John Waters (columnist)

John Augustine Waters[1] (born 28 May 1955) is an Irish columnist and author whose career began in 1981 with the Irish political-music magazine Hot Press.[2] He wrote for the Sunday Tribune and later edited In Dublin magazine from 1985-1987[3] and Magill. Waters has written several books and, in 1998, he devised The Whoseday Book — which contains quotes, writings and pictures of 365 Irish writers and musicians – raising €3 million for the Irish Hospice Foundation.[4]

John Waters
Waters in 2019
Born (1955-05-28) 28 May 1955
Castlerea, County Roscommon, Ireland
NationalityIrish
OccupationColumnist, author
Years active1981–present
Known forWriting in The Irish Times, entering the Eurovision Song Contest
Political partyIndependent
Spouse(s)Rita Simons (2014–present)
ChildrenRóisín Waters
Websitehttp://www.johnwaters.ie/

Waters wrote a weekly Friday column for The Irish Times. He was briefly fired during a dispute with the then editor, Geraldine Kennedy, but was shortly thereafter reinstated.[5][6][7] In March 2014, Waters left The Irish Times,[8][9] and shortly after started writing columns for the Sunday Independent and Irish Independent. In 2018 he released a new book called Give Us Back the Bad Roads. Waters is a fortnightly contributor to the American journal First Things and is a Permanent Research Fellow at the Center for Ethics and Culture, University of Notre Dame.[10]

Waters was an unsuccessful independent candidate in the 2020 Irish general election for Dún Laoghaire constituency[11][12]

Career

Politics and advocacy

Waters has referred to himself as a "neo-Luddite"[13] or later as a "luddite".[14] At one stage he refused to use e-mail and stated his concern that society ignores the negative aspects of the Internet.

In his articles titled Impose democracy on Iraq and Bush and Blair doing right thing, Waters explained his support for the 2003 invasion of Iraq, a position based on his belief that Iraq posed an imminent threat to the West due to its possession of weapons of mass destruction.[15][16]

He wrote an article titled Two sides to domestic violence, which criticised the lack of gender balance in Amnesty International's campaign against domestic violence in Ireland. Waters cited the National Crime Council report, conducted by the Economic and Social Research Institute, which found approximate gender symmetry in most measures of domestic violence and he pointed out that despite these statistics, funding for women victims of domestic violence (€15 million) disproportionately outstrips funding for male victims.[17] Waters' article led to a response from the head of Amnesty International's Irish branch.[18]

Waters also devoted much of his column space in The Irish Times to discussing the role and importance of religion and faith in society. In an interview, he has described people of faith as "funnier, sharper and smarter" than atheists.[19] In a 2009 article titled "Another no to Lisbon might shock FF back to its senses" Waters voiced his opposition to gay marriage stating that it was "potentially destructive of the very fabric of Irish society".[20]

He was an active participant in the Catholic cultural movement Communion and Liberation.[21] He has given at least one talk to the Iona Institute.[22]

He was a member of the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland until he resigned in January 2014,[23] during which time he was a litigant seeking damages from the broadcaster RTÉ.[24][25]

In 2015, he became involved with First Families First in calling for a 'No' vote in the referendum for the Thirty-fourth Amendment of the Constitution (Marriage Equality) Bill 2015.[26]

Waters ran under the banner of Gemma O'Doherty's group, "Anti-Corruption Ireland", in the 2020 Irish general election, in the Dún Laoghaire constituency.[11] As Anti-Corruption Ireland is not a registered political party, he appeared on the ballot paper as an independent. Waters received 1.48% of first preference votes and was eliminated on the first count.[12]

High Court action against COVID-19 legislation

On April 15, 2020 he and Gemma O'Doherty launched a legal action against laws against laws dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic.[27]

They sought to have various parts of the legislation declared null and void by a judge of the High Court.[27]

The legislation included:

as well as temporary restrictions brought in due to COVID-19 under the 1947 Health Act.[27]

Waters said to the court that the legislation was "unconstitutional", "improperly acted" and "very flawed".[27]

