Frank McBrearty Jnr

Cllr
Frank McBrearty Jnr
McBrearty in 2024
Donegal County Councillor
Incumbent
Assumed office
June 2009
ConstituencyLifford–Stranorlar (2019–present)
Stranorlar (2009–2019)
Personal details
PartyIndependent
Other political
affiliations		Labour Party (2009–2013)
Fine Gael (April to May 2019)

Frank McBrearty Jnr is an Irish politician and businessman, who has been a County Councillor on Donegal County Council since 2009. The son of Frank McBrearty Snr, McBrearty became known nationally as a result of the Morris Tribunal's ruling that police had tried to frame him for the 1996 murder of Richie Barron. McBrearty pursued the Irish state in a long-running legal battle to "restore his good name". In 2005, he settled all his claims against the Irish state.[1][2]

McBrearty was in court in 2012, when a landmark judgement found in favour of him and his wife against Allied Irish Banks (AIB).[3]

Politics

McBrearty ran in the 2009 local elections for the Labour Party.[4] He stood in the Stranorlar local electoral area, and was elected to Donegal County Council.[5][6] He stood in the 2010 Donegal South-West by-election, though was unsuccessful.[7] During the campaign he told the County Manager to "fuck off" and insisted he would not apologise for doing so.[8] Three months later he stood in the 2011 general election, and was again unsuccessful.[9]

He served as Mayor of Donegal from 2012 to 2013.[10][11] He was critical of "militant protests" against leaders such as Enda Kenny, claiming they only bring shame and negative publicity, and has criticised public representatives such as Thomas Pringle for joining with people in demonstrating against members of the ruling parties.[12] At the county council meeting on 1 October 2013, McBrearty confirmed that he had left the Labour Party.[13]

He was re-elected in Stranorlar as an Independent in 2014.[14] McBrearty ran in the 2016 general election as an independent candidate for the new five-seater Donegal constituency. After achieving just 1,914 first-preference votes, and being eliminated on the fourth count, he posted an angry social media post beginning "Next bastard that comes to my door will know all about it. After helping over 8000 people in 7 years on the council this is how your [sic] rewarded. My vote is down everywhere." McBrearty accused voters of abandoning him and the media of vilifying him. He also announced his intention to leave politics when his current council term ended.[15]

In late May 2019 he was again elected, this time for the Lifford-Stanorlar local electoral area, and for the Fine Gael party,[16] having joined that party two months earlier.[17][18] But by the start of June he had resigned from the party and said he intended to sue it for post-traumatic stress disorder, after claiming that he was "the victim of internal party bullying".[17][18] He also threatened to "make the council unworkable" if he was "excluded from power-sharing".[18]

Phone theft allegatoins

McBrearty has been accused of act(ing) like (a) thug... at a council meeting in Buncrana in which he allegedly and forcibly removed or stole a mobile device from another elected official. Gardai are investigating the incident, which McBrearty denies despite several witnesses. McBrearty has made reference to a phone being in the middle of the Atlantic.[19] In September 2025, McBrearty appeared at Letterkenny District Court, charged with the theft of fellow councillor Gary Doherty's mobile phone.[20]

References

  1. ^ "Frank McBrearty Jnr settles claims with State". BreakingNews.ie. 20 September 2005. Archived from the original on 9 March 2015. Retrieved 20 September 2005.
  2. ^ "I'm not someone to be messed with – McBrearty". Donegal News. 12 April 2012. Archived from the original on 9 March 2015. Retrieved 12 April 2012.
  3. ^ "McBrearty delighted with bank settlement". Donegal Democrat. Johnston Press. 19 May 2012. Archived from the original on 9 March 2015. Retrieved 19 May 2012.
  4. ^ Regan, Mary (30 April 2009). "Frank McBrearty Jnr confirmed as Labour candidate". Irish Examiner. Thomas Crosbie Holdings. Retrieved 30 April 2009.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  5. ^ "Stranorlar Electoral Area". Donegal County Council. 18 April 2013. Archived from the original on 25 April 2013. Retrieved 18 April 2013.
  6. ^ "Local Elections: Stranorlar – Donegal County Council (Ulster)". ElectionsIreland.org. 5 June 2009. Archived from the original on 4 October 2013. Retrieved 20 April 2013.
  7. ^ "By Election 126: Donegal South West – Donegal Area (Ulster)". ElectionsIreland.org. 25 November 2010. Archived from the original on 9 March 2015.
  8. ^ "McBrearty Jnr makes no apology for using 'F' word". BreakingNews.ie. 5 November 2010. Archived from the original on 9 March 2015. Retrieved 5 November 2010.
  9. ^ "General Election: Donegal South West – Donegal Area (Ulster)". ElectionsIreland.org. 25 February 2010. Archived from the original on 9 March 2015.
  10. ^ "Mayor launches national conference on sport aiding mental health". Donegal Daily. 26 March 2013. Retrieved 26 March 2013.
  11. ^ "Mayor of Donegal claims Gardaí are not doing enough to prevent burglaries". Donegal Daily. 16 January 2013. Retrieved 16 January 2013.
  12. ^ ""Militant" protesters are a disgrace to Donegal – mayor". Donegal Daily. 5 March 2013. Retrieved 5 March 2013.
  13. ^ "Breaking News: Frank McBrearty leaves Labour Party". Donegal Democrat. Johnston Press. 1 October 2013. Archived from the original on 9 March 2015. Retrieved 1 October 2013.
  14. ^ "Local Elections 2014: Results" (PDF). Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government. p. 102. Archived (PDF) from the original on 24 October 2019. Retrieved 31 January 2019.
  15. ^ "Frank McBrearty jnr loses rag after election defeat". The Irish Times. 28 February 2016. Retrieved 27 February 2016.
  16. ^ "Elections 2019 – Local election – Results – Donegal County Council". Raidió Teilifís Éireann. May 2019. Archived from the original on 29 May 2019. Retrieved 2 June 2019.
  17. ^ a b "Donegal councillor Frank McBrearty quits Fine Gael party". Raidió Teilifís Éireann. 1 June 2019. Archived from the original on 1 June 2019. Retrieved 2 June 2019.
  18. ^ a b c "Donegal councillor Frank McBrearty plans to sue Fine Gael". Raidió Teilifís Éireann. 2 June 2019. Archived from the original on 2 June 2019. Retrieved 2 June 2019. Speaking to RTÉ's Raidió na Gaeltachta, Cllr McBrearty claimed he was the victim of internal party bullying and was not welcomed into the party by some elected representatives. ... If I am excluded from power-sharing I will make the council unworkable.
  19. ^ "Donegal councillor defiant over accusations he took colleague's phone during meeting".
  20. ^ "County councillor faces trial charged with stealing another councillor's phone at meeting". Limerick Leader. 23 September 2025. Retrieved 23 September 2025.
allikas: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_McBrearty_Jnr