My article in today's Irish Independent. The only mainstream media outlet in the world to allow the "Immunity debt" codswallop to be interrogated & debunked, from the start. Thanks to my lovely editor, Tom Coogan, & the Indo for not being afraid of salting the vibes🙏
“Immunity debt” doesn’t exist, immune damage does. Children are sicker now than pre-pandemic – many with disabling chronic illnesses. This cycle of harm can only stop when we accept reality – there’s no off ramp without cleaning classroom air".
Trigger warning 1: The article contains photos of children wearing fun floral masks. Note to anti-maskers: It's never too late to embrace science.
Trigger warning 2: The masks featured are not respirators (ffp2/3 or N95s), therefore offering little or no protection against airborne viruses, including SARS-CoV-2.
Note to those upset by that: I don't get to choose the photos. Please direct complaints to the chief medical officer for negligence & dereliction of duty to inform the public that covid is airborne & that cleaning indoor air & respirator masks are proven to protect against all airborne diseases.
"The British Medical Journal (BMJ) has just cited these studies as evidence that “immunity debt”, a theory to explain the global surge in non-Covid infections since pandemic restrictions were lifted, is being challenged by emerging evidence. BMJ documents the prevalence of bacterial infections, flare-ups of old viruses, and children being hospitalised with diseases not usually seen in young, healthy people.
In the report, Samira Jeimy, an immunologist at the University of Western Ontario, explained that as many infants and toddlers hospitalised with rare infections since 2022 weren’t born when pandemic restrictions were in place, they cannot be experiencing immunity debt.
They were, however, probably exposed to coronavirus, she said.
Prof Jeimy believes that people who are unwilling to consider the possibility of immune system damage are perhaps driven by a fear of what it might mean. As she told BMJ: “Nobody wants to be the one that says, ‘Yes, Covid-19 causes disability’.”
It’s the responsibility of Ireland’s interim chief medical officer, Mary Horgan, to disseminate these BMJ findings. Instead, children have returned again to overcrowded, under-ventilated classrooms amid yet another coronavirus wave, with hand sanitiser and Calpol as their only protections against the dangerous airborne disease".
And
"Ziyad Al-Aly, professor of medicine at Washington University, said: “We worry about kids’ educational attainment, forming friendships, sports. All these facets of normal development could be impaired in long-Covid. This may negatively affect children in their most formative years, leaving them scarred for life.”
Níl na páistí ceart go leor.
Watch Violet Affleck advocate for clean indoor air as a human right, as well as respirator masks, at the UN yesterday🔥
“We are
told by leaders that we are the future. But when it comes to the ongoing
pandemic, our present is being stolen right in front of our eyes.”
Press Release, Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign, 18th September
The Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign is organisinga protest Today Thursday 18 September, 4.30pm – 6.30pm at the Dáil to demand that the Government end all complicity in Israel’s genocide against the Palestine people, apartheid, and illegal occupation of Palestine lands.
Why? Palestinian civil society organisations - trade unions, human rights and civil society organisations, cultural and sporting organisations - have called for support to end complicity in Israel’s genocide against the Palestinian people:
“In this most horrific phase of the genocide Palestinian civil society is united in reiterating the call on people of conscience worldwide to channel their immense grief and anger to cut the links of state, corporate and institutional complicity with this genocidal regime and with all the institutions and corporations that enable its crimes. The utmost moral obligation is first and foremost to do no harm, to end complicity.”
Speakers will include: Anas Abusour, Executive Director of Aida Youth Centre in West Bank, Ghada Ashour, Genocide survivor, Mary Lou McDonald TD, Leader of Sinn Fein, Ivana Bacik, TD, leader of the Labour Party, Paul Murphy TD, People Before Profit and participant in Gaza Sumud Flotilla, Paul McSweeney, Trade Union Friends of Palestine, Ken Powell, Dubs for Gaza, and Rebecca Heslin, Vice-Chairperson Dublin IPSC
IPSC Chairperson Zoe Lawlor said: “Today is the UN General Assembly's deadline for Israel to end its unlawful presence in Occupied Palestine. Instead genocide, apartheid and occupation continue with impunity. We are protesting to call on the Government to immediately enact the Occupied Territories Bill to ban all trade with illegal Israeli settlements; pass the Settlement Divestment Bill to ensure that no Irish taxpayers’ money is invested in entities that assist or profit from the occupation; pass the Arms Embargo Bill that will prevent Irish airspace and airports being used to transit weapons to Apartheid Israel; ban the export of all dual-use items to Israel; impose a ban on the import or purchase of any Israeli weaponry, military or security items, and security or surveillance tech; and stop the Central Bank from funding genocide through the off-shoring of the approval of Israeli genocide-funding bonds.”
