Dublin North East Sinn Féin -- Building an Ireland of Equals

Myers slammed for disgusting attack on working-class people

Published: 6 September, 2010

Kilbarrack Sinn Féin representative Mícheál Mac Donncha has written to the Tánaiste and Minister for Education urging that her Department refuse to place advertisements in the Irish Independent newspaper unless it apologises to working-class people in general and to the people of Kilbarrack and Darndale in particular after what Mr. Mac Donncha described as a "vicious attack" on them by columnist Kevin Myers.

Mr. Mac Donncha said:

"Kevin Myers in his Irish Independent column on 26 August described working class culture as 'self-regarding defeatism, pathological unpunctuality, addiction to alcohol and disdain for academic achievement'. He went on to say that 'self-defeating working-class culture now tolerates unpunctuality, fecklessness and low achievement culture of low personal expectation and low self-esteem'.

"Myers also referred directly to Kilbarrack and Darndale and to the 'Barrytown breed'. This is nothing short of a vicious attack on decent working-class people and the areas in which they live.

"Especially disgusting is Mr. Myers claim that people in these areas have no respect for educational achievement. In Kilbarrack and across this city people are struggling to give their children the best education they can. They are trying to overcome the inequalities in access to education which see many young people from working-class areas denied third-level education. Despite the obstacles, many young people achieve great distinction, thanks to their own efforts and the support of their parents and teachers.

"I have written to the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills Mary Coughlan urging that her Department refuse to place advertisements in the Irish Independent unless and until that newspaper aplogises to working-class people in general and the people of Kilbarrack and Darndale in particular."