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Alexandra Dellaportas

"I remember seeing dad's body on the ground": The Irish murders that rocked Melbourne

A new documentary looks at what happened, and the impact it has on the families.

First published 6 March

IT IS A NIGHTMARE scenario: a convicted armed robber, fresh out on parole, enters a jewellery shop and stabs the owner to death, badly injuring his wife.

At a backpackers’ party, a man with a criminal record viciously attacks two housemates.

A woman is taken, raped and killed by a man with a string of convictions.

Murder in Melbourne

Many Irish people have flocked to Melbourne in Australia to start a new life. But for Dermot and Bridget O’Toole, David Greene and Jill Meagher, their time abroad turned to tragedy.

Now the murders of three Irish people living in Melbourne between 2012 and 2013, and their families’ fight for justice, is explored in a new RTÉ documentary due to be broadcast on Monday night.

The documentary also looks at the parole system in Victoria to examine its role in these otherwise unrelated murders.

MURDER-IN-MELBOURNE-Dermot-O-Toole-his-wife-Bridget-and-sons

Dublin couple Dermot and Bridget O’Toole (pictured above, with their sons) moved to Melbourne in 1972. ”We just fell in love with it,” recalled Bridget.

They went on to have three children, and the family was a tight unit. They moved to Hastings in 1981, where Dermot opened a shop called The Jewel Shed. 

“We were exceptionally happy,” said Bridget, who worked with her husband in the shop. “They were the perfect couple,” said a family friend.

But in July 2013, a man came into the shop during the day, accompanied by his girlfriend and child.

After he looked at the jewellery, he wiped his fingerprints off the counter and door.

That evening, he returned.

“I heard the buzzer going in the shop and I said to Dermot ‘I’ll get this’. And then I saw something come at me so I pushed my hands up to stop whatever it was coming at me, which was a knife,” said Bridget.

He was just screaming. Unmerciful screaming like a wild animal.

The man stabbed Bridget and then stabbed Dermot to death. One of the last things Dermot said to his wife was:

“Call an ambulance, I’ve been stabbed.”

MURDER-IN-MELBOURNE-Jeweller-Dermot-OToole-and-wife-Bridget Alexandra Dellaportas Alexandra Dellaportas

“I remember trying to bargain with God to spare him,” said Bridget.

“And the more they worked on him, there was just volumes of blood coming out of him and eventually I just said ‘I know he’s dead, you can stop working on him’.”

Dermot was the third Irish national to be murdered in Melbourne within one year. His killer was Gavin Perry, who was sentenced to 27 years in prison for his crime. Perry was out on parole and had around 200 offences to his name, including armed robbery.

Vicious attack

A year before Dermot O’Toole’s death, a 30-year old Cabinteely man David Greene – Davey to his friends – was attacked in Melbourne.

“The whole thing, it is like a dream,” said his father Aidan.

Greene was described as a character. ”He’d just charm anybody,” his mum said.

MURDER-IN-MELBOURNE-Dubliner-David-Greene-who-was-died-in-Melbourne-following-an-attack-in-Aug-2012 David Greene

Work had dried up at home in Ireland so, like many Irish people, Greene went to Australia, where he ended up working in a hostel.

He told his family that a man – named Luke Wentholt - who was a “bit weird” had moved into his shared house.

One night there was a party at the house. Towards the end of the night, Wentholt accused Greene of making a move on his girlfriend, then attacked him viciously.

He also attacked another Irish man who came to his defence. The two men were admitted to hospital in serious condition. David’s life support machine was turned off after more than a week, and he died in hospital.

The other Irish man, David Byas, survived his injuries. “No one knows unless they go through it themselves what the pain is like losing a child that way,” said Greene’s mother.

Wentholt, who had a number of previous convictions, was charged with Greene’s murder and sentenced to at least 15 years in prison.

Jill Meagher murder

MURDER-IN-MELBOURNE-The-Jewel-Shed-where-Dermot-OToole-was-murdered-in-July-2013 (1) Yanni Dellaportas Yanni Dellaportas

That same year, Jill Meagher went missing in Brunswick, Melbourne during a night out. She was taken, raped and then murdered by Adrian Bayley, a rapist out on parole. 

Public anger grew over a parole system that allowed Bayley out when he was a danger to the public. Gavin Perry was also allowed out on parole by the Parole Board of Victoria just months after Meagher’s death.

O’Toole family’s now campaign for tougher sentencing and tighter restrictions on parole in Victoria after Dermot’s tragic death.

