Irish influencer Charleen Murphy relives vicious dinner assault

News.com.au

27-05-2025

A social media personality has recounted the night she was attacked in a restaurant, sharing the shocking and misogynistic reactions she faced online from people who said she 'deserved it'.
Charleen Murphy was dining with a friend at a Dublin restaurant on February 10, 2023 when she was punched in the back of the head by Craig O'Brien in a targeted attack.
The 30-year-old had used social media to locate Ms Murphy, and told police he was convinced influencers were 'ganging up on him' and that Ms Murphy 'probably deserved it', according to Daily Mail.
He even messaged her following the assault, asking her 'How's the head?', The Irish Sun reported.
O'Brien was sentenced to two years and three months over the attack, and was understood to have suffered drug issues and psychosis at the time of the incident.
Ms Murphy opened up about the night in an interview with RTE's Prime Time.
'I just felt this blow to the back of my head, my head basically went so full force forward into my glass that the glass completely shattered,' she said.
The 26-year-old said when she turned and saw O'Brien, she knew straight away that he had been the one to deal the horrific blow.
She needed to be rushed to the emergency room, and was given stitches as a result of the vicious attack.
Ms Murphy revealed that when what happened to her came to light, she was told she 'wasn't a real victim' by people online.
Some even commented that O'Brien didn't take it far enough.
'People think it's just a comment. But kids are reading that. That's saying to them, 'It's okay for me to post this too.' All the little things turn into the big things,' she told the Irish television program.
She expressed her concern about misogyny online, and how it's becoming increasingly available for young people to see this views.
As a result of the attack, Ms Murphy has had to get security in order to feel safe. She also only posts restaurant, holiday or shopping trips after they have concluded so she cannot be followed.
She said some people have slammed her for this, but that abuse shouldn't be part of her job.'
'It's usually a fake account. Usually a man. But sometimes it's their own account and they just have no shame,' she told RTE.
'Men try to flirt by replying to stories. If you don't reply, it's like, 'Well, you're a sl*t.' They say something nasty because you didn't give them attention.'
On the two-year anniversary of the terrible attack, Ms Murphy said the date will always 'feel heavy' but she was 'proud' of the journey she's been on.
'I remember flying home from visiting Dano who lived in England at the time and having a knot in my stomach about landing in the country I loved and lived in,' she said.
'A country that I usually would've had such a sense of comfort landing in, felt so alien and scary to me. I thought I would never feel genuinely happy again or have any feeling of safety. I wish I could go back and promise her that she will feel so much happiness again.
'For a long time I was scared of everything and everyone, things I never would've second guessed I found myself overthinking. I felt weak and it took so much pushing myself to make sure that I didn't feel like that forever.'
She said she was incredibly grateful for the community who rallied around her following the trauma, and gave words of encouragement to others who had been through significant trauma.