THIS is the Facebook picture which has landed a leading Co Donegal Fine Gael councillor in trouble – a photo of his wife giving a Nazi salute beside a waxwork model of Adolf Hitler.
Lorraine O’Neill is pictured on her honeymoon this weekend with Fine Gael councillor and RTE producer Barry O’Neill in Rome.
The couple married less than two weeks ago before doing a tour of Europe.
Jewish groups and fellow Facebookers however are furious with the picture – insisting that it causes huge offence.
Cllr O’Neill has now removed the picture, telling friends that it was meant as a bit of craic and not meant to offend anyone.
However donegaldaily.com has been contacted by a number of Facebook friends – all of them condemning the picture.
One of them said: “I was shocked when to see the wife of elected councillor Barry O’Neill posting pictures of herself giving the Nazi salute.
“As you are aware, to simply adopt this gesture is illegal in Germany and Austria and I am personally offended beyond words as I lost ancestors to the Hitler regime.
“On inspection of other pictures, it is clear that Councillor Barry O’Neill took this picture, is this what it has come to? That the actions of one of the worst men in history can be copied and promoted like this? I am sure it is against the terms of usage of facebook too.”
Another Facebook friend with Jewish ancestry said: “I plan to make a complaint to Fine Gael about this. Doesn’t Cllr O’Neill know that gesture symbolises the mass murders of the holocaust.
“It is deeply offensive to everyone, not just Jews.”
Cllr O’Neill was unavailable for comment however a friend told us: “Barry is mortified that the picture which was taken as a bit of fun could be offensive. He would never want to offend anyone.”
Mrs O’Neill – Lorraine McCabe – can be see putting the fingers of her left hand behind the head of the Hitler dummy in the picture.
There is also a picture of Cllr O’Neill, wearing his RTE Radio 1 top, with another waxwork dummy.
The couple married on December 30 and held a reception for more than 350 guests at the Abbey Hotel in Donegal Town.
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That will do his political career the world of good, he has fallen by the way side since the elections and after this it will be even further. What were they thinking, and to post it on facebook, even bigger mistake, you live and learn and it may prove a costly lesson to learn both in politics and in the media
Top story.
Silly schoolboy error
if thats their biggest problem then i would doubt they will be to worried!!
FOLKS – HITLER WASN’T FUNNY. There’s nothing to laugh at here. The Nazi salute is deeply offensive. Simple. It may have been meant as a joke – but that shows the ignorance of anyone who thinks it’s funny.
Not one dictator but two….isn’t that Mussolini on the left?
How juvenile ! Get a life you are an old married woman now. !
Have people nothing better to complain about.
I think she was just about to polish mussolini’s skalp. Hence the glove.
So, Hitler wasn’t funny but he’s still good to make a few bucks by displaying his wax counterfeit. I find the existence of such wax figures way more offensive, especially if its for superficial entertainment.
Firstly as she has both hands up it can’t be called a salute, secondly she is also making bunny ears behind Hitler’s head therefore clearly mocking him. They’re having a bit of fun on there honeymoon, grow up people.
http://www.herald.ie/news/jewish-community-calls-for-rte-producer-and-wife-to-apologise-2983048.html
Ah finally the true nature of Fine Gael is revealed as they return to their blueshirt past…lol
Disgraceful!publishing honeymoon pics on Facebook was simply asking for trouble.