He said that the challenge was brought on the grounds that the laws were brought in by a caretaker government, by a Dáil where the number of TDs were limited and was enacted by an outgoing Seanad.[27]

The action was to be taken against the Minister for Health (Ireland), Ireland and the Attorney General.[27]

The matter was mentioned on an ex parte basis before Mr Justice Paul Sankey.[27]

He said that the court was only concerned with the legality of the legislation and not about government policy and directed that the application for permission to bring the challenge be made on notice to the State respondents.[27] He adjourned the matter for a week.[27]

On 21 April 2020 the matter was listed for mention before Ms Justice Deirdre Murphy.[28]

Gerard Meehan BL, Counsel for the State, told the court that the State would oppose the application for leave to bring the challenge.[28] The COVID-19 pandemic made things take longer, particularly when dealing with the Department of Health.[28] Also, the Seanad and Ceann Comhairle would have to be added to the proceedings as notice parties.[28] Counsel asked for the matter to be listed for mention in two weeks.[28]

The applicants did not object to the notice parties being added, but expressed strong concerns about the State's application regarding the adjournment and asked for the leave application to be heard as soon as possible.[28]

O'Doherty claimed that the situation regarding the lockdown was "outrageous" and that the vast majority of people were unaffected by COVID-19 which she claimed was "no threat to life" and that Irish people should be allowed to go outside and "build up a herd immunity".[28] She added that expert medical evidence supporting her case would be presented to the court as part of the case.[28]

Ms Justice Murphy told her that the court was not considering what were substantial arguments in the action, but was making directions with a view to getting the application heard.[28]

During the proceedings the applicants questioned if the proceedings were being held in public.[28] Up to 100 supporters of the applicants gathered in the Round Hall of the Four Courts but were not permitted to enter the courtroom because of social distancing introduced by the Chief Justice of and the Presidents of the Courts because of COVID-19.[28] An application to let some or all of the supporters into the courtroom was dismissed by the judge.[28] The judge said that the court was being held in public and was being reported on by the media.[28] The judge also wonderred if a larger than capacity group wished to attend the court should be moved to the National Convention Centre.[28] The applicants expressed dissatisfaction with the judge's decision.[28]

The judge said that the leave hearing would be heard in two weeks time and adjourned the matter for another week, when it would be heard before the court to see how the parties were getting on.[28]

The following day Gardaí announced that there was an investigation into the large gathering at the Four Courts.[29] Gardaí said they attended the scene and asked the group to disperse because they were concerned that people were not adhering to Government instructions on social distancing and non-essential travel.[29] Some had refused to leave and the names of some present were taken along with other evidence.[29] Gardaí said the group dispersed and no arrests were made but investigations were ongoing.[29]

On 28 April 2020 there was a strong Garda presence at the Four Courts.[30] Barriers were placed at both ends of Chancert Lane to prevent crowds from entering the court.[30] Members of the Public Order Unit and the Bridewell Garda station were stationed at all main entrances about the building.[30] About forty supporters of the applicants turned up.[30] No arrests were made.[30]

Mr Justice Charles Meehan fixed the applicant's appeal for hearing on 5 May 2020.[30] During the meeting O'Doherty said that she believed that she and Waters claims were arguable and that the court should already have granted the applicants leave.[30] She also said that the people of Ireland were under "mass house arrest" and Gardaí were "using guns" to frighten people.[30]

After the hearing she said that "Covid-19 is no threat to the vast majority of people" and "lockdown is endangering the health of the Irish people".[30]

On 5 May 2020 there was again a strong Garda presence outside the Four Courts.[31] In her submission to the court O'Doherty said that the COVID-19 conditions were comparible to living in "Nazi Germany".[31] She also claimed that the basis for introducing the restrictions was "scientifically fraudulent" and that evidence to that effect would be presented at the full hearing of their action.[31] The State, represented by Patrick McCann SC and Patrick Meehan BL opposed the application for leave, saying that the claims are not arguable.[31] The Dáil, Seanad and Ceann Comhairle, represented by Francis Kieran BL also apposed leave being granted.[31]

