Renata Steffens
Sarah Holland Sinn Féin’s Sarah Holland, a political activist tweeted twice in June using the word ‘fascist’ in relation to Christians. On June 6 the ex- politician posted a picture of candles on social media, saying that it was to “let the christo-fascists know that candles have been lit in Medjugorje for all those candidates who *don’t* hate refugees, since Jesus was one.”
A few days later, on June 10, she reposted a NewstalkFM video depicting the Irish Independent political correspondent Gabija Gataveckaitė saying that Mary Lou McDonald’s leadership of Sinn Féin “hasn’t had one successful election”.
Reposting the video Ms Holland said: “Trad-cath fascists rubbing their paws together with glee at the thought of Sinn Féin ousting our first female leader. Not going to happen boys, cry harder.”
When a follower asked “what is a tradcath,” she replied “Traditional Catholic – they are religious extremists of the type who oppose rights for lgbtq, oppose womens rights etc. Here in Ireland, they have campaigned against marriage equality, divorce, availability of contraception, abortion rights, education reform etc.”
On June 10, Ms Holland posted author Umberto Eco’s list of ‘14 tenets of fascism,’ with number one being ‘the cult of tradition’.She said: “See all these ballbags who are anti-womens rights, extreme trad-catholics and rosary murmerers outside abortion clinics? That’s them.”
The Irish Catholic contacted Ms Holland for comment but she declined.
A spokesperson for the Iona Institute said: “Sweeping, extreme generalisations about Catholics are just as unacceptable as sweeping, extreme generalisations about any other religion.
“Associating saying the rosary outside facilities which carry out abortions with fascism is plainly ridiculous. The fact that she has received no real backlash about these tweets simply proves that you can say pretty much what you like about Catholics in this country, and get away with it.”