Ian O'Doherty
Encyclopedia
Ian O'Doherty is a columnist who works for the Irish Independent
. His "iSpy" column is published Monday – Thursday and contains news articles blended with comedy and opinion. On Fridays O'Doherty publishes a rather more serious column containing his opinion on a chosen subject in "The World according to Ian O'Doherty". He used to work for the Evening Herald
. He is a critic of radical Islam and Ireland's growing Muslim population. Ian O'Doherty has angrily dismissed claims he has a drink problem and says it is normal to read the paper with a few pints. O'Doherty has black hair, a large square head and is overweight. He has admitted to being a junior contemporary at Hot Press
during the "Charlton years
".
and The Frontline
. In 2011, he presented the RTÉ documentary Now It's Personal, in which he spent a week living with one of his pet hates, Muslim
s, and volunteered to sleep on the floor of a Mosque
.
, right-winger and libertarian
. He has been a speaker during at least one Atheist Ireland meeting.
O'Doherty is a married man. He is a fan of British soap opera Coronation Street
. He describes himself as "a huge fan" of the internet, calling it "the most important communication tool since the telephone" but is critical of the social networking phenomenon.
He makes no secret of his support for the presence of U.S. troops in the Middle East, equating opposition to this with "cowardice".
In October 2007, he mocked Steve Staunton
's physical and mental appearance, referring to "the ways his eyes dart shiftily all over the place and he adopts that rictus grin" before insulting those with a disability by concluding with the taunt, "The Irish Special Olympics football team are looking for a player/ manager – if they'll have you".
O'Doherty wrote a column critical of Sharia law - "I have no respect or tolerance for Sharia", published in December 2007.
In 2010, a column written by O'Doherty was criticised by the editor of Gay Community News
for referring to gays as "sexual deviants", and comparing homosexuality to bestiality and paedophila.
In a February 2011 column he called for so-called "junkie
s" to be sterilised as he believes it would be better if such people did not reproduce. This article received widespread criticism, especially as O'Doherty claimed he would "cheer if every junkie died" and described drug users as "feral
worthless scumbags". He also described drug users as being subhuman
by calling them "vermin
". The press ombudsman ordered the article to be removed from the Independent.ie website on the grounds that it was deliberately stirring up hatred against a group of people. Rick Lines, executive director of Harm Reduction International, said the group was “extremely gratified” by the decision to remove the offensive article. The decision showed that drug users were “entitled to protections against hate-type speech
in the press”.
In November 2011, O'Doherty defended Darren Scully, the former mayor of Naas
, who resigned his position after making racist comments against black Africans. O'Doherty was upset that Scully was forced out and compared those who called for his resignation to Nazis.
Irish Independent
The Irish Independent is Ireland's largest-selling daily newspaper that is published in both compact and broadsheet formats. It is the flagship publication of Independent News & Media.-History:...
. His "iSpy" column is published Monday – Thursday and contains news articles blended with comedy and opinion. On Fridays O'Doherty publishes a rather more serious column containing his opinion on a chosen subject in "The World according to Ian O'Doherty". He used to work for the Evening Herald
Evening Herald
The Evening Herald is a mid-market tabloid evening newspaper published in Dublin, Ireland by Independent News & Media. It is published Monday-Saturday, and has three editions — City Edition, City Final Edition and National Edition...
. He is a critic of radical Islam and Ireland's growing Muslim population. Ian O'Doherty has angrily dismissed claims he has a drink problem and says it is normal to read the paper with a few pints. O'Doherty has black hair, a large square head and is overweight. He has admitted to being a junior contemporary at Hot Press
Hot Press
Hot Press is a fortnightly music and political magazine based in Dublin, Ireland founded in 1977. The magazine has been edited since its inception by Niall Stokes. According to the Audit Bureau of Circulations, it had a circulation of 19,215 during 2007...
during the "Charlton years
Jack Charlton
John "Jack" Charlton, OBE, DL is a former footballer and manager who played for Leeds United in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s, and was part of the England team who won the 1966 World Cup...
".
Television
O'Doherty has appeared on high-profile topical shows such as The Late Late ShowThe Late Late Show
The Late Late Show, sometimes referred to as The Late Late, or in some cases by the acronym LLS, is the world's longest-running chat show by the same broadcaster and the official flagship television programme of Irish broadcasting company RTÉ...
and The Frontline
The Frontline (Irish TV series)
The Frontline is a topical debate television series in the Republic of Ireland. The show airs for 60 minutes every Monday night on RTÉ One at 22:30. It debuted on Monday, September 21, 2009. The Frontline replaced a similar political analysis show Questions and Answers...