On 13 May 2020 Mr Justice Charles Meehan dismissed the applicant's case.[32][33][34] Mr Justice Charles Meehan said that the applicant's claims were not arguable and the court could not grant them an application to have their challenge determined at a full hearing of the High Court.[33] He said that the applicants had not provided any facts or expert evidence to support the view that the laws challenged by the applicants were unconstitutional.[33] The judge also said that the applicants who have "no medical or scientific qualifications or expertise, relied on their own unsubstantiated views, gave speeches, engaged in empty rhetoric and sought to draw parallel to Nazi Germany which is both absurd and offensive".[33] He added "Unsubstantiated opinions, speeches, empty rhetoric and a bogus historical parallel are not a substitute for facts".[33]

Mr Justice Meehan also said that in their statement to ground their application the applicants set out the events concerning the effects of COVID-19.[32] This statement ended on 16 March 2020 when there were 268 confirmed cases and two deaths.[32] By 6 May 2020 there were 22,248 cases and 1,375 deaths.[32] The judge said that the applicants, who had no scientific or medical training or qualificantions had maintained that the figures were overstated and that the Minister for Health was following fraudulent science.[32] The judge said they had provided no factual basis or expert opinion to support this.[32]

Non-fiction and drama

Waters has written a number of works of non-fiction as well as plays for radio and the stage. The title of his first non-fiction book, Jiving at the Crossroads, is a pun of Irish president Éamon de Valera's vision of a rural Ireland which is often misattributed as "comely maidens dancing at the crossroads". In the book, Waters comments on modern Ireland. Another non-fiction work, Lapsed Agnostic, describes his "journey from belief to un-belief and back again."

Independent Newspapers

On 13 July 2014 the Sunday Independent published what it described as Waters' first column for the paper.[35] He has since written regular columns for that paper and its sister the Irish Independent.[36]

Appearances

Eurovision Song Contest

Waters has entered the Eurovision Song Contest.

"They Can't Stop the Spring", the song he co-wrote with Tommy Moran and performed by the band Dervish, was selected following a telephone vote of viewers on RTÉ's The Late Late Show to be Ireland's entry in Eurovision Song Contest 2007 in Helsinki. The song finished last in the European competition final, receiving only 5 points.[37]

In 2010, RTÉ announced that Waters had sought to represent Ireland again at Eurovision, with the song "Does Heaven Need Much More?", co-written with Tommy Moran.[38] In the Irish National Final on 5 March 2010, the song was performed by Leanne Moore, the winner of You're a Star 2008, and finished in fourth place.[39]

Electric Picnic 2010

Waters attended the Electric Picnic music festival in 2010 and wrote that he felt a sense of dissatisfaction with the event, concluding that there was a lack of meaning underpinning events at the festival.[40] Sunday Tribune journalist Una Mullally replied that if Waters felt disconnected or out of place at the Electric Picnic, that it was because the country had changed, and continued "perhaps this is the first Irish generation who have purposely opted out of tormenting themselves by searching for some unattainable greater meaning and who have chosen instead just to live".[41]

Television

In 2007, Waters took part as one of the guest amateur chefs, in the RTE The Restaurant, programme.[42] In 2008, he took part in a television programme which researched his family's past.[43] Parish records revealed that his great-granduncle, also called John Waters, died of starvation during the Great Famine.[43]

In 2011 he sat for the painter Nick Miller, the subject of a naked portrait for an Arts Lives RTÉ programme, called Naked.[44]

Over the years Waters has participated on a number of current affairs programmes on Irish television, including Questions and Answers (RTÉ), Vincent Browne Tonight (TV3), and The Late Late Show (RTÉ).

