The Race for the ARAS.....

[ziggysego]

Hugh Moran statement to rte

I wish to clarify and set the record straight in relation to the dealings I had with Sean Gallagher which resulted in my attendance at a Fianna Fail fundraiser in the Crown Plaza Hotel, Dundalk, on the 1st July 2008.
Sean Gallagher , who I had never met previous to this, contacted me by phone. He first phoned me on the 6th June 2008 and invited me to attend the above fundraiser. In the course of the call he requested a donation of €5,000.00 for Fianna Fail. He advised me that this type of fundraising would replace the annual Galway Tent Fundraiser. In return for the €5,000.00 donation I was promised a private audience with the Taoiseach and I would get a photograph taken with him.
He told me that the Taoiseach would give an up-date on the economy in the South which in his words was 'beginning to wobble'
On the 9th June he again phoned me to confirm my attendance . I confirmed that I would attend and was prepared to give the donation he requested. He left two mobile phone numbers for me to contact him on these numbers are 0878293028 and 0879763122.
On the 27th June Sean Gallagher visited my business premises at Killean, County Armagh. I wrote a cheque for €5,000.00 and gave it to him personally. The cheque number is 13014. I still have the stub of the cheque , This payment is declared in my Company accounts and was cleared through my bank on the 1st July 2008.
I then attended the fundraiser which was also attended by other businessmen from South Armagh, North Louth and across the Northeast. Sean Gallagher greeted the guests on arrival and directed us to the room at the top of the Hotel where the fundraiser was held.
Brian Cowen gave a speech on the economy and predicted a soft landing. At the end of the night Sean Gallagher introduced me to Brian Cowen and facilitated a photograph to be taken of myself and him. Approximately one week later Sean Gallagher called back to my business and gave me the photograph.
It is a fact that approximately fourteen years ago I was convicted of tax evasion in relation to fuel smuggling in Northern Ireland. As a consequence to that, I have repaid the Exchequer and paid a substantial fine. I was never investigated by CAB or any other agency in the Republic.
Since that time I have developed a successful international business known as Morgan Fuels.
I employ over eighty people in Ireland ,both North and South. I have business interests in Ireland , Britan and Europe and the Morgan Fuel card can be used up to 4,000 service stations in fourteen countries across Europe.I am also the official sponsor of the Armagh County teams of the GAA.

[Nally Stand]

I loved the line about the fancy big campaign bus used by McGuinness. Right after McGuinness was talking about modes of transport etc.

MGHU, it shows the mentality you have when you are impressed by a comment like that from Norris. Why not look into things a bit closer. McGuiness' salary, if elected, would be over €200k less that that of Norris, were Norris elected.

How many buses would all that allow Norris to hire and decorate in the way McGuinness did for these few weeks, I wonder.

McGuinness hardly sets the tone of his poverty presidency in his flash new battle  bus. Norris hit the nail on the head.

Neatly avoiding my point again are we? For a man who seems to uptight about FF and money, you seem happy enough at Norris taking €245k salary and passing comment about other candidate's supposed excessiveness (for hiring a bus )

[Applesisapples]

A bit different to Sean's mature reflection!!

[mayogodhelpus@gmail.com]

I loved the line about the fancy big campaign bus used by McGuinness. Right after McGuinness was talking about modes of transport etc.

MGHU, it shows the mentality you have when you are impressed by a comment like that from Norris. Why not look into things a bit closer. McGuiness' salary, if elected, would be over €200k less that that of Norris, were Norris elected.

How many buses would all that allow Norris to hire and decorate in the way McGuinness did for these few weeks, I wonder.

McGuinness hardly sets the tone of his poverty presidency in his flash new battle  bus. Norris hit the nail on the head.

Neatly avoiding my point again are we? For a man who seems to uptight about FF and money, you seem happy enough at Norris taking €245k salary and passing comment about other candidate's supposed excessiveness (for hiring a bus )

Hey you changed the subject first, nice try 

[Nally Stand]

I loved the line about the fancy big campaign bus used by McGuinness. Right after McGuinness was talking about modes of transport etc.

MGHU, it shows the mentality you have when you are impressed by a comment like that from Norris. Why not look into things a bit closer. McGuiness' salary, if elected, would be over €200k less that that of Norris, were Norris elected.

How many buses would all that allow Norris to hire and decorate in the way McGuinness did for these few weeks, I wonder.

McGuinness hardly sets the tone of his poverty presidency in his flash new battle  bus. Norris hit the nail on the head.

Neatly avoiding my point again are we? For a man who seems to uptight about FF and money, you seem happy enough at Norris taking €245k salary and passing comment about other candidate's supposed excessiveness (for hiring a bus )

Hey you changed the subject first, nice try 

Me changing the subject? Ehhh, I kept the subject on money. I though that was your point? Either that or you and David Norris are just opposed to buses in general.

