Galway man convicted of threats to politicians

A 49-year-old man has been convicted of publishing or distributing threatening videos about two Galway politicians – Minister Hildegarde Naughton and Senator Seán Kyne – two years ago.

Published 7th May 2026, 06:00 BST Updated 7th May 2026, 07:19 BST ​Convicted...Daragh O'Flaherty. A 49-year-old man has been convicted of publishing or distributing threatening videos about two Galway politicians – Minister Hildegarde Naughton and Senator Seán Kyne – two years ago. Sign up to our Connacht Tribune Today daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know you can manage your profile, and explore all of the available newsletters from Connacht Tribune within your account.

Daragh O'Flaherty, who is originally from Castlegar, Galway and has previous addresses in Clarinbridge; Seamus Quirke Road, Galway City and in Mayo , was convicted of four offences, contrary to Section 4 of the Harassment, Harmful Communications and Related Offences Act 2020.

Two charges relate to January 9 and 10, 2024, when the accused did distribute or publish a threatening or grossly offensive communication about Minister for Education and Youth, Hildegarde Naughton, with intent to cause harm.

Two further charges stated that on January 9 and January 10, O'Flaherty did distribute or publish a threatening or grossly offensive communication about Fine Gael Senator Seán Kyne, with intent to cause harm.

Mr O'Flaherty denied all charges and represented himself throughout five days of evidence at the trial before Judge Patricia Cronin, at Galway District Court.

READ MORE: Man receives 14 year jail sentence for abuse of young sisters in Galway

Delivering sentence, Judge Patricia Cronin said the court had considered carefully all evidence from the prosecution and defence, all submissions and all exhibits furnished to the court.

The court finds, on the totality of the evidence it has heard, that the State have proved their case to the requisite standard and therefore the court must convict Mr O'Flaherty of the charges as before it

"The court finds, on the totality of the evidence it has heard, that the State have proved their case to the requisite standard and therefore the court must convict Mr O'Flaherty of the charges as before it," said Judge Cronin.

Sergeant John Kerrigan told the court Mr O'Flaherty has 34 criminal convictions. They include convictions for public order offences of intoxication, breach of the peace and failing to abide by the direction of garda – a number of which were committed during the period of lockdown for Covid-19.

Judge Cronin adjourned finalisation of the case to June 5 to allow Minister Naughton and Mr Kyne time to consider if they wish to submit victim impact statements.

The court was told Mr O'Flaherty also requires time to prepare a plea in mitigation. He told the court he did not wish to engage with a Probation Officer for the purpose of a pre-sanction probation report.

During the trial, Mr O'Flaherty called witnesses and introduced documents and videos on matters related to Covid-19, vaccines and the lockdown.

Prosecution witnesses were also cross-examined on matters linked to Covid-19, including their views on vaccines and personal health matters.

READ MORE: IRB using Galway seaweed dispute to drive recruitment in Conamara

Prosecuting barrister, Geri Silke (instructed by State Solicitor for Galway West , Rachel Joyce) objected on several occasions to Mr O'Flaherty's questions and Judge Cronin frequently had to tell the accused that the evidence had to be relevant to the charges before the court.

Evidence was first heard on October 11 2024 and continued on dates in January and March 2026.

Videos posted by Mr O'Flaherty to his channel on the messaging App, Telegram, were previously played in court.

In one 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 Minister Naughton and Mr Kyne, he said ‘you are going to need the police , you are going to need the ambulance and you are probably going to need the fire brigade’.

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 the videos.

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

I was frightened and worried for my own personal safety and I had to reassess my movements and the movements of my staff

Ms Naughton said that in a video posted on January 10, Mr O'Flaherty, says if it's six stitches for him then it's six stitches for a number of named Galway politicians, including Ms Naughton.

Asked by prosecuting barrister, Geri Silke BL, how she felt after seeing the video, the Minister said: "I was frightened and worried for my own personal safety and I had to reassess my movements and the movements of my staff".

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.

Asked about her reaction to the video posted online on January 9, the Minister said, "I was very shaken. I didn't feel safe going about my daily, ordinary life".

READ MORE: Post-All-Ireland row is different sort of ball game

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

Sgt Kerrigan said Deputy Connolly notified Gardaí of the existence of a video on X and the video allegedly contained threats against elected representatives in the Galway area.

Sgt Kerrigan said that through his enquires he became aware of a Telegram channel in which Mr O'Flaherty posted a number of videos.

In his evidence on the first day of the trial, 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 their attention of their staff.

Well clearly you don't get stitches unless you get a cut of some type and I took it as a threat against me

Asked about Mr O'Flaherty's stitches comment , Mr Kyne said, "Well clearly you don't get stitches unless you get a cut of some type and I took it as a threat against me".

He said he felt a threat was being made against him and that Mr O'Flaherty was making the threat. 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".

Mr O'Flaherty put it to Mr Kyne that the alleged threat was inferred and not a direct threat. Mr Kyne said: "I took it as a direct threat."

Delivering her verdict, Judge Patricia Cronin said the court had considered carefully all evidence from the prosecution and defence, all submissions and all exhibits given to the court.

READ MORE: Owners of Hayden's Hotel in Ballinasloe issue update on plans for the building

She said the court had also viewed the videos that are the substance of the complaint and heard from the two complainants, Hildegarde Naughton and Seán Kyne.

"Both were extensively cross-examined in respect of their evidence. Both gave strong, clear, cogent evidence in relation to the videos, how they became aware of them, the message they understood from the video, the impact this had on them and how it made them feel,” she said.

Galway Ring Road house buy-outs to begin 'as quickly as possible' Galway coastal flooding risk among highest in Ireland, new study warns Judge Cronin said Mr O'Flaherty's thesis for the basis of his action related to what he said was a crime against him in November and December 2021.

Judge Cronin said the accused said he resented the lockdown and that the State could attack his bodily integrity.

Mr O'Flaherty also said that he spent "three days in bed with depression ", thinking about how he could defend himself, using silage spikes and designing ambush points so he could "violently assault" people.

Related topics: Galway Politicians Fine Gael Mayo Standard Garda Video Lockdown Vaccines Police Questions Government Health Reaction Family WhatsApp Galway West Crime ReSPECT Depression Comment Representatives Gardaí X Catherine Connolly Oireachtas Sign up to our Connacht Tribune Today daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know you can manage your profile, and explore all of the available newsletters from Connacht Tribune within your account.