Views

Criticism of Blogsphere

During a newspaper review on radio station, Newstalk 106, Waters declared blogs and bloggers to be "stupid".[45] He then repeated those claims[46] the following week, sparking controversy amongst Irish bloggers[47] who took exception to his views. In the same interview, Waters claimed that "sixty to seventy percent of the internet is pornography".[48]

Pantigate
See also: Pantigate

On 11 January 2014, Waters was mentioned by Irish drag queen Panti (Rory O'Neill) on RTÉ's The Saturday Night Show with Brendan O'Connor while discussing homophobia. O'Neill said that Waters, among other Irish journalists, was homophobic.[49][50]

Waters and the others mentioned threatened RTÉ and O'Neill with legal action.[51] RTÉ subsequently removed that section of the interview from their online archive.[52] On 25 January episode of The Saturday Night Show, O'Connor issued a public apology to those named on behalf of RTÉ for being mentioned in the interview held two weeks previously.[53] RTÉ paid monies to Waters and others mentioned.[54]

RTÉ received hundreds of complaints about the issue.[55] A rally against the payout and censorship drew 2,000 people,[56] and the appropriateness of the payout was later discussed by members of the Oireachtas.[57][58][59][60] The issue was also discussed in the European Parliament.[61] RTÉ's head of television defended the €85,000 payout and blamed the decision mostly on Ireland's Anti-Defamation Laws.[62][63]

In February 2014,[64] Waters' implicated fellow Irish Times journalist Patsy McGarry as the author of a handful of ad hominem Tweets, written anonymously by McGarry. In the piece, Waters' alleged an institutional bias within The Irish Times against Catholic social teaching. Despite this, in March 2014, it was announced that John Waters had decided to stop contributing to The Irish Times.[8][9] Reports stated that he had been unhappy at The Irish Times since the controversy.[8][9]

Comments on depression

In April 2014, Waters replied when asked if he had become depressed because of the reaction to his actions over RTÉ and Rory O'Neill: "There's no such thing. It's an invention. It's bullshit. It's a cop out."[65]

He was criticised by many, including Paul Kelly, founder of the suicide prevention charity Console, guidance councillor Eamon Keane, journalist Suzanne Harrington (whose late husband suffered from depression), gay rights activist Panti, charity campaigner Majella O'Donnell as well as online commenters.[66][67][68][69]

His former partner Sinéad O'Connor expressed concern for Waters, saying that she thought he was suffering from depression and needed to admit it.[70]

Thirty-fourth amendment to the Constitution of Ireland

In 2015 a referendum was held on the matter of same-sex marriage. Before the referendum the Constitution was assumed to contain an implicit prohibition on same-sex marriage.[71]

Waters was involved with a group opposing the referendum called First Families First, along with Kathy Sinnott and Gerry Fahey.[72]

After the referendum passed, Waters described the result as 'catastrophic' for Irish society.[73] He also said "Not just the gay, LGBT lobby, but virtually the entire journalistic fraternity turned on me and tried to basically peck me to death".[73]

In February 2017, Waters spoke at a panel where he blamed LGBT activists for his decision to quit journalism.[74] He said "I stopped being a journalist because of the LGBT campaign. They tried to present themselves as beautiful gentle people, but these people aren't".[74] Waters compared the activists that attacked him to the Black and Tans, saying "I would prefer them to the people I met last year in the campaign. I would prefer them, bring them back. Bring back the Black and Tans".[74] "The ugliest phenomenon I have ever seen in 30 years a journalist," Waters added.[75]

He also claimed that the clerical child abuse cases were "closely aligned to homosexuality".[74] He claimed "Now paedophile priests, there's no such thing… that's the single most interesting lie about all this. 90% of the abusers in Catholic church, they were not paedophiles, they were ephebophiles. An entirely different phenomenon. They were abusers of teenage boys which is closely aligned to homosexuality".[74]

Personal life

Waters was born in Castlerea, County Roscommon. He had a daughter in 1996 named Róisín with singer Sinéad O'Connor.[76] He suffered from an alcohol addiction until 1989 when he gave it up completely, a decision which he says has transformed his life.[77] He married Rita Simons in December 2014.[78]

