Is Paul Williams the worst Irish journalist ever ?

Dundalk Daily · 30-10-2006 02:07PM #1

Mistakenly picked up a copy of his latest book in a friends house over the weekend for a quick scan. Jesus this guy is poor, complete rubbish he writes. As for his weekly rants in that rag. What I cant understand is how shows like the Late Late take him on as some kind of expert on Iirish crime, its usually embarassing to listen to him. Strange how there usually is a bomb hoax at his home in the run up to him launching a book mmmm. Whats your views on him ?

santosubito · 30-10-2006 02:27PM

Paul Williams* has every right to be considered an expert on crime: he's the only crime reporter I know who is actually a qualified criminologist, for example.
Also, you might think his latest book is crap, but read The General. That, in my opinion, is the seminal Irish crime book. It was a fantastic piece of work.It really set an example to anyone else trying to write crime books here.
He is a great reporter and a huge brand. Has been a bit quiet for a few years, but still does the business when he needs/wants to.
And, as far as I recall, there has only been one bomb hoax at his house, carried out by a well known scumbag from Crumlin.
You may also be interested to know that the same scumbag threatened to kidnap his kids.
And you may also be unaware of the plot, by a nut called PJ Judge, to kidnap, rape and murder Williams.

*I'm not him and I don't work with him. I know him slightly, however.

mike65 · 30-10-2006 02:32PM

Cheap shot about that bomb, what if had'nt been a hoax?

Mike.

parasite · 30-10-2006 02:43PM

he undermines his reporting with all his 'this guy is the scummiest of all scumbags, he's a proper piece of shit, wouldn't piss on him if he's on fire etc..' talk, just report the facts

santosubito · 30-10-2006 02:44PM

Fine, but he has faced serious risks to his life and those of his family for his reporting. I think he should be respected, at least, for that.

Huggles · 30-10-2006 02:48PM

Dundalk Daily wrote:

Mistakenly picked up a copy of his latest book in a friends house over the weekend for a quick scan. Jesus this guy is poor, complete rubbish he writes. As for his weekly rants in that rag. What I cant understand is how shows like the Late Late take him on as some kind of expert on Iirish crime, its usually embarassing to listen to him. Strange how there usually is a bomb hoax at his home in the run up to him launching a book mmmm. Whats your views on him ?

That bomb hoax was two years ago??!?

Your opinion of him is rather irrational tbh.

30-10-2006 03:16PM

Don't think much of his reporting, he glamourises scumbags by blowing their 'hard man' image up and giving them nicknames, just massages these guys egos.
Also gets basic stuff wrong, example in yesterday's article about Mulhall murder he wrote about Tynan Park North in Tallaght WTF? I presume he meant Tymon North Park? Basic stuff, lazy reporting.

Dundalk Daily · 30-10-2006 03:47PM

I agree with the nickname thing they have glamed up these guys with these "cool" names to get around libel laws. His reporting is amongst the lowest of the low in my opinion in many cases he is down there with those he is reporting on. Im not defending the criminals he writes about but when you stoop to there levels with gutter journalism you are asking for trouble in my opinion. There are ways and means of exposing someone through the press this is evident from reporting in the more "respected" newspapers. When you get nasty and publish lies about criminals families how "his daughter is a prostitute or heroin addict" or how his wife is having a "lesbian affair with the monks great granny who is in a wheelchair" then you are asking for trouble and Williams and others are somewhat putting their families in danger. As a so called expert on these criminals he should know what their capabilities are, how low they will go.

mike65 · 30-10-2006 03:58PM

I do think he enjoys the whiff of danger, maybe he thinks that if his life had taken a slightly different course he could be like them.

Mike.

santosubito · 30-10-2006 04:19PM

Dundalk Daily wrote:

When you get nasty and publish lies about criminals families how "his daughter is a prostitute or heroin addict" or how his wife is having a "lesbian affair with the monks great granny who is in a wheelchair" then you are asking for trouble and Williams and others are somewhat putting their families in danger. As a so called expert on these criminals he should know what their capabilities are, how low they will go.

Well, can you back that up and say what lies Williams has published, please?

Acid_Violet · 30-10-2006 04:46PM

Question; Does Paul Williams write for a Tabloid?

Answer; Yes.

Game, set and match.

DublinWriter · 30-10-2006 04:54PM

Deleted User wrote:

I presume he meant Tymon North Park? Basic stuff, lazy reporting.

Unlike Veronica Guerin, he doesn't 'hit the streets' and most, if not all of his stories appear courtesy of the Garda Press Office.

Does anyone ever remember him writing anything about the whole Richie Barron fiasco? How curious.

Who can blame him for playing it safe considering what happened to poor old Veronica.