"These are just some of the measures that can, and legally must, be taken in order to help end Israel’s ongoing two-year genocide in Gaza, to remove the impunity Israel has enjoyed for 77 years, to ensure accountability for crimes against the Palestinian people, and to secure Palestinians enjoy freedom, justice and equality in the future. "
ICTU General Secretary Owen Reidy said: "The Irish public is horrified by Israel's genocide in Palestine. With the UN's deadline today, it's time for the Irish government to step up and represent the public's outrage. We saw South Africa treated as a pariah state during the apartheid era, we must now see the same for Israel. Trade Unions will join the Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign will protest at the Dáil from 4.30pm – 6.30pm to demand that the Government end all complicity in Israel’s genocide against the Palestine people, apartheid and illegal occupation of Palestine lands.”
TODAY: Large Regional Protest for Palestine Across Ireland
Press Release, Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign, Saturday 6th September
TODAY Saturday 6th Septemberwill see a series of coordinated regional protests in solidarity with Palestine taking place across Ireland, ahead of the end of the Dáil recess on the 17th of the month.
Large protests organised by the Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign and other groups will take place in Dublin (1pm), Belfast (12pm), Derry (2pm), Galway (1.45pm), Limerick (1pm), Cork (1pm), Waterford (2pm), Carlow (12.30pm) and Navan (1pm)[full details below] as well as a number of smaller protests in various towns.
Speaking ahead of the protests, IPSC Chairperson Zoe Lawlor said:
"As the leaders of the nuclear armed genocidal Israeli state openly declare they are opening the 'gates of hell' in Gaza, we are calling on people to hit the streets and join their nearest regional protest for Gaza. We called these protests as Dáil gets ready to reconvene to let the government know that we haven’t gone away: we are still demanding SANCTIONS NOW to help end the Gaza genocide and to support freedom, justice and equality for the Palestinian people!".
Proud to have played a very small part in this big outcome💪
The Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaignhas welcomed media reports today that Israel's genocide bond prospectus approval process has been moved to Luxembourg.
IPSC Chairperson Zoë Lawlor said:
"Coming after a year of campaigning by Palestine solidarity activists, today is a huge victory for the people of Ireland who stand resolutely in solidarity with the people of Palestine.
"The Central Bank of Ireland has been forced by to end its shameful complicity in genocide. It has been forced to stop enabling Israel selling its genocide-funding bonds – to stop acting as the lynchpin of Israel’s fundraising in the EU.
"For a year the Central Bank of Ireland and the Irish government stone-walled all calls to end the facilitation of bonds which directly funded the genocide in Gaza, the forced starvation of the Palestinian people in Gaza, the murder of over 62,000 people in Gaza, daily bombardment and forced displacement and the destruction of Gaza. Finally, this complicity in the funding of genocide has ended.
"People all over Ireland have won this victory for Palestine through marching and organising in solidarity with the people of Palestine. Councils from Dublin City to Kerry to Donegal demanded an end to the approval by the CBI of Israel Bonds. The ICTU, legal experts, opposition politicians, the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Israel Bonds, civil society organisations and ordinary people in every town and village have called for the end of the shameful complicity of the CBI in the funding of genocide. We have been joined by amazing artists, musicians and writers in this campaign and very brilliant committed public representatives. From protests to complaints to parliamentary work, this is a huge victory for people power, and for the BDS Movement.