Jailing over parking fine

In September 2013 he was jailed for around two hours in Wheatfield Prison over non-payment of a parking fine.[79] The case dated back to 2011 and Waters claimed that he returned to his car one minute over a 15-minute grace period.[79] He refused to pay the fine as a matter of principle.[80]

Defamation action against Waters

In November 2018 The Irish Times journalist Kitty Holland took a defamation action against Waters for accusing her of lying about the cause of death of Savita Halappanavar.[81]

Publications

Non-fiction
  • Jiving at the Crossroads: The Shock of the New in Haughey's Ireland (Blackstaff, 1991) ISBN 978-0-85640-478-8
  • Race of Angels: Ireland and the Genesis of U2 (4th Estate/Blackstaff, 1994) ISBN 978-0-85640-542-6
  • Every Day Like Sunday? (Poolbeg, 1995) ISBN 978-1-85371-423-8
  • An Intelligent Person's Guide to Modern Ireland (Duckworth, 1997) ISBN 978-0-7156-2791-4 New edition (2001) ISBN 978-0-7156-3091-4
  • The Politburo Has Decided That You Are Unwell (Liffey Press, 2004) ISBN 978-1-904148-46-3
  • Lapsed Agnostic (Continuum, 2007) ISBN 978-0-8264-9146-6
  • Beyond Consolation: or How We Became Too Clever for God... and Our Own Good (Continuum, 2010) ISBN 978-1-4411-1421-1
  • Feckers: 50 People Who Fecked Up Ireland (Constable, 2010) ISBN 978-1-84901-442-7
  • Was it for this? Why Ireland lost the plot (Transworld Ireland, 2012) ISBN 978-1-848-27125-8
  • Give Us Back the Bad Roads (Currach Press, 2018) ISBN 9781782189015

Plays
  • Long Black Coat (with David Byrne) (Nick Hern Books, 1995) ISBN 978-1-85459-263-7
  • Holy Secrets (on BBC Radio 4, 1996)[76]
  • Easter Dues (1997)
  • Adverse Possession (on BBC Radio 3, 1998)[76]

