Holly Cairns Supports Eoin Hayes Amid Blackface Controversy

The leader of the Social Democrats, Holly Cairns, has defended party member Eoin Hayes following the emergence of photographs showing him in blackface during a Halloween party 16 years ago. Cairns emphasized that Hayes deserves a chance to regain public trust after he issued a formal apology for the incident, which occurred when he was a student at University College Cork.

The controversy surfaced on the morning of the annual Social Democrats’ parliamentary party think-in in Dublin, coinciding with the publication of the images in the Irish Daily Mail. Cairns made it clear that although Hayes has returned to the parliamentary party after a period of suspension, he would not face disciplinary action for the incident.

Cairns stated, “If this had happened last week, or even last year, he would no longer be a Social Democrats TD.” She explained that the context of the incident occurring 16 years ago warranted consideration. “Eoin has recognized what he did was unacceptable and that he didn’t understand the hurt that it caused at the time, but he does now,” she remarked during a press conference.

Hayes, who was 22 at the time of the incident, described it as a “huge mistake.” He portrayed his actions as completely inappropriate and condemned racism in all its forms. “While I didn’t have an understanding of how hurtful it was at the time, I came to recognize that in the intervening years and am so profoundly sorry,” Hayes stated on social media.

Cairns acknowledged that the revelations were “extremely disappointing” for the party and created an embarrassing situation just as they aimed to focus on political priorities for the new Dáil term. “There is no circumstance where blackface is OK. It is racist, and I want to make that very clear,” she emphasized.

Despite the controversy, Hayes opted not to attend the think-in to avoid diverting attention from the party’s agenda. Cairns noted that she first learned of the photographs when contacted by the media, rather than through Hayes himself. She expressed her belief that he was unaware the newspaper had the images prior to their inquiry.

Earlier discussions highlighted that Hayes’s subsequent involvement in political activities, including working on former US President Barack Obama‘s re-election campaign in 2012, demonstrated a lack of understanding rather than mockery during the 2009 incident.

This incident marks the second controversy for Hayes since his election last year. He was previously suspended from the parliamentary party in December 2022 due to misleading statements about shares held in a company linked to the Israeli military. Hayes had initially claimed he divested from Palantir Technologies before his election to Dublin City Council, but later revealed he sold the shares for a pre-tax figure of €199,000 in July 2023, after taking office.

Cairns, who was on maternity leave during this time, expressed her support for lifting Hayes’s suspension earlier this year. When asked whether he should address the Dáil regarding his past actions, she noted that he had already provided explanations in previous statements.

In response to inquiries about any further potential controversies involving Hayes, Cairns stated that the party strives to vet candidates thoroughly, acknowledging that mistakes can occur. She expressed a commitment to learning from these experiences to improve future candidate assessments.

As the Social Democrats navigate this challenging moment, Cairns reiterated her message that the party must focus on its goals and priorities for the new legislative session, while also addressing the implications of Hayes’s past actions.