Cork trio who disrupted drag story event for children in Tralee library deny public order charges

Ross Lahive denies assaulting four people, including a library security guard, a woman, a male photographer for the event, and another man.

Three people who travelled from Cork and disrupted a drag story event for children at Tralee library in July 2023 told a court their intention was to protest peacefully and protect child innocence.

All three deny public order charges at Kerry County Library, Moyderwell, Tralee, on July 13, 2023.

They had heard of the event through Facebook and other social media, they told Listowel District Court.

In September, the court heard how the event was organised by Kingdom Pride; all performers were Garda vetted.

The event was disrupted when the protestors allegedly “burst” into the room and began live streaming from the event.

Allegations of grooming were levelled at the organisers by Ross Lahive.

A number of organisers, including a security man were assaulted, and adult volunteers at the event were called prostitutes, “absolute creatures”, and other names by Mr Lahive, it is alleged.

One man was told he had bad breath and this was because he ate garlic.

Children were taken to a corner of the room and organisers used umbrellas to shield them from the proceedings and from being videoed, the court heard.

A number of video clips were played to the court over the proceedings.

Mr Lahive, aged 45, of Church St, Shandon St, Cork, denies assaulting four people, including a library security guard, a woman, a male photographer for the event, and another man.

The assault charge is contrary to Section 2 of Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act, 1997.

He also denies that he engaged in “threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour with intent to provoke a breach of the peace or being reckless as to whether a breach of the peace may be occasioned”.

Replying to Eugene Manley, defending all three, on Thursday, Mr Lahive confirmed he was at Tralee library and said he went there for “a morality issue”.

They were there to highlight the event, to tell the people of Ireland what was happening in a public library, and ‘to expose this grooming event”, Mr Lahive said.

He had gay friends and had nothing against them and some of his gay friends had concerns about drag story for children, he claimed.

“We believe it’s a grooming issue,” he said.

Organisers had used umbrellas as shields, he said.

He claimed volunteers, people dressed in pink and purple attire were acting “suspiciously” from the outset and on entering the library, he and his co-accused were ‘set upon”.

It was “really inappropriate” for people of the opposite sex to be dressing up and reading homosexual books, he said.

He had used “appropriate force” to enter the event room.

It was “unbelievable that there would be people to protect child grooming”, Mr Lahive said.

Drag was adult entertainment, it was never used for children, he said.

“It’s traditionally adult entertainment. The real issue here is grooming children,” Mr Lahive insisted.

Cross examined by Tom Rice, prosecuting, Mr Lahive said grooming was defined as introducing sexual concepts to children.

Mr Rice put it to Mr Lahive that gardaí had vetting procedures “and every single person at the event was Garda vetted”.

The children were singing a song from Frozen when they arrived, Mr Rice said.

“I believe a lot of people disagree with this type of event. We never had this type of event in Ireland previously,” Mr Lahive replied.

He confirmed to Mr Rice he was trained in martial arts, MMA, cage fighting, and UFC.

But he said he used “appropriate force” in gaining access to the room, and he also said he believed he did not assault anyone as he never intended to do so.

Mr Lahive said he regretted losing his composure with some of the aggressive and insulting language.

“I lost my composure and I regret that,” he said.

The library was a public building and he felt very strongly there was a certain agenda, he said under cross-examination by Mr Rice.

At one point, Judge David Waters said there seemed to be confusion about the public space.

“There’s no absolute right to enter a public building,” the judge said.

Also before the court, Margo Mills, aged 37, of Carnloch Drive, The Glen, Cork, denies using threatening and abusive words or behaviour, contrary to Section 6 of The Public Order Act.

Ms Mills also denies assaulting another woman, contrary to Section 2 of the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act.

Stephen McGeough, aged 57, of Devonshire St, Cork, has also denied the use of threatening or insulting words provoking breach of the peace, of the Public Order Act.

All said they were there to peacefully protest. “We were not there to cause trouble,” Ms Mills said.

Mr McGeough said there was a tense atmosphere among the volunteers.

He was less than a minute in the library room when he was “ejected”, “pushed, and corralled out of the room”, he said.

He was there to peacefully protest for the protection of child innocence, Mr McGeough said.

All three have been given legal aid.

Judge Waters adjourned the matter to December 16 in Tralee when he will hand down his decision.