See also

References
  1. Waters, John (2008). Lapsed Agnostic. Continuum. p. 86.
  2. "Is Hot Press still cool?". Marketing Magazine (Ireland). Archived from the original on 29 October 2013. Retrieved 26 June 2013.
  3. John Watters appointed editor of In Dublin Slants.
  4. Books Written By John Waters johnwaters.ie
  5. John Waters and The Irish Times Archived 28 August 2009 at the Wayback Machine Eamonn Fitzgeralds Rainy Day
  6. Irish Times fires columnist John Waters, RTÉ News, Sunday 23 November 2003
  7. Waters is reinstated at The Irish Times, RTÉ News, Monday 24 November 2003
  8. Calnan, Denise (28 March 2014). "Columnist John Waters 'stops contributing' to the Irish Times". Irish Independent. Retrieved 29 March 2014.
  9. "John Waters has officially stopped writing for the Irish Times". TheJournal.ie. 28 March 2014. Retrieved 29 March 2014.
  10. Waters, John (2018). Give Us Back the Bad Roads. Currach Press. p. About the Author. ISBN 978-1782189015.
  11. Ryan, Philip (22 January 2020). "John Waters to run under Anti-Corruption ireland Banner". Irish Independent. Retrieved 22 January 2020.
  12. McDermott, Stephen (10 February 2020). "Far-right parties barely register after polling less than 1% in most constituencies". TheJournal.ie. Retrieved 15 February 2020.
  13. "Waking up to what the millennium really means".
  14. "Phone texts send wrong message".
  15. Bush and Blair doing right thing Irish Times 24 March 2003.
  16. Impose democracy on Iraq Irish Times 24 March 2003.
  17. Garda Vetting & working with children OneinFour.org 18 May 2005.
  18. "The Irish Times".
  19. Count Me Out Archived 21 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine (MP3 audio file)
  20. "Find Local Contractors - Home Remodeling Contractors on Ecnext". goliath.ecnext.com.
  21. The Risk of Education Archived 2 August 2012 at Archive.today by John Waters. Retrieved: 201104-15.
  22. O'Gorman, Tom (14 December 2012). "John Waters on 'Ireland and the Abolition of God'". Iona Institute. Retrieved 28 October 2013.
  23. "John Waters resigns from broadcasting watchdog -". Irish Independent. 23 January 2014. Retrieved 6 February 2014.
  24. "Ireland: Anti-gay marriage group win damages after drag queen calls them homophobes ·". Pink News. Retrieved 7 February 2014.
  25. Laura Slattery (6 February 2014). "RTÉ show generates 330 emails and letters to regulator". The Irish Times. Retrieved 7 February 2014.
  26. Sheridan, Kathy (1 May 2015). "Kathy Sheridan: First Families First take up fight for No side". The Irish Times. Retrieved 9 May 2015.
  27. "Covid-19 restrictions challenged in High Court". RTE News. 15 April 2020. Retrieved 22 August 2020.
  28. "High Court told State to oppose challenge against Covid-19 laws". RTE News. 21 April 2020. Retrieved 22 August 2020.
  29. Reynolds, Paul (22 April 2020). "Investigation under way after large gathering at Four Courts". RTE News. Retrieved 22 August 2020.
  30. O'Donnell, Dimitri (28 April 2020). "Waters, O'Doherty hearing on Covid-19 laws granted for next week". RTE News. Retrieved 22 August 2020.
  31. O Faolain, Aodhan (5 May 2020). "O'Doherty compares Covid-19 restrictions to living in 'Nazi Germany' at High Court hearing". TheJournal.ie. Retrieved 22 August 2020.
  32. O'Donnell, Orla (13 May 2020). "O'Doherty, Waters lose High Court Covid-19 case". RTE News. Retrieved 22 August 2020.
  33. O'Faolain, Aodhan (13 May 2020). "Covid-19: Waters and O'Doherty refused permission to challenge laws". Irish Times. Retrieved 22 August 2020.
  34. O'Faolain, Aodhan (13 May 2020). "John Waters and Gemma O'Doherty refused permission to challenge laws". Irish Independent. Retrieved 22 August 2020.
  35. Waters, John (13 July 2013). "Searching for the soul of the 'true' Ireland ..." Sunday Independent. Retrieved 13 July 2014.
  36. "Search". Irish Independent. Retrieved 17 December 2014.
  37. https://eurovisionworld.com/eurovision/2007/ireland
  38. "Watch LIVE: will Ireland find a winner for Oslo? - Eurovision Song Contest Lisbon 2018". www.eurovision.tv.
  39. All Kinds of Everything Archived 15 February 2010 at the Wayback Machine
  40. John Waters (10 September 2010). "Soul poison hides lack of meaning for Picnickers". Retrieved 14 September 2010.
  41. Una Mullally (12 September 2010). "If John Waters feels lost or disconnected from the new reality of Ireland, it's because this isn't his country anymore..." Archived from the original on 24 August 2013. Retrieved 14 September 2010.