Murder in Melbourne follows as these Irish families deal with their devastating loss and follows their journey to get justice for their loved ones.

Murder in Melbourne is broadcast on Monday 7 March on RTÉ One

Read: Man who raped and killed Jill Meagher convicted of three more rapes >

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8 Comments
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    Mute Karl Pinker
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    Mar 19th 2021, 5:38 PM

    They should of started jabbing again at 4.30 yesterday afternoon

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    Mute Joe Johnson
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    Mar 19th 2021, 5:56 PM

    @Karl Pinker: Hate to see the HSE robbing a bank. The car would be in the garage getting a service done instead outside the bank with the engine running.

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    Mute family guy
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    Mar 19th 2021, 6:00 PM

    @Joe Johnson: same with every public service. Not answerable to the bottom line like us running a proper business.

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    Mute Shane Brophy
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    Mar 19th 2021, 7:04 PM

    @Karl Pinker: They couldn’t. Each person now has to be given updated AZ vaccine wording by vaccinators to avoid litigation.
    If we weren’t such a litigious country, we could have started yesterday at 4.30.

    48
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    Mute Uncle Montys oaf
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    Mar 19th 2021, 5:40 PM

    Germany and France to resume vaccinations today, ireland want to wait a few more days. Says it all.

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    Mute Shay Redmond.
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    Mar 19th 2021, 5:41 PM

    @Uncle Montys oaf: but it’s the weekend.. and the sun’s out.. be grand.

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    Mute Ian Forbes
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    Mar 19th 2021, 6:00 PM

    @Shay Redmond.: they did 300 plus vaccines last Sunday….. its a day of rest in this country.

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    Mute Quia Timet
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    Mar 19th 2021, 6:20 PM

    @Ian Forbes: If vital work has to be done, it does not matter what day or time of the day it is.

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    Mute Ian Forbes
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    Mar 19th 2021, 6:23 PM

    @Quia Timet: the numbers for Saturday, Sunday and Monday are low compared to rest of week !

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    Mute Uncle Montys oaf
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    Mar 19th 2021, 6:25 PM

    @Quia Timet: I think you missed his sarcasm

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    Mute Michael O'Connor
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    Mar 19th 2021, 9:01 PM

    @Ian Forbes: they did 660,000 today in the UK

    27
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    Mute Marky Mark
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    Mar 20th 2021, 12:01 AM

    @Ian Forbes: folks a colleague of mine in the UK his wife got qualified to give the AZ jabs and she did 76 on her first 12 hr shift last Sunday. There we 30 vaccinators in her sports hall in the middle of nowhere (relatively speaking) and cars came in and out in an orderly fashion and they did 3,000 on a Sunday !
    Borris ffed up the initial handling but people over there think he is doing a good job, where our best boys in Europe locked up the country and messed up the vaccine rollout and will be remembered for it. Game changer my hole !

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    Mute Gerard
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    Mar 19th 2021, 5:38 PM

    On the basis of the EMA’s approval?

    It was never “unapproved” — the last week, even while the EMA was reviewing the reports, the EMA’s position was unambiguously to keep vaccinating people.

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    Mute john s
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    Mar 19th 2021, 9:02 PM

    @Gerard: yep nphet and niac truly are our best and brightest.

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    Mute Martin Galvin
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    Mar 19th 2021, 10:46 PM

    @john s: As the comments are blocked on the previous article, due to legal reasons (my bruised plums), I’m commenting on here & will copy & paste in case it’s deleted. The Article is trial by media, holds no evidence apart from citing old gatherings where Professor Cahill was in attendance, and is one of the most one-sided things I have ever read. The article should be binned, and a synopsis posted as ‘Gards, with backing of Authorities, put squeeze on outspoken anti-lockdown campaigner’
    There’s a reason why journalists were depicted as pigs on Spitting Image in the 80’s ….

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    Mute Martin Galvin
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    Mar 19th 2021, 11:19 PM

    @Martin Galvin: The story has been taken down …. Job done. Cheers.

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    Mute Martin Galvin
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    Mar 19th 2021, 11:21 PM

    @Martin Galvin: Take it down, please …. Shifting it down a few notches doesn’t validate it ….

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    Mute Franny Ando
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    Mar 20th 2021, 1:19 PM

    @Martin Galvin: Seen it this morning too.