Acid_Violet · 30-10-2006 05:05PM

DublinWriter wrote:

Unlike Veronica Guerin, he doesn't 'hit the streets' and most, if not all of his stories appear courtesy of the Garda Press Office.

And it is a well known fact to anyone with contacts in the Gardaí that usually they don't like giving him imformation because he distorts it to suit Joe Blogg, the criminals know what the Gardaí know which gives the criminals an edge in court and his 'articles' stir up public opinion and the defense barristers simply argue 'this trial can't be held fairly because of what is said in xyz' and the jury is dismissed and eventually the criminal is never convicted.

santosubito · 30-10-2006 05:07PM

Acid_Violet wrote:

Question; Does Paul Williams write for a Tabloid?

Answer; Yes.

Game, set and match.

What sort of nonsense is this? What's your point? Just because somebody works for a tabloid they're not to be trusted? Tell that to Liam Reid of the Irish Times, who used to work for the Sunday World.

santosubito · 30-10-2006 05:09PM

Acid_Violet wrote:

And it is a well known fact to anyone with contacts in the Gardaí that usually they don't like giving him imformation because he distorts it to suit Joe Blogg, the criminals know what the Gardaí know which gives the criminals an edge in court and his 'articles' stir up public opinion and the defense barristers simply argue 'this trial can't be held fairly because of what is said in xyz' and the jury is dismissed and eventually the criminal is never convicted.

More nonsense again. I'm always wary of sentences starting `it is a well known fact' - they're usually not founded in fact. So do you have any facts to prove your claim that Williams' actions have led to any criminal cases collapsing?

Then it would be game, set and match;)

Also, for someone to whom gardai usually don't like touting, he seems to do rather well in that department.

CiaranC · 30-10-2006 05:24PM

The guy is a sanctimonious tabloid hack who glamourises and then exploits criminality to enrich himself.

flogen · 30-10-2006 05:43PM

Just to remind people of the Golden Rule in these kinds of the discussions; play the ball, not the man.
That applies to users here and individuals, including those not actively participating in this discussion.
If you've got a comment to make in defence or otherwise of a journalist please keep it in the realm of their professional abilities and skills and not their personality.

This is directed at no-one and everyone; I'm keeping a close eye on this thread and will lock it if it gets out of hand.

agentkarl06 · 30-10-2006 06:29PM

I was reading a post about paul williams being rubbish and I had to reply , I am coming from an angle where I know a lot about what he writes about so you are going to have to read between the line as to what I do ,

Every scum bag he has wrote about he has got it spot on, most of you people do not realise that this town has serious problems with these gangs and thugs and paul williams has exposed most of these people to the irish public which previously has never been done.

you guys have to realise that most of the guys mentioned in his articles are drinking in most of the pubs and clubs we do, only 2 weeks ago that scum from Ballyfermot who is well known in dublin was drinking outside a popular and well known venue in down , if your still confused check the evening herald two days ago

this guy is a total nasty piece of work , and would not think twice about attacking people for no reason and lets say you were drunk enough to put it up to him not knowing who he was , you might as well get out of the country because these huds are serious scum who take things to the next level and jail is playground for these guys.

Point being with these guys being exposed , they wont take as much chances in public to do what they usally do, and if people identify them they can basically avoid them like the plague

I have read most of paul williams stuff and he is exceptional for the brave work he does day in day out , dublin at the moment is at breaking point and the law does not give the gardai enough power to nail these guys.

it going to get a lot worse also , and expect more shooting in light of the recent drug haul , if there was no paul williams exposing these guys to the public , I can guarantee you people dublin would be twice as dangerous as it is already

Dundalk Daily · 30-10-2006 07:24PM

"I have read most of paul williams stuff and he is exceptional for the brave work he does day in day out" How brave does one have to be to write a story about someone from a distance. Would he be brave enough to confront some of these individuals, now I agree that this would be completely foolish with some of these scumbags but even "harmless or moderate" criminals he wouldnt confront face to face.

CiaranC · 30-10-2006 07:39PM

Yeah, thank god we have the sunday world to protect us

Chucky the tree · 31-10-2006 01:52AM

agentkarl06 wrote:

if there was no paul williams exposing these guys to the public , I can guarantee you people dublin would be twice as dangerous as it is already

hahahahaha, classic stuff paul, keep it up!

jdivision · 31-10-2006 04:40PM

Paul Williams is certainly not the worst journalist out there, for a start the Tribune has on occasion written articles borrowed heavily from his books. I don't even think he's the worst crime journalist: I believe that's Paul "The Gardai did a great job again" Reynolds

Dundalk Daily · 01-11-2006 01:35AM

Has Paul Williams worked with any other newspapers in the past does anyone know ?

eamon234 · 01-11-2006 01:43AM

Don't be silly. Everyone knows Fiona Looney is the worst journalist ever!

