Anti-immigrant protestors chant ‘Philly out’ as they target Dublin GAA legend

The eight time All-Ireland winning footballer attended the march in the capital and has hit out on social media at far-right agitators who have targeted migrants coming to Ireland.

Philly (35), who is from Ballymun, owns a gym in the north Dublin suburb and has also in the past blasted misinformation from far-right and ultra-nationalist hate mongers about asylum seekers and refugees.

“I haven’t seen the video yet and I don’t really want to comment about it right now,” Philly told sundayworld.com.

He added he stands over what he has said in the past.

Dublin Lord Mayor Caroline Conroy (Green Party), who is from Ballymun, told the Sunday World: “I haven’t seen the video yet but I will be in touch with Philly about all this.”

A posting on the ‘Ireland Against Fascism’ Twitter page highlights how one named “Finglas loudmouth…takes issue with Philly McMahon and his rightful stance against hate in his community in Ballymun, Coolock and Finglas.”

A group of about 30 people, some of whom brandished Irish flags, are seen in the video at a small protest earlier this week.

“A person that I brought my kids to see, wearing the sky blue, the Dublin colours, wearing the crest that’s meant to represent the people of Ballymun and calling us all losers,” claims the named agitator.

The claim is made despite the fact there does not appear to be any public record of Philly calling anyone “losers.”

The activist adds: “Marched with private NGOs on Saturday against his own people and then goes online and calls people losers and all sorts of names.

“Then has a gym in our area beside us.

"You should be out marching with your own people, the people that supported you when they were kids, and that go see you in Croke Park.

“Paul Murphy wasn’t at your game. They weren’t at your game. Roderic O’Gorman wasn’t at your game.

"The genuine people of Ballymun that followed you, that went to see your GAA team when you played in your local area.

“All on the Hill, screaming your name. Where are you now. Against your own people.”

Others in the crowd call Philly a “traitor” and “disgraceful”.

“Don’t forget where you’re from,” adds the main agitator. “When you’re from a working-class area, don’t forget the working-class people.

"Real businesses in this area, they sponsor football people, they do things for the community, they don’t sell their own people out and that’s what you did and it’s disgraceful.”

The crowed then starts chanting ‘” Philly out, Philly out”, which echoes previous anti-immigrant demonstrators’ chants of “Get them out, get them out”.

On Saturday Philly posted on his Twitter feed: “Incredible show of solidarity today at the Ireland for all march.

“Powerful feeling walking along the march from the back to the front, meet Ballymunforall at the top end. Got to see the true magnitude of the numbers and diversity. Well done everybody.”

Several days ago he posted in reference to anti-immigration marches “Are people protesting fed misinformation by right wing individuals/parties in regards to asylum seekers?”

In reply to someone telling him he’s on the “wrong side” and that he’s “getting paid” to say what he’s saying, Philly answers back: “People who are protesting have genuine concerns.

"The concerns lie mostly with Government policies. Asylum seekers are not at fault. Protest outside Government buildings. So do you still believe in right wing BS that I’m getting paid after me saying this?”.