‘We were Sinn Fein's friends in America, the people they could count on — until they wanted to change their image ... but I've no regrets'
For almost two decades, he was the public face of the IRA in the US. New York lawyer Martin Galvin was regarded as so dangerous by the authorities here that he was prohibited from entering the UK.
In August 1984 he defied the ban to appear at an anti-internment rally in west Belfast.
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Metro
2 days ago
- Metro
Sports star used iPhone cord to pretend he had cancer to scam thousands of people
With a 'tube' up his nose and lying on a 'hospital bed', the photo appears to be of Ireland's most famous sports stars being treated for cancer. There is one problem – he didn't have cancer. DJ Carey, seen as one of the greatest hurlers of all time, has pleaded guilty to pretending to have cancer to trick people into giving him money. The sports legend even conned Irish billionaire Denis O'Brien into giving him money to fund cancer treatment. Carey, 54, pleaded guilty to 10 counts related to defrauding people out of money while pretending to have cancer at the Circuit Court in Dublin's Criminal Courts of Justice on Wednesday. The sportsman won five All-Ireland titles and nine All-Star awards in hurling. Hurling is a stick-and-ball field game of ancient Gaelic Irish origin played by men and women. Carey has been described as the sport's 'first superstar' and a 'hurling legend'. However, he was said to have tricked his victims into making a monetary payment to him between 2014 and 2022 after saying he needed money to fund cancer treatment. Since pleading guilty, an image of Carey with 'tubes' up his nose and lying on a 'hospital bed' has resurfaced. The image, thought to have been sent to his victims, appears to show an iPhone cable taped to his face. Carey was charged with inducing him to make a payment to him between January 2014 and late 2022. Carey's defence team told the court that while cancer was referred to in the indictment, the sports star 'does have very genuine health conditions' which required surgery for a heart condition last year. They told the court he must attend check-ups periodically and that evidence from his surgeons can be provided. Despite his legendary status after he retired from hurling, Carey publicly battled financial problems. In May 2011, Allied Irish Bank (AIB) secured an initial debt repayment court order for about £7.3million. However, this debt was then reduced from nearly £8.2million to £51,000 in a settlement with AIB in 2018. In 2015, speaking on RTE's Ray D'Arcy radio show, Carey said: 'I am not one of those who would say 'I don't care' about repaying debt.' 'You borrow money, it should be paid back.' Carey appeared in court in late 2023 charged with 21 counts under the Theft and Fraud Offences Act, with a four-week trial expected to take place this year. He was due to stand trial on deception charges at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. About 28 witnesses were expected to give evidence for the prosecution at trial. But the prosecutor told the court that Carey would be entering guilty pleas, with a sentencing date now set for October 29. Carey has been remanded on bail until then. The hurling star's fall from grace follows a period of celebrity status after retiring from hurling in 2006. Carey's family members are also well-known in the world of Irish sport. His sister, Catriona, was a member of the Ireland women's field hockey team, while his brother Martin was also a hurler. One of the most high-profile cancer-faking scandals unfolded a decade ago with influencer Belle Gibson. In 2015, it was uncovered that the Australian wellness influencer, who had built an online community and profited off the back of selling a story about being diagnosed with cancer, was a fraud. The author of The Whole Pantry mobile app and cookbook claimed to have had malignant brain cancer that she managed through diet, exercise, natural medicine, and alternative medicine therapies. More Trending After an investigation regarding the legitimacy of Gibson's claims that she was donating a sizeable amount of her income to charities, it was discovered she'd lied about her age, personal life and actually having cancer at all. She eventually confessed, admitting that 'none of it's true'. Gibson was convicted in 2017 of engaging in misleading or deceptive conduct and fined $410,000 (£211,000) for breaching consumer laws. Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: 'Beautiful and much-loved' mum and daughter, 6, killed in car crash named MORE: The origin story of Baby Guinness reveals you've been doing the shots all wrong MORE: Irish musician and comedian cancels all of his gigs for the year
The Guardian
2 days ago
- The Guardian
Ronald Appleton obituary
As the leading prosecutor in many notorious terrorist trials, Ronald Appleton's list of cases from the savage years of Northern Ireland's Troubles ensured he developed unparalleled experience in bringing those accused of politically inspired violence to justice. His high-profile hearings included cases against the IRA unit responsible for the La Mon House restaurant bombing that killed 12 people in 1978, the loyalist Shankill Butchers gang in 1979 and the gunman Michael Stone, who shot dead three mourners at a republican funeral in 1998. The Shankill Butchers were members of the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) responsible for torturing and murdering more than 20 mainly Catholic victims. In 1979 Appleton, who has died aged 97, helped secure 42 life sentences for them, the largest number ever handed down in a UK trial. Martin Dillon, author of The Shankill Butchers, the definitive book on the subject, described him as 'one of the outstanding