User:R0paire-wiki/sandbox
Micheál Mac Giolla Easbuig | |
|---|---|
| Donegal County Councillor | |
| Assumed office 2014 | |
| Constituency | Glenties |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Micheál Choilm Mac Giolla Easbuig 4 July 1974 The Rosses, County Donegal, Ireland |
| Political party | Independent (since 2012) |
| Other political affiliations | |
| Relations | Ann and Eileen Gillespie |
| Occupation | Councillor, former Youth worker |
Micheál Choilm Mac Giolla Easbuig (born 4 July 1974) is an Irish Republican politician. He is a member of Donegal County Council, representing the Glenties Local Electoral Area.
Early life
[edit]He was born in 1974 to an Republican family in the Rosses area of County Donegal.[1]
His two aunts,[2] Ann and Eileen, were sentenced to 15 years on explosives and conspiracy charges in 1975 while in England, though only served 10 years.[3] Ann is married to former Fianna Fáil politician Pat 'The Cope' Gallagher.[3][4]
In England in the 1990s he was homeless, and later had to squat when he moved to Letterkenny.[5]
While living in Dublin he worked with the Franciscian Friars, where he assisted with soup kitchens, homelessness and financial assistance.[1][6]
He worked in Family support with the North Western Health Board (later Health Service Executive), dealing with issues compounded by poverty and social exclusion.[1][6]
He is a former Youth worker, working with youth services in Ballymun, Dublin, and with the Donegal Youth Service, in the Falcarragh and Letterkenny areas.[1][6]
He was previously a member of both Sinn Fein and Éirigí.[7]
Political career
[edit]Micheál was first elected to Donegal County Council in the 2014 local election, where he received 1,106 first-preference votes (8.57%).[8][9] Later in December, he was involved in Can’t Pay, Won’t Pay's an anti-water charges protest in Dungloe.[10]
In March 2016, he called on the government to fully implement Irish neutrality by banning American use of Shannon Airport, highlighting the contradiction in neutrality while allowing war planes to refuel in the country.[11]
In October 2017 Mac Giolla Easbuig defended a decision he made as chairperson of the council to raise the Catalan flag at the local Public Service Centre during the 2017 Catalan Independence referendum, insisting his constituents supported the decision.[12]
In April 2018, a dispute erupted following a commemoration for Provisional IRA volunteer Caoimhín Mac Brádaigh in Meenaleck, near Crolly. This was later raised in a Derry and Strabane District Council meeting by Independent councillor Gary Donnelly, where he alleged that members of Sinn Féin had threatened and intimidated individuals in west Donegal. Mac Giolla Easbuig confirmed the allegation in a statement to RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta, stating that two members of Sinn Féin had visited his home and were extremely threatening. He also stated another individual in the constituency was threatened with a visit from the IRA. It was alleged that the men stated that only the "Republican Movement had the authority to raise the Cumann na mBan flag". He then called on Sinn Féin to clarify whether the Provisional IRA is still active, and asked that they make a public statement regarding the threats.[13][14] Sinn Féin later denied the allegations, with Teachta Dála (TD) Pearse Doherty instead making calls for Mac Giolla Easbuig to consider his position.[14][15]
He retained his seat in the 2019 election, topping the polls with 2,007 votes (15.8%).[16][17][18]
In April 2021 he criticised the governments decision to lower the Irish flag to half-mast following the death of the former Prince Philip. He claimed it showed a neocolonial mentality that was subservient to the British monarchy and perpetuated an ugly class system. He also stated that monarchism was 'outdated' and 'toxicly undemocratic'.[19]
In May 2021 he criticised two of Ireland's largest housing associations, Respond! and Clúid, over their failure to provide additional housing during the housing crisis despite their substantial property portfolio. He stated in the Glenties electoral area, both had vacant properties for extended periods. He criticised their lack of engagement with the council, with their properties paid for by taxpayers[5]
In 2023 he criticised Tanáiste Micheál Martin's appointment of Dame Louise Richardson to chair the Irish Government’s Consultative Forum on International Security Policy. He questioned the neutrality of the appointment based on Richardson's support for American military interventionism, her opposition to the removal of a Cecil Rhodes statue, and also her criticism of the 1981 Hunger strike.[20]
In March 2024 he took part in a Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions demonstration at a supermarket in Dungloe, displacing goods believed to be sourced from Israel from shelves. He stated it was in opposition to Israel's illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank. The year prior he successfully lobbied for the Palestinian flag to be flown outside the local Public Services Centre.[21]
For the 2024 local election, Mac Giolla Easbuig announced he wasn't going to use election posters to reduce waste and keep areas cleaner.[22] He later retained his seat once more in the , topping the poll again with 2,125 votes (16.1%).[23][24]
Personal life
[edit]Mac Giolla Easbuig identifies as a Socialist Republican,[6][18] a blend of Irish Republicanism with Socialist ideology. He is also an ardent supporter of international socialist, nationalist and independence movements such as the Basque independentists,[18] Catalan independentists,[12][18] the Zapatistas, and Palestine.[18][21]
He shares a constituency office in Dungloe with Independent TD Thomas Pringle.