[Tubberman]

That statement from Morgan has made things even worse from Gallagher's point of view. Not about receiving the cheque - there's nothing illegal about that.
It raises massive questions about his honesty, the credibility of his version of events, and his suitability for Head of State.
He goes down on all three from my point of view.

[Ulick]

Hugh Moran statement to rte

I wish to clarify and set the record straight in relation to the dealings I had with Sean Gallagher which resulted in my attendance at a Fianna Fail fundraiser in the Crown Plaza Hotel, Dundalk, on the 1st July 2008.
Sean Gallagher , who I had never met previous to this, contacted me by phone. He first phoned me on the 6th June 2008 and invited me to attend the above fundraiser. In the course of the call he requested a donation of €5,000.00 for Fianna Fail. He advised me that this type of fundraising would replace the annual Galway Tent Fundraiser. In return for the €5,000.00 donation I was promised a private audience with the Taoiseach and I would get a photograph taken with him.
He told me that the Taoiseach would give an up-date on the economy in the South which in his words was 'beginning to wobble'
On the 9th June he again phoned me to confirm my attendance . I confirmed that I would attend and was prepared to give the donation he requested. He left two mobile phone numbers for me to contact him on these numbers are 0878293028 and 0879763122.
On the 27th June Sean Gallagher visited my business premises at Killean, County Armagh. I wrote a cheque for €5,000.00 and gave it to him personally. The cheque number is 13014. I still have the stub of the cheque , This payment is declared in my Company accounts and was cleared through my bank on the 1st July 2008.
I then attended the fundraiser which was also attended by other businessmen from South Armagh, North Louth and across the Northeast. Sean Gallagher greeted the guests on arrival and directed us to the room at the top of the Hotel where the fundraiser was held.
Brian Cowen gave a speech on the economy and predicted a soft landing. At the end of the night Sean Gallagher introduced me to Brian Cowen and facilitated a photograph to be taken of myself and him. Approximately one week later Sean Gallagher called back to my business and gave me the photograph.
It is a fact that approximately fourteen years ago I was convicted of tax evasion in relation to fuel smuggling in Northern Ireland. As a consequence to that, I have repaid the Exchequer and paid a substantial fine. I was never investigated by CAB or any other agency in the Republic.
Since that time I have developed a successful international business known as Morgan Fuels.
I employ over eighty people in Ireland ,both North and South. I have business interests in Ireland , Britan and Europe and the Morgan Fuel card can be used up to 4,000 service stations in fourteen countries across Europe.I am also the official sponsor of the Armagh County teams of the GAA.

This directly contradicts what he Gallagher has just said on TodayFM and is now repeating on Newstalk.

[ONeill]

Looks like Armagh GAA are up to their necks in this. Can see a 2 year ban.

[mayogodhelpus@gmail.com]

Looks like Armagh GAA are up to their necks in this. Can see a 2 year ban.

Explain.

[gallsman]

the IRA never targetted 'innocents' - though disasterously some were killed in attacks.

That's a blatant lie and you know it.

no it isnt. ....and you know it !

Kingsmill was an accident, was it?

[ONeill]

Isn't it obvious?

Morgan has been lifting gate receipts from home NFL games in Cross and used the money to pay for a photo opportunity with Cowan. He has then sold copies of the photo at matches to Armagh fans and that money has been used to build the Athletic Grounds.

[TacadoirArdMhacha]

Looks like Armagh GAA are up to their necks in this. Can see a 2 year ban.

Given the present circumstances, every cloud..............................

I must say that Uncle Hughie's account sounds perfectly plausible and credible. Had Gallagher simply stated those facts last night he wouldn't have done himself too much harm. Instead he denied the story, then attacked Hugh and then implicated himself by admitting he may have been collecting envelopes from the criminal he was deriding.

[sheamy]

Isn't it obvious?

Morgan has been lifting gate receipts from home NFL games in Cross and used the money to pay for a photo opportunity with Cowan. He has then sold copies of the photo at matches to Armagh fans and that money has been used to build the Athletic Grounds.

I heard Mick McGurn was personal trainer to Gallagher. This shit just gets worse.

[muppet]

Looks like Armagh GAA are up to their necks in this. Can see a 2 year ban.

It'll be reduced to two All-Stars on appeal.

[Sea The Stars]

Why anybody would believe Morgan's version of events is beyond me.

First the giy is a convincted criminal which straight away marks him out as a dishonest person. Secondly, he has very close Sinn Fein connections from the last General Election so there's his motive. It's all very convenient that this story has come out a couple of days after Gallagher has begun to run away with the Election. 

To me the whole thing is clearly a set-up and it is so sad that Sinn Fein are being allowed carry out these deceitful tactics in the name of the presidency.

I feel so sorry for the people who are judging Gallagher's president credentials on this non-issue. These people are naive and fickle.

I also have sympathy for Gallagher who is unfortunetely on the recieving end of these allegations. I guess it comes with the territory but it demeans the office of president in my opinion. It's all so wrong that Martin McGuinness and his Sinn Fein colleagues are allowed to do this.