Cork religious leader hits out at video describing African Presentation Brothers as 'military-aged males'

Brother Barry Noel, congregation leader of the Presentation Brothers, said the order has sought legal advice arising out of some of the language used in a video by anti-migrant activist Derek Blighe.

The Presentation Brothers' Mount St Joseph’s headquarters in Cork City. Picture: Eddie O'Hare

The head of a religious order has condemned the actions of anti-migrant activists in Cork for describing six religious brothers returning from a conference as “African military-aged males” and for suggesting their landmark property “fit the bill for plantation” by asylum seekers.

Brother Barry Noel, congregation leader of the Presentation Brothers, spoke out after a video, recorded on the grounds of the order’s Mount St Joseph’s headquarters in Cork City, was viewed more than 3,000 times on YouTube in recent days and led to a wave of racist and anti-migrant commentary online.

“They have gotten it totally wrong,” said Br Barry. 

I was utterly appalled at their actions, and at what they said.

The video was recorded by anti-migrant activist Derek Blighe after photographs were circulated online last week of what he described as “a bus full of African men” who were “dropped off and sent into the property”.

Mr Blighe, who has repeatedly called for Irish homeless people to be housed first, later led a group of about a dozen people through the main gates and up to the property.

“The reason why we are here tonight is because there are photographs circulating of African military-aged males, exiting a bus right at the back gate of this building here and coming in,” he said.

“We are not saying that this is a sure thing — what we know is this: Cork has, for the most part, avoided much of this scam up until now, but lately, there are migrants being dropped all over the city and county. We are seeing a pattern here, and religious buildings and convents, they are being converted all over the country.

"This building does fit the bill for plantation."

The Irish Examiner has established that the photograph was actually of six Presentation Brothers from West Africa, who were returning to Mount St Joseph’s following their attendance at the Congregation Chapter at the Dominican Retreat Centre in Tallaght, held every six years.

Br Barry said many brothers from Ireland and from all over the world come to Mount St Joseph's, and two-thirds of the building is used by the charity Share to care for homeless elderly people.

The order has sought legal advice arising out of some of the language used in the video.

Solidarity TD for Cork North Central, Mick Barry, also criticised the tone and content of the video and the motives behind it.

“This ham-fisted attempt to stir up racial suspicion fell flat on its face, but the farce had a sinister edge — an attempt to promote the view that the mere sighting of black men is cause for alarm,” he said.