrase in business "The Ratner Effect"

Named after Gerard Ratner who told a business audience that a 4.95 decanter can be sold at 4.95 because it is "total crap". He went on to say a £1 set of earing is cheaper than a prawn sandwich - but probably wouldn't last as long. He forgot there were journalists in the room and they had a field day. It cost him him job and the company value dropped by £500m and they had to rename all the stores (signet group)

Ratner is probably sipping champagne as there's a new phrase in town. "The Cosgrave Tweet"

howiya

CEO of a company needs to understand his customer base. You won't see many CEOs take to twitter or X with the prevalence that Cosgrave did. It doesn't matter what he said this time, there was always going to be a time when he would say something that would end up hurting his business.

TooTired123

Anyone surfing around X on the morning of the Hamas attacks would have seen the pieces of film shot by the go-pros of the attackers.

To comment other than to express disgust and horror at the pictures reveals a lack of humanity that is frightening.

Paddy was always going to be hoist on his own petard, he just didn’t think it would be this one.