. In 2011, he presented the RTÉ documentary Now It's Personal, in which he spent a week living with one of his pet hates, Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
s, and volunteered to sleep on the floor of a Mosque
Mosque
A mosque is a place of worship for followers of Islam. The word is likely to have entered the English language through French , from Portuguese , from Spanish , and from Berber , ultimately originating in — . The Arabic word masjid literally means a place of prostration...
.
Personal life
O'Doherty is a self-proclaimed atheistAtheism
Atheism is, in a broad sense, the rejection of belief in the existence of deities. In a narrower sense, atheism is specifically the position that there are no deities...
, right-winger and libertarian
Libertarianism
Libertarianism, in the strictest sense, is the political philosophy that holds individual liberty as the basic moral principle of society. In the broadest sense, it is any political philosophy which approximates this view...
. He has been a speaker during at least one Atheist Ireland meeting.
O'Doherty is a married man. He is a fan of British soap opera Coronation Street
Coronation Street
Coronation Street is a British soap opera set in Weatherfield, a fictional town in Greater Manchester based on Salford. Created by Tony Warren, Coronation Street was first broadcast on 9 December 1960...
. He describes himself as "a huge fan" of the internet, calling it "the most important communication tool since the telephone" but is critical of the social networking phenomenon.
Controversies
O'Doherty's columns regularly attract controversy. Readers from around the world regularly write to the Irish Independent to complain about his columns.He makes no secret of his support for the presence of U.S. troops in the Middle East, equating opposition to this with "cowardice".
In October 2007, he mocked Steve Staunton
Steve Staunton
Stephen "Steve" Staunton is an Irish association football manager and former professional footballer, who was most recently manager of Darlington...
's physical and mental appearance, referring to "the ways his eyes dart shiftily all over the place and he adopts that rictus grin" before insulting those with a disability by concluding with the taunt, "The Irish Special Olympics football team are looking for a player/ manager – if they'll have you".
O'Doherty wrote a column critical of Sharia law - "I have no respect or tolerance for Sharia", published in December 2007.
In 2010, a column written by O'Doherty was criticised by the editor of Gay Community News
Gay Community News (Dublin)
Gay Community News, based in Dublin, is Ireland's longest-running LGBT publication. First published on 10 February 1988 when Tonie Walsh and Catherine Glendon, both activists on the Dublin gay scene, decided it was time for Ireland’s gay and lesbian population to have a free publication of their...
for referring to gays as "sexual deviants", and comparing homosexuality to bestiality and paedophila.
In a February 2011 column he called for so-called "junkie
Junkie
Junkie or junky may also refer to:* A person suffering from drug addiction, most commonly used to refer to a heroin addict* A hyperbolic expression for a person with a particularly strong enthusiasm for some activity, e.g. "a TV junkie", "a ski junkie"....
s" to be sterilised as he believes it would be better if such people did not reproduce. This article received widespread criticism, especially as O'Doherty claimed he would "cheer if every junkie died" and described drug users as "feral
Feral
A feral organism is one that has changed from being domesticated to being wild or untamed. In the case of plants it is a movement from cultivated to uncultivated or controlled to volunteer. The introduction of feral animals or plants to their non-native regions, like any introduced species, may...
worthless scumbags". He also described drug users as being subhuman
Untermensch
Untermensch is a term that became infamous when the Nazi racial ideology used it to describe "inferior people", especially "the masses from the East," that is Jews, Gypsies, Poles along with other Slavic people like the Russians, Serbs, Belarussians and Ukrainians...
by calling them "vermin
Vermin
Vermin is a term applied to various animal species regarded by some as pests or nuisances and especially to those associated with the carrying of disease. Since the term is defined in relation to human activities, which species are included will vary from area to area and even person to person...
". The press ombudsman ordered the article to be removed from the Independent.ie website on the grounds that it was deliberately stirring up hatred against a group of people. Rick Lines, executive director of Harm Reduction International, said the group was “extremely gratified” by the decision to remove the offensive article. The decision showed that drug users were “entitled to protections against hate-type speech
Hate crime
In crime and law, hate crimes occur when a perpetrator targets a victim because of his or her perceived membership in a certain social group, usually defined by racial group, religion, sexual orientation, disability, class, ethnicity, nationality, age, gender, gender identity, social status or...
in the press”.
In November 2011, O'Doherty defended Darren Scully, the former mayor of Naas
Naas
Naas is the county town of County Kildare in Ireland. With a population of just over twenty thousand, it is also the largest town in the county. Naas is a major commuter suburb, with many people residing there and working in Dublin...
, who resigned his position after making racist comments against black Africans. O'Doherty was upset that Scully was forced out and compared those who called for his resignation to Nazis.
External links
- Ian O'Doherty's home inside the Irish Independent