08-05-2025
Irish far right leader Justin Barrett suffers heart attack, says wife
Rebecca Barrett posted that her husband Justin is in 'good spirits' and will be undergoing angioplasty early tomorrow morning
The wife of far right party leader Justin Barrett has revealed that he suffered a heart attack and will be undergoing surgery in hospital.
Rebecca Barrett posted that her husband is in 'good spirits' and will be undergoing angioplasty early tomorrow morning.
'Just home from the hospital,' she shared in an update on X alongside a picture of Barrett in a hospital bed.
'Was able to bring the eldest in with me and he was so happy to see his dad and get another cuddle.
'Justin is still in really good spirits. Latest update is he's going for an angioplasty, early Friday morning,' she adding while thanking 'everyone for all the prayers and kind messages'.
Justin Barrett in bed recuperating
Ms Barrett had earlier written to 'friends, allies, supporters, both personal and political' in relation to a 'statement I want to make'.
'I make this statement to convey information, because myself and my husband have always been honest and transparent. I am however, personally, hesitant to share it for reasons I will explain in a moment,' she wrote.
'This Sunday, my husband Justin Barrett suffered a heart attack. He was brought to our local hospital after I called an ambulance. He is stable and in good spirits. He is still currently in hospital and will need more time to rest and recuperate.
Barrett at the Michael Collins ambush site at Béal na Bláth in west Cork
News in 90 seconds - 8th May 2025
'Thankfully though, and after many prayers, he has been told he will make a full recovery. This is an incredible blessing and we as a family are so very thankful.
"He has told me he has no intention of going anywhere and leaving his loving family and his beautiful country behind. He fully intends to recover and get back to work.'
She then shares that this 'brings me however, to my reasons for hesitancy in sharing a statement about this'.
'To put it bluntly, our enemies, and many who will call themselves our friends, will use this against him. They will call my husband 'unfit to lead' and make snide comments about 'physical incapability.'
Justin Barrett, right, at a protest outside Leinster House last November. Picture: Gareth Chaney/Collins
'My husband is the strongest man I know. He has braved so much for this country and for his beliefs, and he has such strength of character and determination. I am in awe of him every day of our lives.
'He has been mostly concerned about myself and the children and how we are coping throughout all this, and he has also been concerned about letting members and supporters of Clann Éireann know why he might not be at the forefront of the goings on the Nationalist movement in the coming days.'
She adds: 'I would hope that the number of those who will offer prayers, well wishes and their support, will far outweigh those who will use this as an opportunity to criticise and speak against my husband. He will make a full recovery, and he will continue to lead Clann Éireann as we fight to protect and defend our Ireland.'
She signs off: Ar son na hÉireann – Rebecca.'
Justin Barrett has long been a controversial far-right figure on the fringes of Irish politics, with strong views against abortion and immigration.
Barrett, who has unsuccessfully run in national and European elections, fronts a group called Clann Éireann following his split from the National Party that was founded in 2016 on a right-wing anti-immigration and anti-abortion platform.
In October 2023, the new 'leader' of the National Party described former leader Barrett as a 'tout' and 'informer' for going to gardai about €400,000 of gold bars owned by the party and members.
James Reynolds also lashed out at Barrett for quoting Hitler and giving Roman salutes while leading the party and called him a 'coward' for not dealing with him directly.
Mr Barrett is a former member of militant Catholic organisation, Youth Defence, and was in the past criticised for attending neo-Nazi rallies in Europe. He was the chair of the No to Nice campaign and ran as an election candidate.
In September of last year, he declared Adolf Hitler to the 'greatest leader of all time' while posting an image of the Nazi leader in response to a question by Europe Invasion on 'X'.
He has also appeared in a video unveiling a new 'protection unit' of his party called An Sciath Náisiúnta, (The National Shield), or the 'SN' as he described it, at the Michael Collins ambush site at Béal na Bláth in west Cork.
Mr Barrett also said the 'protection unit' would act within the law but would also be ready to defend itself 'with as much violence as is necessary'.
Wearing a dark black jacket, black gloves, a military-style hat, brown shirt and black tie, Barrett addresses the camera, a group of masked men all dressed in black hold tricolours aloft as well as the party's logo.
Justin Barrett. Photo: Niall Carson/PA
During his speech that was later posed on YouTube Barrett warned that while the SN is 'not here to create violence', he 'will protect himself from the foreign invader'.
'We in the SN are here for the determined will to see that Ireland's voice will be heard no matter who tries to silence us,' he declared.
'We will act within the law. We will act as peaceful as we can, but we will also be ready to protect ourselves and defend ourselves with as much violence as is necessary.
'Make no mistake, Ireland is standing up.'
The SN has claimed that its 'units' had already been active in certain parts of the country to hand out literature and to 'protect' the streets.
A Fine Gael councillor who was instrumental in securing a statue of Michael Collins in Cork City dismissed Barrett's 'mini rally' at the Béal na Bláth monument as 'absurd'.
'Justin Barrett and his followers are a bunch of buffoons in fancy dress,' Cllr Shane O'Callaghan told The Examiner.