Dundalk Daily · 01-11-2006 01:45AM

Who does she work for ?

lostexpectation · 01-11-2006 09:16AM

agentkarl06 wrote:

I was reading a post about paul williams being rubbish and I had to reply , I am coming from an angle where I know a lot about what he writes about so you are going to have to read between the line as to what I do ,

Every scum bag he has wrote about he has got it spot on, most of you people do not realise that this town has serious problems with these gangs and thugs and paul williams has exposed most of these people to the irish public which previously has never been done.

you guys have to realise that most of the guys mentioned in his articles are drinking in most of the pubs and clubs we do, only 2 weeks ago that scum from Ballyfermot who is well known in dublin was drinking outside a popular and well known venue in down , if your still confused check the evening herald two days ago

he was drinking outside a pub wow!

it going to get a lot worse also , and expect more shooting in light of the recent drug haul , if there was no paul williams exposing these guys to the public , I can guarantee you people dublin would be twice as dangerous as it is already

but he a tabloid hack he may be a qualified criminologist but he always be a tabloid hack,I do't if he spends all his days writing about crime, he makes **** up and tabloid hacks by definition make things worse not better.

santosubito · 01-11-2006 11:49AM

lostexpectation wrote:

he was drinking outside a pub wow!

but he a tabloid hack he may be a qualified criminologist but he always be a tabloid hack,I do't if he spends all his days writing about crime, he makes **** up and tabloid hacks by definition make things worse not better.

Very good. Now back that up. What does he make up?

lostexpectation · 01-11-2006 05:30PM

santosubito wrote:

Very good. Now back that up. What does he make up?

he tabloid as tabloid can be, do you dispute that, that means concocting things, exagerrating, copy and pasting gardai info for their purposes.

I don't buy tabloids so i know very little of his crime reporting. he wrote a piece how the shinners hijacked the rossport campaign which was straight out of the tabloid grudge populist perfect storm concoction.

sanbutio oh I remember you , you were the know it all journalist!

santosubito · 01-11-2006 06:06PM

lostexpectation wrote:

he tabloid as tabloid can be, do you dispute that, that means concocting things, exagerrating, copy and pasting gardai info for their purposes.

I don't buy tabloids so i know very little of his crime reporting. he wrote a piece how the shinners hijacked the rossport campaign which was straight out of the tabloid grudge populist perfect storm concoction.

sanbutio oh I remember you , you were the know it all journalist!

It's nice that you remember me. But I wouldn't call myself a know it all, at all, at all. But I do now that making claims about someone without being able to back them up is not the wisest thing to do.

There are some fine tabloid reporters and there are some ****e ones. There are some fine broadsheet reporters, and there are some ****e ones. There are some fine TV reporters and there are some ****e ones. It's up to each reporter to decide how they conduct themselves, how they look thjemselves in the mirror and what they write. In relation to Williams, I don't think he makes stuff up at all. I don't think he needs to. He has access to poeple who clearly give him very good stories. And, anyway, I don't think he'd even want to make stuff up. He's a brand in his own right and if his brabnd is damaged, then he's damaged.

So, whenever you're ready, you might want to prove what you've claimed, or perhaps you're making ****e up?

lostexpectation · 01-11-2006 06:48PM

santosubito wrote:

It's nice that you remember me. But I wouldn't call myself a know it all, at all, at all. But I do now that making claims about someone without being able to back them up is not the wisest thing to do.

There are some fine tabloid reporters and there are some ****e ones. There are some fine broadsheet reporters, and there are some ****e ones. There are some fine TV reporters and there are some ****e ones. It's up to each reporter to decide how they conduct themselves, how they look thjemselves in the mirror and what they write. In relation to Williams, I don't think he makes stuff up at all. I don't think he needs to. He has access to poeple who clearly give him very good stories. And, anyway, I don't think he'd even want to make stuff up. He's a brand in his own right and if his brabnd is damaged, then he's damaged.

So, whenever you're ready, you might want to prove what you've claimed, or perhaps you're making ****e up?

I've pointed out the story which was just a definition of hackery of its worst prejudiced type without any facts,its up him to come out with some named sources and proof, independent of pro-big business councilmen and gardai.

santosubito · 01-11-2006 07:34PM

lostexpectation wrote:

I've pointed out the story which was just a definition of hackery of its worst prejudiced type without any facts,its up him to come out with some named sources and proof, independent of pro-big business councilmen and gardai.

No, actually up to you - you're the one making the allegations.
Say, for example Williams found out who you were and decided to sue you (of course this is hypothetical).
Imagine going into court, saying somebody made something up - and asking them to prove it? I don't think so.

Is Paul Williams the worst Irish journalist ever ?

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