"The IPSC welcomes the end of the Central Bank’s shameful role in approving Israel Bonds. We believe that the CBI should not have continued to enable Isarel to fundraise for genocide by transferring the prospectus to another competent authority. We ask that the Government confirm that Ireland will have absolutely no further involvement with Israel genocide-funding bonds. Specifically we ask the Government to clarify if Ireland remains the “home member state” for Israel Bonds under the transfer arranged by the Central Bank. And we reiterate the call from the Joint Committee's that the Irish government demand legislative change at EU to end the sale of these bonds throughout Europe.
"Shamefully, however, many other areas of state complicity with the genocidal Apartheid state of Israel remain, and the IPSC calls for the Irish government to end the use of Shannon airport by the US military, stop the use of Irish airspace for transiting weapons to Israel, end the export of dual-use items, pass the Occupied Territories Bill in full, and join the Hague Group.
"We are also sure that Palestine solidarity activists in Luxembourg will now take up the baton to cut off funding for Israel's criminal genocide in Gaza - and we will offer them any support we can.
"End Israel’s impunity - Sanctions Now! Freedom, justice and equality for the Palestinian people!"
Press Release, Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign, 19th August 2025
A protest, organised by the Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign, will take place outside the Central Bank of Ireland on North Wall Quay, TODAY Tuesday, 19August between 12.30pm and 2pm, to demand that the Central Bank do not renew approval of sale of Israel Bonds in Europe on September 2nd.
Speakers: Donnchadh O’Laoghaire TD, Sinn Fein Spokesperson on Foreign Affairs, David Landy of Jews for Palestine and Academics for Palestine, Paul Murphy TD, People Before Profit, Daire Dempsey, TENI - Transgender Equality Network Ireland, and a representative from Conradh na Gaeilge
Why? The Central Bank of Ireland is the sole gateway into the EU for Israel’s genocide-funding bonds. Approval by the CBI is given on an annual basis and the current approval ends on 1 Sept. These bonds fund the forced starvation and the genocide of the Palestinian people being perpetrated by Israel in Gaza.
IPSC Chairperson Zoe Lawlor said: “It is shameful that twenty-two months into the live-streamed genocide being perpetrated by Israel against the Palestinian people in Gaza the CBI is set to renew approval of Israel Bonds on the 2ndSeptember. Not only the people of Ireland, the trade union movement, the solidarity movement, county councils and city councils but also the Oireachtas Finance Committee has called for an end to the approval of Israel Bonds by the CBI. This Report, published two weeks ago, states unequivocally that Israel Bonds 'assist the financing of Israel’s violations of human rights and contravening international law'.
"The government has to end the direct involvement of the CBI in apartheid Israel’s sale of genocide-funding bonds. The CBI is an organ of this state, and its complicity in genocide makes Ireland complicit. The government must stop renewal of Israel Bonds and end the flow of funds, authorised by the CBI, from Europe to Apartheid Israel for genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity - including the forced starvation of the entire people of Gaza and the threatened forced displacement of over 800,000 people from Northern Gaza.”
Despite the increasingly dystopian, authoritarian world we live in, my family & I continue to find peace & joy in our friendships, travels & outdoor adventures. Not being in denial of Israel's genocide in Gaza, enabled by our Western governments & the ongoing pandemic (repeated forced infections with a level 3 biohazard) is eviscerating. When reality is this twisted & cruel, feelings of helplessness & despair so overwhelming, the mind reaches for denialism. It's a short-term, unconscious survival strategy: shutting out that which seems impossible to bear. In the long term though, living life in denial of reality is a form of psychosis, which causes harm to self & others.
As a therapist, working with trauma patients, the most threatening act was inviting them to revisit their traumatic events(s). Opening old wounds, covered in layers of tough, unyielding, sinewy scar tissue, exposing the rawness and pain to daylight: hurts. Moving from a state of emotional dissociation & repression, known to cause physiological & psychological harm, to processing those triggering feelings & confronting reality, is where the healing & harm reduction begins. The acute phase of the SARS2 pandemic, the lack of preparedness and the chaos, mass deaths and disablement that ensued, resulted in collective trauma which is being exploited by our political leaders. We're just cogs in a bankrupt (morally & financially) capitalist system, the survival of which depends on us consuming tat (online, social media, "reality" TV) & not feeling or caring very much at all.
