IRB fringe conspiracists set up their own kangaroo court for Connacht
A fringe group styling itself the Irish Republican Brotherhood (IRB) has declared a town hall in the West of Ireland as a “supreme court” for Connacht – in effect a ‘kangaroo court’ that has no legitimacy in this State.
The political conspiracy organisation, attempting to gain a foothold in County Galway, declared Crossmolina Town Hall its “Éire Supreme Court” in Connacht.
It also declared it an IRB “Community Court” for Crossmolina and a “County Court” for Mayo.
A spokesperson for Crossmolina Town Hall said they were unaware of who exactly the IRB was. And they said they had not given permission for the IRB to use their venue.
“I am not aware of the group you refer to as the IRB, nor have I had any contact with them. To my knowledge, no such ‘community court’ sittings have taken place in Crossmolina Town Hall, and no permission has been sought or granted for any such use.
“Our community hall is maintained for the benefit and use of the people of our local community,” a spokesperson for Crossmolina Town Hall said.
Mayo County Council confirmed it does not own the building and had no oversight or role in its management.
Records show that as well as claiming Crossmolina Town Hall as its courthouse – without the operator’s knowledge or consent – the IRB group has declared buildings in Clare, Donegal and Wicklow as venues for its provincial kangaroo courts.
As reported in the Connacht Tribune previously, the so-called IRB is planning to establish kangaroo courts in County Galway, as well as “community councils” and a “community bank”.
The sovereign citizen group styling itself the IRB has gained a foothold in Oughterard, with plans to expand across the region.
The IRB refers to the country’s legitimate legal system as “Corporate Court System” and its own planned judicial system as “The Éire Courts”.
John D Flanagan, Chairman of the national IRB organisation, previously told this newspaper: “The Éire Courts are not in competition with the Corporate Court System. The Éire Courts will fill a void that the Corporate Court System can’t fill.”
An Garda Síochána and Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan, a Fianna Fáil TD, previously confirmed to The Connacht Tribune that the so-called “community courts” being established by the IRB are not lawful.
The Minister said the “courts established under the Constitution and law are the only ones recognised in the State” and any summons issued in by the IRB courts “are invalid and without lawful authority”.
Minutes of a recent meeting of the group showed it planned to use discontent in Conamara over seaweed harvesting rights as a recruitment tool in Galway's Gaeltacht areas.