lawyers of his generation'. He was the prosecutor in several controversial 'supergrass trials' that relied on statements from disaffected members of paramilitary organisations who became informants – including Christopher Black, a former IRA man whose testimony led to the conviction in 1983 of 22 members of the IRA's Belfast Brigade, who were sentenced to a total of more than 4,000 years in prison. Appleton believed Black's evidence, but the supergrass system collapsed several years later after a judge ruled that another informer's testimony was 'unworthy of belief'. Appleton was dedicated to and intensely focused on his work, to the extent that he once walked into a glass door while absorbed in legal papers. Personally modest, he learned to live behind the high-security darkened windows, bullet-proof glass and personal protection officers that were necessary to guarantee his safety. His name appeared on kill lists drawn up by the IRA, the UVF and even, according to his family, the Palestinian militant faction Black September. Born in Belfast to Jewish parents – David, whose family was originally from Lithuania, and Sophie (nee Barnes), who had come from Ukraine – he attended Belfast high school before going on to study law at the city's Queen's University, where he organised the student Socialist Society. His decision to become a barrister was partially due to his headmaster, who suggested the job would help to overcome his shyness. After college he joined the Bar of Northern Ireland (also known as the Bar Library), where counsel trained and practised, and there he was influenced by the example of Barney Fox, the first Jewish member of the Bar Library, who became his pupil master. Initially he took on insurance cases because he had contacts in that industry, but later he switched to crime, which he found more interesting. Once established as a successful defence barrister, Appleton married Shoshana Schmidt in Tel Aviv, Israel, in 1963. The eruption of political violence in Northern Ireland during the late 1960s meant his expertise in meticulous case preparation was even more in demand. The attorney general of Northern Ireland, Sir Basil Kelly, tried repeatedly to recruit him for prosecution work, but he was reluctant to accept because he was opposed to the death penalty, which still existed in Northern Ireland, and was also wary of being drawn into what he saw as the establishment. In 1969, the year he took silk, he turned down a brief to prosecute a group of loyalists accused of murdering Constable Victor Arbuckle – the first RUC officer to be killed during the Troubles – in a riot on the Shankill Road. Instead he chose to defend Thomas Roundtree, one of the accused, who was acquitted but served time for arms possession. It proved to be the last death penalty trial in Northern Ireland. Asked what it was like defending under the shadow of the hangman, Appleton later explained it was like any other case: he would have breakfast, consult with colleagues and go into court. The only difference was that on his way he would visit the toilets and throw up. The abolition of the death penalty in Northern Ireland in 1973 led him to reassess his position. Appleton was committed to the delivery of justice with scrupulous fairness. He disapproved of internment without trial. In the mid-1970s, against a background of escalating violence, he therefore agreed to begin prosecuting. His son Dudi said the only time he saw him angry was if there was a suspicion of a police officer fabricating testimony. He would prefer to let something slip out in court if he had doubts about evidence – even if it undermined his own case. In 1977 he was appointed senior crown prosecutor for Northern Ireland – a position he held for the next 22 years. Any hopes of subsequently being promoted to the high court bench as a judge were dashed by Belfast's judicial selections. There were suggestions of anti-semitic prejudice, but he evidently lost out to competing interests. At home, Appleton hosted dinners for professionals, friends and politicians from across the religious divide. Sometimes he even invited those he had helped convict, such as the UVF leader David Ervine. In retirement he was active as a school governor, president of the Belfast Jewish Community, chair of the local lawyers' pro bono unit and a founder of Thanksgiving Square, a memorial marking the end of the Troubles. He is survived by his wife, their five children, Michael, Dallia, Dudi, Philip and Sophie, and three grandchildren. Ronald Appleton, barrister and public prosecutor, born 29 December 1927; died 6 April 2025
Belfast Telegraph
2 days ago
- Belfast Telegraph
Elizabeth Emblems honour 34 who lost their lives in Northern Ireland
The honour scheme, launched last year and conferred by King Charles, acknowledges the sacrifice of police officers, firefighters and public servants. Across the UK the families of 106 families people who lost their lives are to receive the honour in what is only the second ever list of Elizabeth Emblem recipients to be published. The high proportion from Northern Ireland includes many families whose loved ones were killed during the Troubles. Among those named in the list of recipients is Brian Armour from the NI Prison Service, who was serving at the Maze when he was killed on October 4, 1988 by the IRA who had planted a bomb under his car. John Doherty, of the Royal Ulster Constabulary will also be honoured. He was visiting his mother in Ardnasool, near Lifford, Co Donegal when he was ambushed and shot dead by the IRA on October 28, 1973. An Elizabeth Emblem — the civilian equivalent of the Elizabeth Cross, which recognises members of the Armed Forces who died in action or as a result of a terrorist attack — will also be presented to the family of William Ivan