Immigration and Ireland - MEGATHREAD *Mod Note Added 14/08/25*

When irish families were emigrating 15 years ago after the Anglo crash, I'm sure there was young families leaving who had to take their kids out of schools, away from their friends etc. We didn't hear any school principals on the airwaves concerned about the devastating effect that would have had.

We don't hear anyone on the national airwaves talking about generations of Irish people starting families on the far side of the world where their kids are total strangers to their grandparents.

Gary Gannon is likely going to end up out on his ear after the next election, he has gone the SF route of ignoring those in his Constituency recently and has been shown up by them, some of the video clips are on twitter or youtube. I think he knows he has backed the wrong horse but has to toe the party line.

I think FF are the main drivers behind the immigration u-turn in the last 6 months. They needed the greens and FG in the previous coalition so didn't rock the boat to endanger Michael MArtins opportunity to be Taoiseach. Now they have a bit more of the balance of power they are reading the room a lot more I think, I'd say they powers that be in FF see this as one way to redevelop the parties base support.

Glad that we are all agreeing that democratic principles and freedom of the press are important things to safeguard.

Now what was it your post was about.

Oh yes it is because the principal is showing compassion. But more specifically to whom he is showing that compassionate feeling. Post after angry post because he is showing compassion to immigrants. Let's not pretend it is anything less than what it is.

Because boards quoting is nonexistent here is two examples from page 211 on mobile.

Here is quote where a poster is angry because of it.

When irish families were emigrating 15 years ago after the Anglo crash, I'm sure there was young families leaving who had to take their kids out of schools, away from their friends etc. We didn't hear any school principals on the airwaves concerned about the devastating effect that would have had.

Here is another example from another post.

parents are fully responsible, no one else. And yet we have a school principal on national radio, acting like this is some kind of national tragedy…

Another example

He was on RTE breakfast on Friday morning, it was nauseating to listen to.

The media is mainly looking for clicks and nothing will drive media consumption like anger. So maybe people angry at what they publish is exactly what they media want.

Compassion doesn’t override the law. This principal isn’t just being empathetic, he’s using his role to push a political agenda and drum up sympathy for people who broke immigration laws. That’s not what he’s there for. Sure, the media feeds on outrage. If he wants to be an activist, he should leave the classroom and do it on his own time.

So if you agree deportation is traumatic and that the principal is a key role as a care giver to children then surely it would be easy to understand why the principal may be empathic and have compassion for the children in this situation.

I mean surely school principals who care for those under their care is something we should strive for not attack with vitriol just because his opinion doesn't align exactly with yours.

I didn't hear the article on the news.

I haven't sought out the piece to listen to it.

I haven't read about the principals opinion in any other media I consume apart from this thread on boards.

Within this thread I read post after angry post by anti immigrant posters about this principal.

Now I ask you, who is really giving this principal and his voice a platform?

This makes me sick. Letterkenny as a town is a No Go area. I would love a night out in Letterkenny to relive my youth but I neither feel safe there now, nor can I afford it.

It is well known around Letterkenny that there are at least 3 foreign gangs who have taken over the town. The recent protest came about as a result a violent assault on a local barber who was out walking his dog and verbals with one of these gangs.

Stuff you don't read about in the media!

Mod - warned for ignoring moderator instruction re anecdotes

What evidence do you have that is not?

How are discounting what I said...do you live near there?

Read up recent court convictions in Letterkenny and come back to me.

I don't have the time or energy to do the same so bye. You must live a very sheltered life.

This is not something that I would expect to read about in the national media but I would expect it would be covered by the local media either in Letterkenny itself or those outlets dealing with news and current affairs in Donegal.

The national media won't cover this unless something happens that brings it into focus, they will only cover bigger stories that has national interest, like for example joyriders, we hear hardly anything about this, yet it happens most nights in certain areas but if say they hit a child or god forbid kill someone then they will focus on it and we will see reporters out there interviewing people who will say that nothing has been done and have been scourged by it.