Nigerian-born Ejiro O’Hare Stratton says she was followed by a man who started filming her and shouted at her: “You should go back to your country”
Fine Gael councillor Ejiro O’Hare Stratton has described a “deeply unsettling” racist attack in her hometown of Drogheda, County Louth, where she was followed and verbally abused in broad daylight.
The Nigerian-born councillor, a former nun and long-time nurse at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, said the incident occurred at about 3 p.m. on Friday, September 26, as she walked along West Street. A man allegedly trailed her, filmed her and shouted, “You should go back to your country,” while mocking her political achievements.
Councillor O’Hare Stratton, who has lived in Drogheda for 35 years and is the town’s first black representative on Louth County Council, said: “This was not only an attack on me personally but also on the values of respect, inclusion and dignity that our town should stand for. No one should feel unsafe or unwelcome in a place we all call home.”
She urged authorities to adopt stronger measures against racism and increase Garda presence so all residents can live free of intimidation. “In my 35 years here, I have never witnessed anything like this before,” she said, praising the hospitality of the wider Irish community.
Mayor Michelle Hall denounced the abuse as “unacceptable,” adding, “Racialism has no place in society and definitely not in Drogheda.” Sinn Féin councillor Debbie McCole also condemned the incident, saying, “I am so sorry this happened. I’m absolutely disgusted. She did not deserve that, no one does.”
Local officials and migrant community leaders echoed calls for vigilance as Drogheda’s diverse population continues to grow.