I choose to care: About forced disablement, forced displacements, genocide, our planet and the future of humanity.
I choose to feel and process this trauma.
I choose to resist.
I choose reality & living life without causing harm to myself or others. I haven't been sick in 6 years & am fitter & healthier than I've ever been. I choose to live my life without SARS-Cov-2 (or any airborne) infections. Without being forcibly, repeatedly infected with a vascular, neurotropic, organ damaging, level 3 biohazard. Turns out the scientists that warned disease prevention is the best way to safeguard population health, were right. RIP public health science.
Choosing reality in this timeline is a tough gig. So, I pace myself & repeat my reality check/stayingsaneinaninsaneworld mantra since 2020: Grief & joy in every day. Making room for both. Helps me stay grounded in reality whilst protecting body & mind from the enormity, anger & grief of that. It's a life hack that I swear by. Requires mindful use of social media. Highly recommend.
Random joyful moments (just a snap shot): March-August 2025. In no particular order👇
When you find a secret river spot deep & clean enough to swim in & hang out with friends on hot summer days. Bliss.
When you forget your cossie & it's a heatwave so...
Sit awhile, read, breathe, let the sound of the flowing stream wash your worries away.
The swifts frolicking in the sky above. Playful, soft, like hand in satin glove
Hopped off the bike to film the swifts. Any excuse...
Himself: Mountain biking at start of day
Shush, it's a Wood pecker wood pecking💞
Prizes for correctly guessing song & language said song is sung in!
March: Camper trip to Germany & the Czech Republic.
Son at German border: "Let's hope they don't check your passport. Your articles about Israel's genocide in Gaza are grounds for arrest under terrorism legislation here".
Me: "Let's hope they don't check at the UK border either" Journalists were being arrested in the UK since 2023, homes raided, for exposing Israel's genocidal campaign in Gaza🙃
Someone needs to start a news outlet that captures this timeline & call it: The Fascist Times
Fascist Times soundtracks contributions from himself👇
1) You fascists bound to lose by Woody Guthrie, featuring Rhiannon Giddens💪✊
2) Cognitive dissonance blues
Resisting with joy👇💪💖
Germany & Czech Republic road trip
Fantastic outdoor market town. Street vendors everywhere
Skiers gone, had the slopes to ourselves to bike & hike 💕
Wild lake swimming👇
Mother's day hike with my boy💓
Never took a single moment with this bundle of joy for granted. Stealing as many magical moments as I can, for as long as I can💓
Magic
Traditional spud planting (March). Between the slugs & shoats (cross between sheep & goats - my word!) who frequent our garden, they didn't stand a chance
Offending shoat interlopers!👇
Carrots & radishes survived & thrived👇
Courgettes, tomatoes, rocket, radishes & lettuce. Harvesting this veg for the chief chef is a great feeling. Washing up never felt like a fair deal💪💚
Ready to plant out
First courgette of many this season & still going strong
Courgette flowers in batter for starters
Garden veg mix for mains
First attempt at growing tomatoes not too shabby
Gone fishing!
Catches of the day🎣
Gutted
I do like to be beside the seaside...
When your Shaolin monk mate says it's time for Kung Fu💙😎
Sprat haul, off the pier, deep fried in batter. Yum
May: Wonderful day seaweed foraging & touring the magnificent Mungo Murphy's seaweed & abalone farm in Connemara. Learning all about the science of aquaculture https://www.mungomurphyseaweed.com/ Amazing, sustainable, ethical business run by two hugely knowledgeable, brilliant, badass women 💪👏😎💙
Castle tour with friends👇
Teens in their natural habitat💙💖
Foraging for berries
Father's day hike: My 2 favourite humans in the whole wide world. Couldn't be prouder of my life partner & father of our son. His hands on parenting is defined by expressions of love, in words & actions. He has taught our son that, real men hug their sons (& daughters!): Even when they're taller & cooler and, that our son is loved, seen & cherished for the incredible human he is - unconditionally 💖
Sowing the seeds of love💖
Cat crashing my yoga 💕
There were other joyful encounters with fabulous folk but not everything has to be shared💙💞
