Gavin Elliott
@sgelliott.net
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Practising barrister based in Dublin, Ireland. Environmental, Housing and Climate Justice.
Born 335.42 ppm. He/Him.
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![Ó Cuív hits out at Taoiseach over Connolly convict criticism - 'I'm surprised somebody didn't contact me first'
Former Fianna Fáil minister Éamon Ó Cuív has defended Independent presidential candidate Catherine Connolly and said he does not agree with criticism from the Taoiseach over her hiring of a woman convicted of firearms offences.
Mr Ó Cuív said he was “surprised” that Micheál Martin did not speak to him before publicly making comments on the matter, given his role over a number of years in visiting republican prisoners and in recommending the woman to Ms Connolly.
Ursula Shannon (also Ní Shionnáin) was hired as an administrative support worker for Ms Cononlly in the Oireachtas in 2018, shortly after she was released from prison after serving over four years for unlawful possession of firearms and possession of ammunition.
Ms Shannon had been linked to the Éirígí – a republican organisation which opposed the peace process. She was not granted a Dáil pass while a vetting process was being conducted, but was signed in and out by Ms Connolly.
Earlier, the Taoiseach said this indicates “a very serious lack of judgement” on Ms Connolly’s part.
“In terms of someone who has apparently served four and a half years in prison for possession of firearms, and is also a member of an organisation that did everything to undermine the Irish peace process, that would indicate a very serious lack of judgement,” he said.
But Mr Ó Cuív, a former Fianna Fáil TD in Ms Connolly's Galway constituency, said he disagreed with these comments, and asked “how can we talk seriously about reconciliation if we make a puff of smoke over this?”
“I am surprised somebody didn’t contact me before [Mr Martin] made those comments,” he said.
The former Galway West TD said Ms Shannon had a PhD in social linguistics, that he had visited her a number of times in prison and had conversations with her on socialism, the economy and political philosophy.
She was not someone who posed any secur…](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:b7ou2gv5kwbbcxdacxrfjbtd/bafkreif45bqsd7ksvyb2v47nag557vlsskixwwkjz2avsa736xzmuxyoue@jpeg)
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