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    Mute Tertullian
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    Mar 19th 2021, 5:55 PM

    The European Medicines Agency approved the continued use of the vaccine yesterday. Approval by our NIAC was therefore only a formality but it should have come within minutes of the EMA decision yesterday, not late this afternoon. One can only conclude that the delay was down to grandstanding by the NIAC and it is inexcusable. Yet another sorry chapter in our omnishambles of a vaccination rollout.

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    Mute Adrian O'Donnell
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    Mar 19th 2021, 5:36 PM

    Took long enough

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    Mute Paul Furey
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    Mar 19th 2021, 7:47 PM

    @Adrian O’Donnell: were lucky you’re not in charge

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    Mute Kajus Riedikis
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    Mar 19th 2021, 8:37 PM

    @Adrian O’Donnell: damage is done already

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    Mute Michael Fleming
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    Mar 19th 2021, 5:39 PM

    So a load of horse s—t waiting around afraidbto make a decision itvwas approved yesterday just get on with it for God sake pull your finger out your A—e and just do it

    207
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    Mute Thomas O' Donnell
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    Mar 19th 2021, 8:29 PM

    @Michael Fleming: It was never unapproved. EMA never suspended their approval. Ireland and a few other countries unilaterally suspended the vaccine. Fear of litigation (even though the risk from suspending vaccines was probably greater, for the obvious reason and also because Covid can cause clots )

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    Mute Michael Fleming
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    Mar 19th 2021, 9:09 PM

    @Thomas O’ Donnell: I never said it was unapproved I was saying that it had been cleared 24 hrs ago so why do we hace to wait? Is it because the establishment want to give the nod to show us who is in charge . The vaccine role out has been nothing should of a shambles since the start and needs to be moved on as quickly as possible without any delays

    18
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    Mute Eddie Michael
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    Mar 19th 2021, 6:09 PM

    It’s gonna take day to resume..??? Donnelly needs to go. Put the vaccination programme in the hands of the army, they know how to deal with logistics and crisis management…

    143
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    Mute Oliver Walker
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    Mar 19th 2021, 5:57 PM

    Mood in the country seriously low at this point. I don’t blame Dr Ronan Glynn for the situation, what he communicated was all wrong though. I’m sure the majority of us would keep going if we the Government and NPHET had an endgame but the lack of goodwill and information is forcing people to give up.

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    Mute Michael Maher
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    Mar 19th 2021, 9:12 PM

    @Oliver Walker: I and many more blame Glynn

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    Mute Sheila McNulty
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    Mar 19th 2021, 10:30 PM

    @Oliver Walker: so he is wrong maybe u would do a better job

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    Mute C...
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    Mar 19th 2021, 5:57 PM

    7 blood clotting events, out of over 20 million doses administered…..how did we ever stop!?!?!

    Why haven’t we started immediately, tonight, tomorrow morning!!

    158
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    Mute John Murphy
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    Mar 19th 2021, 10:06 PM

    They found the cause & treatment for the issue according to WSJ
    - Pål André Holme, a professor of hematology and chief physician of the Oslo Hospital who headed an investigation into the Norwegian cases, said his team had identified an antibody created by the vaccine that was triggering the adverse reaction.
    - German researcher Andreas Greinacher, professor of transfusion medicine at the Greifswald University Clinic, said they had independently came to the same conclusion as Prof. Holme.
    - Patients who show symptoms four days after vaccination, such as headaches, dizziness or impaired vision, could be quickly diagnosed with a blood test.
    - Once diagnosed, the condition should be treated with blood thinning medication and immunoglobulin, which targets the antibody that causes the problem.

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    Mute Marcella O Toole
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    Mar 20th 2021, 7:04 AM

    @C…: if one of those 7 was your son, daughter, mother, would you say the same thing??

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    Mute Donal Coakley
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    Mar 19th 2021, 5:38 PM

    Next up.. NIAC give their tips for Cheltenham festival 2021

    100
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    Mute Ken Faherty
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    Mar 19th 2021, 6:32 PM

    We should be vaccinating 24/7 to catch up.

    102
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    Mute Mary O Dwyer
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    Mar 19th 2021, 6:09 PM

    Why Days before clinics set up when the halt was just a precautionary halt and always going to resume from the data coming in days ago . Why this next delay now . We really need to get speed of urgency before a last straw occurs to undo all the hard work by so many in waiting since January for a speedy roll out .

    71
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    Mute Thomas Armstrong
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    Mar 19th 2021, 5:44 PM

    So a new information sheet must come with the AZ. So they are telling you on one side of the page it’s safe on the flip side its dangers, I personally think they need to have a new retrial with all age groups that’s if they can get people to do it. Massive damage has being done to this jab and once trust is lost its not easy to get it back.