  42. The Restaurant Season 5 RTE Archives, February 10, 2007.
  43. Past comes back to haunt us, The Irish Times, 13 September 2008, retrieved 4 July 2009
  44. "Naked". RTÉ.
  45. John Waters on blogs Archived 17 January 2008 at the Wayback Machine Twenty Major Blog. 10 January 2008.
  46. More on John Waters and blogs Archived 19 January 2008 at the Wayback Machine Twenty Major Blog. 16 January 2008.
  47. No child of John Waters will ever marry a… blogger... The DOBlog 16 January 2008.
  48. Audio of Newstalk interview with Waters 10 January 2008 Archived 17 January 2008 at the Wayback Machine
  49. College Tribune (9 August 2012). "Gay marriage is a product of this bunker mentality". College Tribune. Archived from the original on 3 February 2014. Retrieved 6 February 2014.
  50. "Panti's Back On". Broadsheet.ie. 16 January 2014. Retrieved 14 July 2015.
  51. Cahir O'Doherty (19 January 2014). "Columnist John Waters in a Panti twist over anti-gay claims". Retrieved 1 February 2014.
  52. Brian Byrne (16 January 2014). "RTÉ cuts part of show after legal complaint from Waters". Irish Independent. Retrieved 1 February 2014.
  53. Barry, Aoife. "RTÉ apologises for 'distress' caused by Saturday Night Show guest's comments". TheJournal.ie. Retrieved 23 January 2020.
  54. "RTÉ paid out €85,000 in 'homophobe' row". Irish Independent. 2 February 2014.
  55. "RTÉ receive 847 complaints about Panti". The Journal. 6 February 2014.
  56. "Over 2000 attend protest over "silencing" of homophobia debate". RTÉ.ie. 6 February 2014.
  57. Murphy, Catherine. "Column: Panti Bliss controversy raises major questions about RTE's role in public discourse". TheJournal.ie. Retrieved 23 January 2020.
  58. Video on YouTube retrieved 30 January 2014
  59. The Journal retrieved 30 January 2014
  60. Clare Daly TD retrieved 31 January 2014
  61. European Parliament retrieved 4 February 2014.
  62. "RTÉ blames Irish defamation laws over €85,000 payout". Press Gazette. 6 February 2014. Archived from the original on 25 May 2016.
  63. "Taoiseach dismisses call to make RTÉ answerable to the Dáil". The Irish Times. 5 February 2014.
  64. Waters, John (23 April 2014). "So, who's illiberal here?". Village Magazine. Archived from the original on 23 April 2014.
  65. Horan, Niamh (13 April 2014). "'I've been put on trial over my beliefs'". Sunday Independent.
  66. Sheehy, Clodagh; Blake Knox, Kirsty (14 April 2014). "Anger over John Waters' depression comments". Sunday Independent. Retrieved 21 April 2014.
  67. Harrington, Suzanne (21 April 2014). "My rage at John Waters' dated rhetoric and old-school ignorance". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 21 April 2014.
  68. "Remarks about depression sparked huge online debate". Sunday Independent. 20 April 2014. Retrieved 21 April 2014.
  69. Finn, Melanie (14 April 2014). "John is depressed but he won't admit it, claims O'Connor". Evening Herald. Retrieved 21 April 2014.
  70. "Written Answer No.120: Constitutional Amendments". Dáil Éireann debates. 28 November 2013. Retrieved 31 March 2015.
  71. Casey, Ruain (1 May 2015). "New group First Families First to back No vote in referendum". Newstalk. Retrieved 28 April 2017.
  72. "Waters: Referendum result 'catastrophic' for Ireland". Irish Examiner. 24 May 2015. Retrieved 28 April 2017.
  73. Duffy, Nick (9 February 2017). "Irish writer says he quit journalism 'because of LGBT activists'". PinkNews. Retrieved 28 April 2017.
  74. "The new Ireland: new moral state?". WORLDbyte YouTube channel. 6 December 2016. Retrieved 28 May 2017.
  75. Biography johnwaters.ie
  76. John Waters (30 July 2014). "The alternative to drink is freedom from a substance that was the point of my life". Irish Independent. Retrieved 17 December 2014.
  77. Solutions, OSD Ltd (www.osd.ie) - Web, eBusiness, eMarketing, Training, Office and Software. "John Waters Biography, Ireland, Writer, Journalist, playwright, magazine editor, columnist and campaigner for fathers rights". www.johnwaters.ie. Retrieved 23 October 2018.
  78. Lally, Conor (3 September 2013). "John Waters briefly jailed over non-payment of parking fine". The Irish Times. Retrieved 17 September 2013.
  79. "Journalist Waters jailed for two hours after refusing to pay fine". Irish Independent. 4 September 2013. Retrieved 17 September 2013.
  80. McCarthy, Justine (25 November 2018). "Reporter Kitty Holland sues John Waters for deriding Savita Halappanavar story". The Times. Retrieved 26 November 2018.
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