The fear that a rock might come through the window of your family home at night; sexual innuendo under a simple Facebook post wishing someone a happy retirement; late night abusive phone calls - disturbing behaviour, but sadly something that our local councillors in Kilkenny are now used to. It’s a fear that has become a reality in the city, with the targeting of Cllr Eugene McGuinness’s home, last week.Standing for local election and serving as a local councillor seems to have done more than just make ‘public figures’ of some in Kilkenny — it has made them a target for abuse. In the wake of an incident in Galway recently, where a bag of cow dung was thrown at a junior minister at a public meeting, the Kilkenny People heard from local councillors that this kind of line-crossing behaviour is, shockingly, widespread.Both male and female councillors are being targeted. Bennettsbridge-based Fianna Fail councillor Deirdre Cullen said she was ready for people to disagree with her party politics, when she stood for election, but she was not at all prepared for the sarcasm, sexual innuendo, comments about her appearance and targeting of her family. “I can write a completely run of the mill post and it can be a comment underneath. It was particularly bad during the local elections. Comments on my looks and comments of a sexual nature appear a lot on social media, either my own posts or other sites/ accounts,” Cllr Cullen said. “I don’t necessarily get abuse directed at me, face to face in public, but certainly online it can be really common, especially if you post about policy or a notice of motion. People can be quite sarcastic. I don’t mind constructive criticism but sometimes people can be quite abusive or dismissive. I have experienced it quite extensively at times. Comments made under posts, or private messages directly, of a sexual nature or sexual innuendo.” See what they sayCllr Cullen has taken the decision to let people see what is being said. “I don’t hide the comments because

placeholder image — The fear that a rock might come through the window of your family home at night; sexual innuendo under a simple Facebook post wishing someone a happy retirement; late night abusive phone calls - disturbing behaviour, but sadly something that our local councillors in Kilkenny are now used to. It’s a fear that has become a reality in the city, with the targeting of Cllr Eugene McGuinness’s home, last week.Standing for local election and serving as a local councillor seems to have done more than just make ‘public figures’ of some in Kilkenny — it has made them a target for abuse. In the wake of an incident in Galway recently, where a bag of cow dung was thrown at a junior minister at a public meeting, the Kilkenny People heard from local councillors that this kind of line-crossing behaviour is, shockingly, widespread.Both male and female councillors are being targeted. Bennettsbridge-based Fianna Fail councillor Deirdre Cullen said she was ready for people to disagree with her party politics, when she stood for election, but she was not at all prepared for the sarcasm, sexual innuendo, comments about her appearance and targeting of her family. “I can write a completely run of the mill post and it can be a comment underneath. It was particularly bad during the local elections. Comments on my looks and comments of a sexual nature appear a lot on social media, either my own posts or other sites/ accounts,” Cllr Cullen said. “I don’t necessarily get abuse directed at me, face to face in public, but certainly online it can be really common, especially if you post about policy or a notice of motion. People can be quite sarcastic. I don’t mind constructive criticism but sometimes people can be quite abusive or dismissive. I have experienced it quite extensively at times. Comments made under posts, or private messages directly, of a sexual nature or sexual innuendo.” See what they sayCllr Cullen has taken the decision to let people see what is being said. “I don’t hide the comments because

‘People feel they can insult you’ - the online abuse Kilkenny's politicians face

Reporter

Published 27th Jan 2023, 18:15 GMT

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Part of our job? ABOVE: Current Kilkenny County Councillors at their inaugural meeting in 2019 “The abuse that comes online, some people say it’s part of our job. To say the least it’s very unsettling, you’d want to be very thick skinned,” said Cllr Martin Brett. “It’s been a pet hate of mine for many years. If I call you a name you can sue me, but people feel free to write what they want on social media, and there is no comeback in any shape or form. It’s totally reprehensible.” The Kilkenny City councillor said that while social media can be an outlet for a lot of good things, it can also be an outlet for hate. “As a person who engages with the public it’s frightening to watch the torrent that can emanate from a single comment.” He pointed out that because of online abuse, social media is losing its importance as a tool for local councillors. “If you went back one or two elections ago, social media was of paramount importance. Very few public representatives are engaging on social media now. It’s toxic.” If people operated on the basis of ‘do unto others as you would have them do to you’ things would be better, he added.“Most of us use social media to get our message out there, but we are afraid of it. It has to be tackled. There has to be legislation brought in for social media.” It’s not just social media being used to have a go at councillors. One North Kilkenny councillor thought she’d mostly avoided the problem but just last week was reduced to tears by a nasty phone call. Cllr Mary Hilda Cavanagh is one of the longest serving councillors not only in Kilkenny, but in all of Ireland. She describes herself as someone who only uses Facebook to wish people a happy birthday. While people tell her about the nastiness online, she said there are people who give out, but they give out about all politicians. Up to last week, Cllr Cavanagh said the only ‘horrific’ incident she had experienced with members of the public was during protests in Kilkenny about the

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Why is it so hard to be kind and show respect online?

Kilkenny County Council

‘People feel they can insult you’ - the online abuse Kilkenny's politicians face

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