    48
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    Mute Diarmuid Hunt
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    Mar 19th 2021, 6:08 PM

    @Thomas Armstrong: Tell me one medicine that doesn’t come with an information sheet which details the side effects. The problem is there are people with no scientific understanding whatsoever that latch on to side effect or incidences that happen by coincidence with no causal link. If the pharmaceutical companies tell them everything then they make a big deal out of nothing, if they don’t tell them everything it’s a big conspiracy. It’s not public perception that’s the problem, it’s public education.

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    Mute Dave Hammond
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    Mar 19th 2021, 8:07 PM

    @Thomas Armstrong: hmm a retrial – you do realise that 20 millions doses already given to people is a far more significant than any retrial ….

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    Mute Anette Tourette
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    Mar 20th 2021, 8:37 AM

    @Diarmuid Hunt: Never read the leflet about side effects. Then you’ll suffer from all of them!!

    1
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    Mute Conor Glancy
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    Mar 19th 2021, 8:16 PM

    It’s a wonder there wasn’t a working group set up to make a decision on it in two weeks time

    37
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    Mute Michael O'Connor
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    Mar 19th 2021, 9:04 PM

    They did close to 660,000 vaccinations today in the UK apparently… in one day.

    38
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    Mute Leonard O'mahony
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    Mar 19th 2021, 9:11 PM

    @Michael O’Connor: that’s our total since the beginning of the rollout. An inept government . Unable to provide for it’s citizens. Are we surprised?

    47
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    Mute Theportobello
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    Mar 19th 2021, 9:52 PM

    @Michael O’Connor: 1% U.K. adult population… in one day

    20
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    Mute Paul Carew
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    Mar 19th 2021, 5:50 PM

    Yeah all 10 doses that they do have

    33
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    Mute David Smith
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    Mar 19th 2021, 5:37 PM

    At last

    29
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    Mute Jack Inman
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    Mar 19th 2021, 8:29 PM

    EU handling of the vaccine rollout is tantamount to digging yourself a hole but, rather climbing out, they just keep digging

    23
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    Mute Ciaran Duane Farrell
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    Mar 19th 2021, 7:35 PM

    Need to start vaccinating again ASAP

    22
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    Mute David Lynch
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    Mar 19th 2021, 8:54 PM

    Was is everything in this country so slow

    23
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    Mute O'Brien
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    Mar 19th 2021, 6:15 PM

    Pop an aspirin 10 minutes before. Sorted.

    22
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    Mute plug
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    Mar 19th 2021, 7:17 PM

    i wont be taking anything prescribed by a government.

    17
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    Mute Theportobello
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    Mar 19th 2021, 8:31 PM

    @plug: I hope you like cold rainy islands

    11
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    Mute Happy
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    Mar 19th 2021, 9:54 PM

    @plug: Except for your welfare right?

    14
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    Mute Úna O Connor Barrett
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    Mar 19th 2021, 5:43 PM

    France only giving it to over 65

    13
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    Mute Craig Barry
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    Mar 19th 2021, 7:03 PM

    @Úna O Connor Barrett: over 55’s

    15
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    Mute Alan Bury
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    Mar 19th 2021, 5:41 PM

    Wooohoooo Party Party Party!!!!!

    11
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    Mute Colm Phillips
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    Mar 19th 2021, 5:45 PM

    Woo!…god long will this take

    10
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    Mute Shay Redmond.
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    Mar 19th 2021, 5:40 PM

    Thanks NIAC. You’re a star..

    10
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    Mute trebloc01
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    Mar 19th 2021, 7:32 PM

    The t-shirt should get off his #ole now and stop making excuses

    18
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    Mute Hugo Bugo
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    Mar 19th 2021, 6:29 PM

    Wow, didn’t expect that outcome

    9
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    Mute Sure, Isn't it grand?
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    Mar 19th 2021, 10:16 PM

    Which Monday?

    8
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    Mute Neil Carroll
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    Mar 19th 2021, 8:09 PM

    I work where the vaccine is stored and shipped out and I can’t even get it.

    6
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    Mute Niallman
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    Mar 19th 2021, 9:11 PM

    I hope NPHET checked with all The Journal comments section and Twitter experts before they issued their recommendation.

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    Mute Anna Carr
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    Mar 19th 2021, 9:18 PM

    Woohoo!!!!! Let’s get ‘er done

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