Victim of alleged homophobic assault in Cork: ‘You can be gay in Ireland but don’t be too gay’

David Babington believes many assaults go unreported, saying: 'People are probably afraid to believe that anything will come of it'

David Babington: “We’ve never experienced any form of homophobia down the country but you go up to Cork city and get it non-stop.” Picture: David Babington

A Cork influencer who was the victim of an alleged homophobic attack in Cork city on Sunday night said he fears socially regressing following the incident.

David Babington was out celebrating a friend's birthday when he said a man shouted abusive and homophobic language at him from across the street. Mr Babington told the Irish Examinerthat the man, who he believes was not alone, then approached him.

“I didn’t stand a chance, he was a big character. Before I knew it I was hit into the face, I just remember going down,” he said before adding that he lost consciousness. 

The assault left his eye severely bruised and swollen, with his young daughter being “afraid” of him due to the injuries. He now fears regressing and becoming a “nervous character” following the assault, and worried he will begin questioning if he is being “too gay” in certain bars or areas.

Mr Babington said the most recent incident was not an isolated case. The 43-year-old said he has been attacked in Cork city “several times” from a young age, and was seriously assaulted at the age of 19 which resulted in a conviction carrying a six-month sentence for the offender. 

"I just never expected to experience it as a man, as a husband or as a father,” he said. He said he does not experience harassment from younger generations but from men roughly his age. 

You do get men of a certain age that give me the looks and say words under their breath and they all stare at the same time. 

"I believe they got away with doing it back in school and obviously they haven’t evolved mentally, they still think it’s acceptable and they get away with it,” he said.

He believes assaults such as this go unreported, saying: “People are probably afraid to believe that anything will come of it.” 

Incidents such as Sunday’s are not limited to bars or night time, he said, noting that one afternoon when in a retail store in Cork city in September last year a man confronted him after using the bathroom.

David Babbington: 'I believe they got away with doing it back in school and obviously they haven’t evolved mentally, they still think it’s acceptable and they get away with it.' Picture: David Babbington

“He looked me up and down because of how I was dressed and his words were ‘dirty f**king ba***rd’. I couldn’t believe it, it was almost like I didn’t belong in the cubicles,” he said.

Now living in Doneraile for the past six years with his husband and daughter, Mr Babington said: “We’ve never experienced any form of homophobia down the country but you go up to Cork city and get it non-stop.”

Mr Babington said he has since heard from numerous gay men in Cork who have experienced similar and recent incidents in the city centre. “You can be gay in Ireland but don’t be too gay,” he said.

A Garda spokesperson said gardaí are investigating all the circumstances of the incident which resulted in the arrest of a male who was later released without charge.