Today is the 40th anniversary of Declan Flynn. In 1982, he was beaten to death because of his sexuality, the 5 males involved in his murder (aged 14-19) were handed suspended sentences and served no time whatsoever for their crimes.

33 comments

  1. The judge’s statement after suspending the sentences:

    > there is no element of correction that is required. All of you come from good homes and experienced care and affection

    5 years later one of them was back in court, he:

    > admitted to raping a woman who was 7 months pregnant after giving her young children sweets to keep them quiet, he told the victim that she had the choice of getting a kick in the stomach or being raped.

  2. A shocking abdication of morality and humanity by the Judge. Where are those men now? Have they ever reflected publicly in their part of the murder of this innocent man? Those who celebrated their suspended sentence and return as free men – it fills me with rage and sadness.

  3. I wonder are those murderers still alive today -living their best lives? I wonder if they have any gay kids or nephews? I’d be interested to know. Do they discuss it or is it something that’s never mentioned?

  4. Jesus fucking christ…..Well at least we no longer have thugs wandering the streets with multiple convictions and suspended sentences….

  8. This here for the people that think ‘scrotes on the Luas’ are proof that Ireland is worse in this respect than it used to be. This is the past without rose tinted glasses.

  14. This is what I don’t understand about the term “hate crimes”. Even if you didn’t hate him, isn’t it illegal to beat someone to death? Maybe if he murdered your family I guess.

  18. I always wondered where those scumbags who did this are now. What became of them. The judge literally let them away with murder, it’s incredible

  26. Horrific incident, and it just shows how nasty things were. I know a lot has changed, and things are very different now, but I think we also need to avoid resting on our laurels after the marriage referendum.

    There have been far too many homophobic attacks in recent years. It’s starting to get rather uncomfortable again, even if they’re outliers. I mean, I don’t think I’d feel comfortable walking around a lot of Dublin holding a guy’s hand. That’s not a good sign in a city.

    We’re also not taking the rise of online hate groups seriously at all – even if they’re fringe stuff, they can still do a lot of damage and many of them are taking their inspiration from far right groups in the US and elsewhere online.

    Also there’s still a sense that you could be beaten up in Ireland for just general random reasons, particularly by people who are under 18, and there would be little or no consequence due to the way the court seems to avoid sentencing. It wouldn’t be in a homophobic context these days, but just more generally – they are extremely easy going.

    My view of it is that we’re way, way too soft on violent crime, and often even very violent crime. A physical assault needs to carry a significant custodial sentence. There are plenty of other crimes that don’t need custodial sentencing, yet are getting them anyway. Priorities need to change and those resources should target violent crime.

  27. I lived in Dublin in the early 80s, let’s just say it was a very different place.. people were genuinely horrified though as I recall whereas they were mostly apathetic before it.

  28. No justification for a suspended sentence for murder arising out of a vicious physical assault. These men deliberately set out to gang up and cause harm to another human being. They should have been punished severely for what they did. And I say this as someone who would be pretty hostile towards the concept of long-term imprisonment in general.

  29. For under age criminals, then as now, the emphasis is on whether they, as non-adults, should be jailed or not or whether this would in fact make them more hardened criminals. If anything this has gotten worse.

  30. The beatings were carried out by a gang of 5 men:

    Anthony (Tony) Maher (aged 19) of Poplar Row Flats, Ballybough;

    Robert Alan Armstrong (aged 18) of Plunkett Drive, Finglas West;

    Patrick Kavanagh (aged 18) of St Brigid’s Avenue, North Strand;

    Colm Donovan (aged 17) of Buckingham Street Lower; and

    a 14-year-old boy who could not be named for legal reasons.[1][3]

    I wonder where they are now ?

  31. Stories like thus should be a warning to never allow things to go this way ever again. Even in the 90s when I was growing up it wasn’t much better. Such toxic levels of homophobia

  32. one of the most blatant miscarriages of justice in the history of this country, and we have quite a few to choose from. it honestly makes me sick to think about.

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