Brendan Courtney ends up in A&E after being 'attacked' near his home
Fashion designer Brendan Courtney has ended up in A&E after being "attacked" near his home in Dublin on Thursday night. Picture: Leon Farrell/Photocall Ireland
Fashion designer and TV presenter Brendan Courtney ended up in the emergency department after being attacked near his home in Dublin on Thursday night.
The incident occurred at around 9pm near his apartment on the quays when three men jumped out of a car and started hitting him.
In a post on Instagram, Mr Courtney said: "Last night at 9 o'clock on my way home with some food, crossing the traffic lights just outside my apartment on the quays, three lads pulled up in a car and jumped out, they jumped on me, attacked me, and punched me to the ground.
"They cut my fucking ear, there was a load of blood, I have a little gash. I'm lucky actually, but I'm all sore because they kicked me in the head a couple of times."
According to Mr Courtney, an "amazing American couple" who were walking by at the time started to scream at the attackers, and the manager from a nearby premises also came to his aid.
He said "the police were there in seconds" but the men jumped back in their car and drove off.
"Anyway, that happened to me yesterday, so be careful. Dublin, what is going on?" he said.
Following the attack, the Dublin native went to the emergency department, saying:
Speaking on RTÉ's Liveline this afternoon Mr Courtney said he believes his attackers were "probably out for the hunt."
“I think they were just going out to lash someone out of it, that’s for sure.
“I think they recognised me and I think that was perfect fodder, that’s my feeling, could be wrong.
“I could have just been a very obviously gay man with his chips walking across the bridge.
“There’s definitely a rhetoric rebuilding, I can feel an anti-gay rhetoric for sure, that language is coming back that’s being allowed to be used again.
“And I don’t know where it’s coming from – well, we do know where it’s coming from – but we try and guard against it and bring education and awareness up.”
He added: “Its so important to just remind people that this happens still and to be vigilant first of all and if crime happens to report it.”
The 53-year-old went on to thank everybody for the messages of support he has received since the incident.
"Thank you everybody for the messages. It's not good enough to be set upon on the street where you live and end up on a Friday in A&E. It's not good enough. We can do better," he said.
Gardaí said they are investigating an assault on a man, which happened shortly before 9.30pm on Usher's Quay in Dublin 8.
A Garda spokesperson said: "Gardaí attended the scene of an assault on a male that is reported to have occurred on Usher’s Quay in Dublin 8 shortly after 9.30pm on Thursday evening, 27th February 2025.
"The male, aged in his 50s, did not require immediate medical attention.
"Investigations are ongoing."