He has suffers with dyslexia, which contributed to him leaving school at 14 without a formal qualification.[6][25]
He is a native Irish speaker from the Donegal Gaeltacht and is an activist for the Irish language.[26]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d McLaughlin, Rachel (12 September 2013). "'THIS IS NOT ABOUT ME, IT'S ABOUT US COMING TOGETHER' – MAC GIOLLA EASBAIG". Donegal Daily. Retrieved 13 August 2024.
- ^ McIntyre, Anthony (27 February 2019). "Profile: Mícheál Choilm Mac Giolla Easbuig". The Pensive Quill. Retrieved 13 August 2024.
- ^ a b "NAMES IN THE NEWS : Irish Official Weds IRA Veteran". Los Angeles Times. 28 December 1989. Retrieved 13 August 2024.
- ^ Kelleher, Lynne; Clarke, Liam (27 November 2005). "Gillespie rejects offer to clear name". The Times. Retrieved 13 August 2024.
- ^ a b Duffy, Connie (9 May 2021). "West Donegal councillor calls for action on Dungloe housing crisis". Donegal Live. Retrieved 13 August 2024.
- ^ a b c d e "Leaflet from Micheál Cholm Mac Giolla Easbuig -Independent -Glenties -Donegal – 2014 Local Elections". Irish Election Literature. 15 January 2014. Retrieved 13 August 2024.
- ^ "Donegal in Solidarity with Besieged Bil'in". Éirígí Tir Chonaill. 31 January 2011. Retrieved 13 August 2024 – via Blogspot.
- ^ "final-statement-glenties" (PDF). Donegal County Council Blog. 2014. Retrieved 13 August 2024.
- ^ "Donegal County Council: (Glenties) 2014 Local Election Results, Counts, Stats and Analysis". irelandelection.com. Retrieved 12 August 2024.
- ^ "Up to 300 attend Dungloe anti-water charge protest". RTÉ News. 20 December 2014. Retrieved 13 August 2024.
- ^ Maguire, Stephen (23 March 2016). "DONEGAL COUNCILLOR LEADS CALL FOR GOVERNMENT TO STOP US MILITARY FROM USING SHANNON". Donegal Daily. Retrieved 13 August 2024.
- ^ a b "Councillor defends raising of Catalan flag at Donegal council office". Ocean FM. 2 October 2017. Retrieved 13 August 2024.
- ^ "Councillor claims he was 'threatened by the IRA' in Gaoth Dobhair". Donegal Daily. 26 April 2018. Retrieved 13 August 2024.
- ^ a b "Sinn Fein call on Independent Donegal Cllr Micheal Cholm Mac Giolla Easbuig to consider his position". Ocean FM. 30 April 2018. Retrieved 13 August 2024.
- ^ "SF calls on Donegal County Councillor to consider his position". Highland Radio. 30 April 2018. Retrieved 13 August 2024.
- ^ "Glenties LEA Counts 1-9" (PDF). Donegal County Council. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 June 2021. Retrieved 13 August 2024.
- ^ "Donegal County Council: (Glenties) 2019 Local Election Results, Counts, Stats and Analysis". irelandelection.com. Retrieved 12 August 2024.
- ^ a b c d e McCallig, Elaine (26 May 2018). "Elections 2019: Mac Giolla Easbuig elected on first count in Glenties". Donegal Daily. Retrieved 13 August 2024.
- ^ Duffy, Connie (20 April 2021). "Donegal councillor angry at half-mast tricolour tribute to Prince Philip". Donegal News. Retrieved 13 August 2024.
- ^ "Cllr Micheál Choilm Mac Giolla Easbuig criticises Tánaiste on his neutrality forum appointment". Donegal Live. 26 April 2023. Retrieved 13 August 2024.
- ^ a b Foley, Alan (9 March 2024). "Donegal Gaeltacht Palestine supporters say an emphatic 'no' to Isreali goods". Donegal Live. Retrieved 13 August 2024.
- ^ Meehan, Dionne (19 January 2024). "Donegal county councillor to lead election poster free campaign". Donegal News. Retrieved 13 August 2024.
- ^ "Glenties: in Donegal County Council results - Local Election 2024". Irish Independent. Retrieved 13 August 2024.
- ^ "Donegal County Council: (Glenties) 2024 Local Election (not complete) Results, Counts, Stats and Analysis". irelandelection.com. Retrieved 12 August 2024.
- ^ "Councillor gets cooking on 'food destination' plans". Donegal News. 24 November 2020. Retrieved 13 July 2024.
- ^ McKinney, Seamus (4 May 2023). "Gaeltacht councillor condemns 'cupla focal' at King Charles' coronation". Irish News. Retrieved 13 August 2024.
