Outspoken actor, writer and director John Connors has called on members of the Travelling community involved in fueds to step back from violence and “to go back to God”.
He said that those involved in feuds were “destroying our own community” and that the feuding left men, women and children living in fear of violence which was killing Travellers.
“We need to stop the violence and stop the feuding,” he said, adding “And you know what the key is to stopping? Go back to God. That’s we got to do. Go back to God. Understand that there is an afterlife, there is a judgement day and we will all be judged for our actions.”
“That’s my advice to you,” he said. “Pick up your Rosary beads, go back to your faith, and that will stop it, because only God can stop it”. His call has been met with thousands of messages of support and likes.
The actor, who is a member of the Travelling Community, revealed that he had been involved in fueds even as a child of 11 or 12 years of age, with “hairy grown men coming after me in the streets”. That led to “violence day in, day out” and “you can’t go out” without looking over your shoulder”, leading to continual stress, he said.
There was “no luck” from it all, he said. “We need to stop this,” he continued, “we need to stop killing ourselves up and down the country and videoing it all and putting it all on camera”.
“As I said, I know all about this world and I can tell you – been there, done that – there is not an hour’s luck in it,” the award-winning actor said.
The Love/Hate star who now has a popular podcast, said “I have to comment on this even though I know it’ll get me a bit of stick,” as he posted a viral video made in the wake of the savage attack on a young Traveller woman Scarlett Faulkner at Birdhill, Co Tipperary, on Saturday.
He noted that he was not addressing Travellers who were not involved and that he knew what it was like to be blamed for something when you had no involvement in same.
He said that a video that was being shared of the attack on Ms Faulkner was “absolutely horrendous” and asked for prayers for the young woman’s recovery and for her return to full health.
Ms Faulkner remains in a critical condition in hospital after sustaining severe head injuries during the attack.
Gardaí are seeking to question a number of men and women in connection with the assault after video footage which circulated of the incident online appeared to show a number of men and women armed with what appear to be a hatchet and a sword attacking two women, including Faulkner.
It is understood that the young woman was attacked by one or a number of people who were armed with weapons, and left for dead at the side of the road just before 5.30pm on Saturday.
It is believed that the vehicle she was travelling in was deliberately forced off the road, before Ms Faulkner was pulled from the car and “brutally” assaulted by two individuals, one of whom was armed with an axe.
A number of other people were present during the incident.
Moyross Parish Priest, Fr Pat Hogan, told the media: “We don’t need such violence in our society. We don’t need our children seeing it, and it’s our duty as adults and as parents to bring our children up in a non-violent place, a non-violent society – so we need peace.”
Fr Hogan, who is also a chaplain to the Traveller community knows the family well – describing Ms Faulkner as a “lovely young lady.”
“We are shocked by the incident, the violence involved,” he added.
SUPPORT FOR MESSAGE
Support flooded in for John Connors’ message on Facebook where he posted his video. “Fair play to you, John. That took guts to come out and say it straight to speak out like this. It takes courage, especially as a well known Traveller man, to stand up and call for peace and unity. You’re setting a powerful example and representing the Traveller community in a positive light. More people need to hear this message,” one woman posted.
The “travelling community was always know for the way they stick together and look out for each other, it was always like that as I remember all beautiful people with great religious faith, I was brought up near a travelling community and they where always amazing people, but unfortunately I think drugs has ruined all this in many cases,” said another.
And one woman posted: “Fair play. Its not just travellers though. Families and clans in all communities Ireland have lost all sense of decency and respect for others. Please God the poor lady will be ok , and that the trauma of this awful attack doesn’t ruin her whole life.”