By Ronan Judge

A man accused of publishing or distributing threatening videos about two Galway politicians two years ago, admitted to Gardaí that he was the man in the videos but denied what he said was a threat, a court has heard.

Daragh O’Flaherty (49), with an address at 28 New Estate, Clarinbridge, denies committing four offences, contrary to section 4 of the Harassment, Harmful Communications and related offences Act 2020.

In the case, it is alleged that on January 9 and January 10, 2024, Daragh O’Flaherty distributed or published a threatening or grossly offensive communication about Minister for Education and Youth and Galway West Fine Gael TD, Hildegarde Naughton, and Fine Gael Senator, Seán Kyne, with intent to cause harm.

Evidence in the case was first heard in October 2024 and the trial continued over two days at Galway District Court this week.

A two-hour recording of Mr O’Flaherty’s Garda interview at the Garda North Western Regional Headquarters, in January 2024, was played in full on the third day of the hearing.

During the interview, two videos from a Telegram channel, titled, The Wandering Wanderer, Daragh O’Flaherty, are played to the accused.

The court heard that on January 12, 2024, Gardaí became aware of two videos circulating online that involved the alleged use of threatening language towards politicians.

In one video, Mr O’Flaherty names Deputy Naughton, Senator Kyne, Noel Grealish TD, former TD, Éamon Ó Cuiv, and then TD, Catherine Connolly, and says if it’s six stitches for him then it’s six stitches for them.

Mr O’Flaherty has alleged during the hearing that he received the stitches because he was “beaten to bits in Pearse Street Garda station” in Dublin.

Mr O’Flaherty had earlier told the court that one of the “main reasons” he was angry in the video was because had just seen the stitches on his face after shaving.

In one video, Mr O’Flaherty said someone was going to suffer “grievous injury” that surgery won’t fix and after being played that section of the video in his interview, told Gardaí, “you’re f****d” if you bring that to court.

In another video, Mr O’Flaherty states that he was going to Galway and if he was not happy with answers from a number of named politicians to questions on the Covid-19 vaccine, including Deputy Naughton and Senator Kyne. “You are going to need the police, you are going to need the ambulance and you are probably going to need the fire brigade”.

Asked by Detective Garda John Kerrigan if he accepts he is the man in both videos, Mr O’Flaherty replied “Yes”.

Asked if he accepted that he had made threats, Mr O’Flaherty said, “No, I didn’t make any threats, I put conditions on their behaviour. If they do a bad thing to me, I will do a bad thing to them”.

Mr O’Flaherty told Gardaí that what he said was “legally perfect and lawfully correct” and he would explain what he meant to the “judge, jury and prosecutor”.

Asked specifically about the “six stitches” remark, Mr O’Flaherty asked did his Garda interviewers think it was realistic that one man could cause five different people the same injury that required six stitches precisely, at five different locations and at five different times.

He said his comments were an “unrealistic threat” and an “outlandish, unrealistic threat”.

Detective Kerrigan asked Mr O’Flaherty if he accepted Deputy Naughton and Senator Kyne felt threatened and afraid by what he said and he replied they should be more concerned about the damage of the Covid-19 vaccine.

Asked what he meant by the video, Mr O’Flaherty said: “I’m trying to get the 18,000 deaths on the table.”

Mr O’Flaherty has told the court the 18,000 deaths related to the excess mortality rate in Ireland he alleged has been caused by Covid-19 vaccines.

Mr O’Flaherty told Gardaí the Telegram channel, “looks like” his and that there were many “clones” of the page.

He replied “yes” when asked if he had a Telegram page titled the Wandering Wanderer, Daragh O’Flaherty and confirmed other people could post content to the page.

Mr O’Flaherty said the 18,000 deaths he wanted to raise were “far more serious than the Act of law you claim I broke”.

The video was played in court after Mr O’Flaherty raised an issue with the written memo of the interview that was read to the court on Tuesday.

He said it did not fully reflect what he said during the interview.

Mr O’Flaherty applied to be given a copy of the interview and a copy of a second interview the prosecution was not relying on in the case.

Mr O’Flaherty said he believed the second interview contained exculpatory evidence and it would take 40 hours to extract it.

Judge Patricia Cronin directed that copies of the two interviews be given to Mr O’Flaherty on conditions they not be played on the company of other people and not shared, broadcast or published.

The accused must also return the copies to Galway Courthouse within 10 days of receiving them.

Sergeant McNulty was recalled to the witness box and Mr O’Flaherty said he had no questions.

Counsel for the DPP, Geri Silke BL, (instructed by State Solicitor for Galway West, Rachel Joyce) concluded the State’s case and Mr O’Flaherty told the court he had one witness to call and intends making a number of submissions.

Mr O’Flaherty, who has represented himself for all three days of the hearing so far, told the court he intended to seek Legal Aid and he might need a lawyer.

Judge Cronin remanded the accused on continuing bail to appear again on March 12, when the case is due to resume.

On the first day of the hearing on October 11, 2024 the then government Chief Whip, Hildegarde Naughton told the court she was “frightened” for her personal safety and had to reassess her movements after she was allegedly subjected to threats online.

In her evidence, Ms Naughton said that on January 11, 2024, she received a WhatsApp message from Seán Kyne with a video allegedly made by Mr O’Flaherty and advising her to be careful.

She said she took the alleged threats “extremely seriously” and decided not to attend an event in Galway cathedral due to fear for her safety and the safety of the public.

At the outset of the case, Detective Garda John Kerrigan of Galway Garda Station, said he was assigned to investigate the matter after then TD, Catherine Connolly, notified Gardaí of messages posted online.

In his evidence, Seán Kyne told the court he first became aware of the videos when he was scrolling through X.

He said he sent a copy of the video onto Oireachtas colleagues in Galway, advising them to bring it to the attention of their staff.

He said he was “quite shocked” and felt threatened for himself, his family and staff.

Under cross examination from Mr O’Flaherty, Mr Kyne said, “I didn’t receive the injury but I did have a fear that you would cause the injury to me”.

■ Funded by the Courts Reporting Scheme.

Pictured: Defendant Daragh O’Flaherty: claimed comments were an ‘unrealistic threat’.