Holly Cairns Supports Eoin Hayes Amid Blackface Photos Controversy

The leader of the Social Democrats, Holly Cairns, has publicly defended her party colleague Eoin Hayes, following a controversy over photographs depicting him in “blackface” at a Halloween party 16 years ago. Hayes, a member of the Dáil representing Dublin Bay South, has faced scrutiny after images of him wearing dark make-up as part of a Barack Obama costume were published in the Irish Daily Mail on March 5, 2024, coinciding with the party’s annual parliamentary think-in in Dublin.

Cairns emphasized that Hayes deserves an opportunity to rebuild trust, stating that he has acknowledged the severity of his actions. The incident occurred when Hayes was the 22-year-old president of the University College Cork Students’ Union. During a press conference, Cairns noted that if this incident had taken place recently, Hayes would no longer hold his position within the party. “I want to be clear that if this had happened last week, or even last year, he would no longer be a Social Democrats TD,” she remarked.

At the news conference, Cairns acknowledged the negative impact of the revelations on the party, calling the situation “extremely disappointing” as it overshadowed their political agenda for the new Dáil term. She stated, “There’s no sugar-coating that,” adding that there are no circumstances under which blackface is acceptable. “It is racist, and I want to make that very clear at the outset,” she asserted.

Hayes responded to the controversy by issuing an unreserved apology, recognizing his past actions as “idiotic and reprehensible.” In a statement shared on X, he explained, “While I didn’t have an understanding of how hurtful it was at the time, I came to recognise that in the intervening years and am so profoundly sorry.” He emphasized his commitment to condemning racism in all its forms, taking full responsibility for his actions.

Cairns confirmed that Hayes chose not to attend the think-in to avoid diverting attention from the party’s work. She mentioned that she was informed of the controversy when contacted by the media, rather than through Hayes himself. She expressed her belief that he did not know the newspaper had obtained the images prior to the media inquiry.

The party leader also addressed a previous controversy involving Hayes, which led to his suspension in December 2023. Following his election in November 2023, he made incorrect statements regarding shares he held in a company linked to the Israeli military. After initially claiming he had divested these shares before taking office, he later revealed that he sold them for a pre-tax amount of €199,000 after assuming his role. His suspension was lifted in July 2023.

Cairns, who had been on maternity leave, stated her full support for the party’s decision to reinstate Hayes. She reiterated the importance of learning from mistakes and improving candidate vetting processes. “We know we’re going to make mistakes, and clearly we need to just learn from those mistakes,” she said.

As the Social Democrats move forward, the focus will remain on addressing critical political issues, with Cairns hoping to steer the conversation away from the controversy surrounding Hayes. The party’s leadership faces the challenge of balancing accountability with the need for redemption in public life.