Toombs. He had been working for HM Customs and Excise in his office at Warrenpoint Harbour when members of the IRA entered and fired handguns at point blank range on January 16, 1981. RUC Reserve Constable Robert Struthers is also included in the list. He had been working in the office of his full-time employer, Lorne Electric Ltd in Londonderry, when two armed men entered and shot him on June 16, 1978. The families of two more RUC reserve constables will also be honoured. Margaret Cherry Campbell, who died on November 21, 1975 had been investigating a road traffic accident on the main Londonderry to Limavady road when she attempted to stop a passing car, which swerved, stuck another vehicle which then stuck her. And RUC reserve constable Wallace Allen who had been working in his regular job, driving a lorry for Milk Marketing Board in South Armagh, when he was shot by the IRA and his body taken. He died on August 31, with his remains located two weeks later on September 12. The family of firefighter John Nicholl, who was working to bring a blaze under control at a disused shop on August 27, 1976 when the building collapsed and trapped him inside, will be receiving the award in recognition of his sacrifice. It will also be presented to the loved ones of PSNI officer Philippa Reynolds who died after a stolen car crashed into a police patrol vehicle in February 2013. Chief Constable Jon Boutcher said the Elizabeth Emblem was 'a lasting memory' of officers' bravery. 'It is a poignant and powerful symbol of national gratitude – a recognition not only of the officers' ultimate sacrifice, but also of the pain their loved ones have been left behind to process and carry,' he said. Secretary of State, Hilary Benn, who this week marks a year in office, said the nation owes 'a huge debt of gratitude to all of the public servants who will posthumously receive this honour. 'I want to personally thank the families of those police officers, firefighters and other public servants from Northern Ireland who are recognised for their bravery and service,' he added. 'Your loved ones made the ultimate sacrifice to protect the wider community, many during the deeply traumatic period of the Troubles, and for that we will be forever grateful.' Two NI Executive ministers also added their appreciation. Justice Minister Naomi Long, said: 'We owe a great debt to those who lost their lives as a result of their public service. I am pleased to see the first recipients of the Elizabeth Emblem in Northern Ireland named today. It is a fitting testament to the dedication of those police officers and prison officers in Northern Ireland who lost their lives in the course of their duty, and to their families.' Health Minister Mike Nesbitt added: 'I acknowledge the profound sacrifice of the two late Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS) firefighters, whose deaths occurred many years ago but whose courage remains deeply respected. 'As the first from NIFRS to receive the Elizabeth Emblem, this important recognition pays lasting tribute to their service and bravery. 'I offer my sincere sympathy and gratitude to their families, who have carried this loss for decades.' In addition to 34 people from Northern Ireland the list of recipients includes 63 from England, eight from Scotland and one from Wales. The Emblem's design incorporates a rosemary wreath, a traditional symbol of remembrance, which surrounds the Tudor Crown. It is inscribed with 'For A Life Given In Service', and will have the name of the person for whom it is in memoriam inscribed on the reverse. Kate says cancer is 'life-changing' for patients and their loved ones Full list of people from NI who will be recognised with national award • Const Earnest McAllister, Royal Ulster Constabulary. Died March 20, 1972. • Const John Doherty, RUC. Died October 28, 1973. • Const Robert Megaw, RUC. Died December 1, 1973. • Const Cyril John Wilson, RUC. Died March 17, 1974. • Const John Harrison Forsythe, RUC. Died June 18, 1974. • Res Con Andrew Alexander Baird, RUC. Died October 14, 1975. • Res Con Margaret Cherry Campbell, RUC. Died November 21, 1975. • Sgt James Hunter, RUC. Died May 15, 1976. • Ff John Aloysius Nichol, Northern Ireland Fire Brigade. Died August 27, 1976. • Sgt Albert Craig, RUC. Died September 18, 1976. • Const Patrick Liam McNulty, RUC. Died January 27, 1977. • Const Kenneth William Sheehan, RUC. Died April 8, 1977. • Res Con Robert Albert James Struthers, RUC. Died June 16, 1978. • Const William Herbert Turbitt, RUC. Died June 17, 1978. • Sub-O Wesley Orr, Northern Ireland Fire Brigade. Died November 16, 1978. • Const Richard Allen Baird, RUC. Died April 17, 1979. • Res Con Frederick John Eric Lutton, RUC. Died May 1, 1979. • Res Con William Wallace Allen, RUC. Died August 31, 1980. • Res Con Lindsay Gardiner McDougall, RUC. Died January 14, 1981. • William Edward Ivan Toombs, HM Revenue and Customs. Died January 16, 1981. • Const Gary Desmond Martin, RUC. Died April 27, 1981. • Const Andrew Alfred Woods, RUC. Died August 2, 1981. • Sgt William Gordon Wilson, RUC. Died February 21, 1983. • Res Con James Ferguson, RUC. Died October 6, 1983. • Res Con Trevor George Elliot, RUC. Died May 18, 1984. • Insp Patrick Martin Vance, RUC. Died August 31, 1985. • PC Paul Richard North, RUC. Died March 17, 1987. • Brian Samuel Armour, Northern Ireland Prison Service. Died October 4, 1988. • Const Gary Carl Meyer, RUC. Died June 30, 1990. • Insp William David Wesley Murphy, RUC. Died November 10, 1990. • Const John Spence McGarry, RUC. Died April 6, 1991. • Const Michael John Ferguson, RUC. Died January 23, 1993. • Res Con Kenneth Thomas Irvine, Police Service of Northern Ireland. Died November 23, 2008. • Const Philippa Reynolds, Police Service of Northern Ireland. Died February 9, 2013.
